History of Wainwright
Originally founded as Denwood in 1905 the town was re-located three miles (5 kilometers) to west-north-west where in 1908 the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway had surveyed a new site which was deemed more suitable to their needs. The town was given its new name for General William Wainwright, the second Vice-President of GTPR and served as a western divisional point for the railroad. As a divisional point, it was intended that branch lines would extend from here to such places as North Battleford, Medicine Hat, Calgary, and the Peace River area. These intentions triggered a quick growth of Wainwright which became a village in 1908 (pop. 450) and was incorporated as a town on August 14, 1910 (pop. 1000). Although the plans of the GTPR did not materialize, Wainwright maintained it's position as a railroad center and became the major service center for the surrounding agriculture industry.
In 1925, to commemorate local area citizens who volunteered for and gave their lives in the Great War, a Memorial Clock was erected in the center of the intersection of Main Street and Second Avenue by the Walter Musson Chapter of the Independent Order Of Daughters of the Empire. The 'Town Clock', as it is affectionately known, is the only freestanding war monument of its kind in Canada. Through ensuing wars more individuals have been named on the commemorative plaque which occupies the south facet of this attractive and intriguing monolith. In all, there are sixty-seven brave individuals named. Their courage and personal sacrifice will live on in the memories of families and townsfolk for many generations to come. The memorial serves as the Cenotaph for Remembrance Day ceremonies held each year.
In 1908, to preserve the endangered bison, the Canadian Government created the original Buffalo National Park on 234 square miles of land immediately south of the town. The area was fenced and stocked with several hundred head of buffalo from Montana. The herd grew to such an extent that annual round-ups began in 1921, shipping some animals to various parts of the world and slaughtering others. The round-ups continued until 1940 when all animals were removed and the park was turned over to the Department of National Defence (DND). By that time over 48,000 head of bison were produced in the park.
Upon possession by the DND, the park was converted to a training establishment for the Canadian army and is now known as Base Wainwright. In 1945-46 the Base was used as a prisoner of war facility where over 1000 German officers were interned. Base Wainwright has been extensively developed over the years and is now one of the primary training areas in Canada, regularly hosting international exercises. The townsite at Base Wainwright, located adjacent to the Town of Wainwright, is named Denwood, after James Dawson's original townsite.
Oil and gas were discovered in 1921 and since then have remained important industries for Wainwright. Both oil and gas wells continue to be drilled in the area. Agriculture continues to be the basic industry of the community. The varied terrain supports a diverse production of crops and livestock. With it's diversified economy, Wainwright has long experienced a steady growth, a trend expected to continue into the future...
If you would like to further explore Wainwright's history please email heritage@wainwright.ca for more information.
