The days when cowboys relied on their horses and the land for their livelihood will be brought to life for another season at a one-of-a-kind historic site in the foothills.
The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site is in its 20th year of portraying the early years of ranching with its array of historic buildings, Percheron drawn wagon and a line-up of historic cowboy activities.
The ranch, the only national historic site to commemorate the history and importance of ranching in Canada, opened for the season on May 17.
“Of course ranching is evolving all the time and this is showing the roots of not only the ranching industry, but how the west was opened up,” said Mike McLean, site manager at the Bar U Ranch. “This was the first industry that got this part of the world going.”
McLean said the Bar U Ranch saw a record year in 2014 with 19,000 visitors and hopes to see even more this year.
“Of course in 2013 we did see a dip in numbers, but prior to that it’s been a steady incline,” he said.
“In this day and age so many people are trying to reconnect with the land. We are showing that in the choices of what we are eating. The Bar U can be a wonderful reconnection for many.”
The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site was acquired by Parks Canada in December of 1991 and opened as a historic site in 1995.
McLean, whose father Roy was involved with the selection of the Bar U Ranch as a national historic site, remembers this monumental day fondly.
“For me it was a place that I had grown up by and had known all my life and knew the people who worked here and lived here,” he said. “It was really interesting to see that our culture was getting recognized, not only by the country, but internationally as well. It was quite exciting to see.”
In 1881, the ranch was branded Bar U when stockman Frederick Stimson leased 147,000 acres of land to form the North West Cattle Company, backed by Montreal investors.
In 1902, former cattle company foreman George Lane formed a partnership to purchase the ranch for almost $500,000.
Lane died in 1925 and two years later Patrick Burns purchased the Bar U. McLean said the story went that a person could likely ride from Calgary to the Montana border and not leave Burns’ land.
The ranch’s property was split up and sold in 1950 and owned by a succession of people including Allan Baker, the Wambeke family and then the Nelson family, who continue to ranch west of the Bar U Ranch today.
Parks Canada acquired the original ranch headquarters, a total of 367 acres, in 1991 to commemorate ranching history in Canada and four years later opened its doors to visitors as a national historic site.
Since its opening 20 years ago, McLean has been an integral part of the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site as a volunteer and employee in various guises.
In commemoration of the ranch’s 20-year-history as a national historic site, McLean said visitors are invited to a celebration on July 30, the day the grand opening ceremonies took place in 1995, which will include a cake and activities.
“We thought we would like everybody to come out and be there to mark the day,” he said. “In some ways it seems like it was just not that long ago it happened and in other ways it seems like a lifetime ago.”
Other activities scheduled this season include the traditional Chuckwagon Cook-Off on June 7, where competitors are tasked to cook beef stew and biscuits over an open camp fire in a friendly competition. Visitors are encouraged to sample the varieties while enjoying some cowboy tales and coffee.
The ranch will celebrate Canada’s 148th birthday on July 1 with cake, a flag raising ceremony and old-fashioned activities.
On Parks Day on July 18, the Bar U Ranch will welcome back the Strathcona Mounted Troop with its display of equine precision and cavalry drills.
Other activities returning this summer are the annual Friends of the Bar U Trail Ride, the Old Time Ranch Rodeo with the addition of a ranch horse competition this year and the fall Chore Horse Competition.
Special events at the Bar U this year include the Canadian Cowboy Challenge, a timed obstacle course for horse and rider, on June 27 and 28 and the Canadian Border Collie Association’s annual Championship Stock Dog Trial Aug. 27 to 30.
The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site is located south of Longview on Highway 22 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Sept. 30.
For more details about these events or for more information about The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site go to www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/ab/baru/index.aspx
