Bar U Ranch National Historic Site has new attractions and a host of special events planned this season.
Featuring a visitor centre, restaurant and gift shop, the Bar U Ranch is the only National Historic Site to commemorate the history and importance of ranching in Canada. Home to ranch buildings that span the years 1882-1950, the ranch is located an hour southwest of Calgary on Highway 22, otherwise known as Cowboy Trail, in Foothills County.
Nestled below the visitor centre is the historic Bar U Ranch headquarters and a vibrant living history program.
Special events start on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day. Visitors will have an opportunity to visit with the ranch’s Indigenous neighbours and can check out the newest interpretive area on the ranch, a Stoney Nakoda teepee camp, representative of the transition between pre and post-Treaty 7 Indigenous life.
A diverse workforce, especially Indigenous people, played a significant role in the history of the Bar U Ranch, and there is a historic relationship between foothills ranches and the Bearspaw Nation of the Stoney Nakoda, as well as other Indigenous groups.
Following Indigenous Peoples Day, Canada Day on July 1 will feature free admission, with all of the ranch’s activities and amenities available. Then, on Saturday, July 9, the ranch celebrates Historic Places Day.
The weekend of August 13-14 is Alberta Open Farm Days, with free admission all weekend. Alberta Open Farm Days is a province-wide, two-day event that gives people an opportunity to experience life on the farm.
The Old Time Ranch Rodeo takes place on Sunday, Aug. 21. With events such as broke horse racing, team sorting, branding and doctoring, traditional ranching skills will be on display as working cowboys compete for silver buckles and bragging rights.
Events at the Bar U Ranch wrap up with the Chore Horse Competition on Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. Visitors will be able to see the skill demonstrated by drivers from 18 to 80 years of age as they guide their heavy horse teams through a challenging course.
The newest attraction to the visitor centre is the Roland Gissing Gallery. Gissing paintings can be found in the collections of Queen Elizabeth II, Glenbow Museum and Alberta Foundation for the Arts. He is known for capturing the beauty of Alberta’s landscape in his artworks.
Also new this year, a plaque commemorating the historic significance of Black cowboy and rancher John Ware will be on display in the Saddle Horse Barn, which Ware helped build in the 1880s during his time as an employee at the ranch.
The visitor centre is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until the end of the season on Sept. 30.
Daily admission is $12.50 per adult (18-64), $10.75 (65+) and free for youth age 17 and under. There are also annual passes and group rates available.
For more information visit www.pc.gc.ca. The Parks Canada website provides detailed information on what visitors can expect, how to prepare for a visit and what services may be available.
