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Cardston is a small town in southwest Alberta, Canada. Cardston was settled in 1887 by Mormon pioneers from Utah who travelled to Alberta in one of the century's last wagon migrations. The official founder of the town is Charles Ora Card whom the town is named after. To this day most residents of Cardston are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Location
Cardston is situated in the low foothills of southwest Alberta, approximately 25 km (15 miles) north of the US state of Montana. On its north side it borders the reserve of the Blood Tribe, one of the largest native reserves or reservations in North America. 40 km (24 miles) to the west of Cardston are the Rocky Mountains of Waterton Lakes National Park. Cardston is 77 km (46 miles) southwest of Lethbridge and 234 km (140 miles) south of Calgary.
- Coordinates:
- Elevation: 3677 ft (1121 m)
- Land Area (square kilometre): 6.90
Demographics
The population of Cardston in 2001 was 3,475 according to the Town of Cardston website.
| Age | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 115 | 140 | 255 |
| 5–14 | 335 | 310 | 645 |
| 15–19 | 175 | 180 | 355 |
| 20–24 | 105 | 100 | 205 |
| 25–34 | 125 | 160 | 285 |
| 35–44 | 175 | 210 | 385 |
| 45–54 | 165 | 200 | 365 |
| 55–64 | 125 | 155 | 280 |
| 65–74 | 135 | 170 | 305 |
| 75+ | 150 | 260 | 410 |
| Totals | 1600 | 1870 | 3470 |
| 1996 | 2001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of families | 730 | 760 |
| Average family income | $53,750 | $52,939 |
| Median family income | $46,503 | $48,004 |
Industry
Primary industries are agriculture, service, and tourism.
Schools
Schools include the following: the Cardston High School, located near the center of town; the Cardston Jr. High School (formerly Eastridge Elementary School), located on the extreme east side of town; and Cardston Elementary School, located in the western part of town.
Former schools include Leeside (grades 1 and 2 - torn down in the late 1980's to make way for the Remington-Alberta Carriage Centre) and Westside. The building that housed much of the junior high facilities, including the gymnasium (near the current high school) was torn down in the early 2000's as the junior high moved to the former Eastridge building.
Climate
Along with the rest of southern Alberta, Cardston is subject to the weather pattern known as a chinook wind, which can often bring temperatures in mid-winter well above ten degrees Celsius. This same pattern results in more than 200 days of wind a year.
- Annual rain: 320 mm (12.62 in)
- Annual snow: 229 cm (90.0 in)
- Annual frost free days: 111
- Annual hours of sunshine: 2370
Seasonal Temperature Averages:
- January: -6C/21F
- April: 6C/43F
- July: 18C/65F
- October: 6C/43F
Weather records:
- Hottest Day: July 28, 1939 (38.9 C)
- Coldest Day: January 28, 1929 (-41.7 C)
- Most Rain In One Day: June 6, 1995 (106 mm)
- Most Snow In One Day: May 4, 1919 (63.5 cm)
- Deepest Snow Cover: April 29, 1967 (84 cm)
Recreational Facilities
Cardston has a wide array of recreational facilities available, including ball parks, a golf course, an ice skating rink, a swimming pool, tennis courts, hiking trails, and several recreation parks, picnic areas and playgrounds. Additionally the several LDS Church buildings in the town, along with the schools, all have gymnasiums. St. Mary's Dam reservoir, North East of Cardston, supports water sports in the summer months.
Attractions
Local Attractions
Cardston Alberta Temple
The Cardston Alberta Temple is one of southern Alberta’s most recognized landmarks. It was constructed by Mormon pioneers who settled in Cardston in 1887. While still residing in little mud-chinked log houses and barely able to eke out an existence, these settlers started to build a Temple, which was opened in 1923 after 10 years of construction. The Cardston Alberta Temple became the centerpiece of the town. It was the second Temple constructed by the church outside of the continental U.S. Its architects, Hyrum Pope and Harold Burton, were strongly influenced by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, which shows in the unique appearance of the massive granite structure.Remington Carriage Museum
The Remington Carriage Museum houses the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles in North America, with over 250 carriages, wagons and sleighs. International travellers acknowledge the display as the finest in the world. The 63,000 square foot facility features video displays, a fire hall, a carriage factory, a restoration shop, a working stable, carriage rides, carriage rentals, a restaurant and a gift shop. Guided facility tours are offered at no additional charge. The museum was briefly mentioned as a destination of Selma and Patty's vacation during a April 9, 2006 episode of The Simpsons, much to the delight of the museum staff.Card Pioneer Home
A genuine "Little House on the Prairie". It was built by Cardston’s founder Charles Ora Card in 1887 and served as a community center and stopping place for travelers until the first hotel was built in 1894. The log structure still stands in its original location and is open for public visitations as a Registered Provincial Historic site.Courthouse Museum
The Courthouse Museum showcases an amazing record of how a rough country changed dramatically. The unique sandstone structure was built in 1907 from stone quarried just a few miles from Cardston. The building’s striking profile and beautifully finished interior stands as a monument to Cardston’s early pioneer artisans. It was used longer than any other courthouse in Alberta. The building still displays the judges bench, witness box, and other court artifacts. Original jail cells, including graffiti can be found. The Courthouse Museum is a Registered Provincial Historic siteMuseum of Miniatures
Go back in history and visit the Old West. See covered wagons on the move, Indian Villages, buffalo, wild animals and an active western town, all on a 1/12 scale. Featured also are Indian carvings and paintings, along with over 150 authentic 1/24 scale model cars and trucks, shadow boxes, antiques, a marine scene, a logging scene and much, much moreRegional Attractions
Waterton Lakes National Park
Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the extreme southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, 40 km west of Cardston, and borders Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. Waterton Lakes was Canada's fourth national park formed in 1895. In this breathtaking part of the world, the majestic Rocky Mountains rise suddenly out of the rolling prairies. Amid the peaks are the lakes of Waterton Lakes National Park, carved out of the rock by ancient glaciers.Frank Slide Interpretive Centre
On April 29, 1903, at 4:10 am, the sleeping mining town of Frank Alberta was devestated by 82 million tonnes of limestone crashing down from nearby Turtle Mountain. Visit the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre in the Crowsnest Pass, 130 km northwest of Cardston, to learn more about one of the geatest natural disasters in Canadian history.Castle Mountain Ski Resort
Castle Mountain Resort is a diamond in the rough with miles of groomed skiing runs, natural half pipes, deep fresh powder, and perfect fall lines, 90 km west of Cardston. Untracked powder, short lift lines and wide open spaces are just a few of this mountains stellar qualities.Writing On Stone Provincial Park
Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, 125 km east of Cardston, is one of the largest areas of protected prairie in the Alberta park system, and serves as both a nature preserve and protection for the largest concentration of rock art, created by Plains People. There are over 50 rock art sites, with thousands of figures, as well as numerous archeological sites.Famous people from Cardston
- Fay Wray - actress in original King Kong (there is a fountain on Main Street named in her honour, which Fay Wray herself dedicated.)
- George Woolf - Hall of Fame jockey
- Herman Linder - all-around champion rodeo star, dominating the Calgary Stampede in the 1930's
"Cardston, Alberta"