Historical Society
A Brief History of Gleichen
The nation-uniting Canadian Pacific Railway reached Siding No. 11, now the Hamlet of Gleichen, in 1883. Soon the newly built stores, elevators, professional services, and industries became the centre of a large rural area.
To the south of Gleichen lies Siksika Nation – 350,000 acres occupied by some 3000 indigenous peoples. A mile to the west is a cliff over which the Natives used to drive buffalo, and to this day buffalo bones may be found there. Twelve miles to the southeast, the great Chief Crowfoot is buried, and nearby is a cairn commemorating the signing of Treaty No. 7.
Gleichen was a thriving town of over 1,000 people during the Roaring Twenties. In the early ’30s, Gleichen installed the first pressure irrigation system in North America. The town was the centre of a dynamic grain and irrigation agriculture industry.
Following WWII, with improved roads and transportation (which drew people and businesses to larger centres) a slow decline set in and, by 1997, the town had reverted to a Hamlet of Wheatland County.
Still a community with a strong spirit, Gleichen boasts top-notch educational and recreational facilities, a supermarket, several local businesses, and over 400 of the best people in the west.
