*** Welcome to piglix ***

Okotoks, Alberta

Okotoks
Town
Town of Okotoks
A view of Okotoks; overlooking downtown and facing south.
A view of Okotoks; overlooking downtown and facing south.
Official logo of Okotoks
Logo
Motto: Historic Past, Sustainable Future
Okotoks is located in Alberta
Okotoks
Okotoks
Coordinates: 50°43.5′N 113°58.5′W / 50.7250°N 113.9750°W / 50.7250; -113.9750Coordinates: 50°43.5′N 113°58.5′W / 50.7250°N 113.9750°W / 50.7250; -113.9750
Country  Canada
Province  Alberta
Region Calgary Region
Census division 6
Municipal district M.D. of Foothills No. 31
Incorporated  
 • Village October 25, 1899
 • Town June 1, 1904
Government
 • Mayor Bill Robertson
 • Governing body
 • CAO Elaine Vincent
 • MP John Barlow
 • MLA Wayne Anderson
Area (2016)
 • Land 19.63 km2 (7.58 sq mi)
Elevation 1,051 m (3,448 ft)
Population (2016)
 • Total 28,881
 • Density 1,471/km2 (3,810/sq mi)
 • Municipal census (2015) 28,016
Time zone MST (UTC−7)
 • Summer (DST) MDT (UTC−6)
Postal code span T1S
Area code(s) -1+403, -1+587
Highways Highway 2A
Highway 7
Highway 549
Waterway Sheep River
Website Official website

Okotoks (/ˈkətks/, originally /ˈɒkətɒks/) is a town in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is situated on the Sheep River, approximately 18 km (11 mi) south of the City of Calgary. The town is a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership, a cooperative of municipalities within the Calgary Region. Okotoks has emerged as a bedroom community of Calgary. According to the 2016 Census, the town has a population of 28,881, making it the largest town in Alberta.

The town's name is derived from "ohkotok", the Blackfoot First Nation word for "rock". The name may refer to Big Rock, the largest glacial erratic in the Foothills Erratics Train, situated about 7 km (4.3 mi) west of the town.

Before European settlement, journeying First Nations used the rock as a marker to find the river crossing situated at Okotoks. The tribes were nomadic and often followed large buffalo herds for their sustenance. David Thompson explored the area as early as 1800. Soon trading posts sprang up, including one established in 1874 at the Sheep River crossing on the current Okotoks townsite. This crossing was on a trade route called the Macleod Trail, which led from Fort Benton, Montana to Calgary.


...
Wikipedia

...