Journey into the Past: A Visit to Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village in Pincher Creek
A preserved heritage site where Alberta, Canada's pioneer history comes alive
Saturday, August 5, 2023 ~ After visiting the International Peace Park, we boarded the Caravan bus and traveled to Pincher Creek, Alberta to spend the afternoon at the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village. We weren’t sure what to expect but were pleasantly surprised by this charming village.
Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village is named after Waterton Park’s pioneer patriarch. Turns out, it’s not just a place, it’s an experience.
Founded in 1966 to preserve the area’s pioneer heritage, the 6-acre village contains 31 buildings with more than 30,000 artifacts. Each building has a story to tell, from Kootenai Brown’s cabin and bedroom…
to the Rocky Mountain Echo office with its old printing press.
This is Ranger Gord. He’s holding a set of pincers that are used to pull shoes off horses. Apparently, in the late 1860s, prospectors in the area lost a pincer in the small creek near here.
The oldest building on the site housed the North-West Mounted Police post who arrived in 1874. One of them discovered the rusting tools in the creek, and they named the town Pincher Creek.
The vintage vehicles are a car-lover’s dream. The black 1929 Ford Model A Town Sedan was Kate’s favorite, the yellow 1927 Ford Model T Roadster Pickup was my favorite, and a cool old hearse that started its life as a grain truck but was converted to a hearse by the local undertaker.
From the numerous volunteers to the buildings, clothing, and classic cars, it was evident that Pincher Creek and the surrounding community deeply cares for its historic roots. The majority of the donations in the village are from the immediate area…they are a treasure trove and a testament to the locals' commitment to preserving their history.
After walking around and taking in all the sights, Ranger Gord talked about branding and the importance of marking which cattle were yours back in the day before fencing. He gave a demonstration, then asked for volunteers from the audience. Kate raised her hand…
There it is…the KBR brand!
We ended our visit with a chuckwagon barbecue, then we were headed back to our Pincher Creek hotel.
I was a little disappointed we didn’t get to browse through more of the buildings and their displays. Alas, that’s the challenge of a bus tour. They keep you very busy and you see a lot…there’s just never enough time. Despite the constraints of a bus tour, the visit to the village was a memorable journey into Alberta's past.
After a long first day, we were ready to turn in for the night. We were excited to visit Glacier National Park the next day.
Kootenai is some name! Wonder what its origin is. Love those old printing presses. Looks like it was a fun tour.
I believe he was born in Ireland. It was a surprisingly fun little village and I think I could have spent a day checking out all the buildings and their displays.