Pincher Creek

Pincher Creek is a town in the southwest of Alberta, Canada. It is immediately to the east of the Rocky Mountains in the centre of ranching country.

The town received its name in 1868 when a group of prospectors lost a "pincer" in the small creek at this location. These pincers would have been used as a mechanism for trimming the feet of the horses and thus had some value to the group. It is alleged that for many years afterward, prospectors continued to search for the pincers whenever they passed through this area near the creek.

In 1906 the community on the banks of this creek was offically incorporated as a town and named Pincher Creek. For centuries before this area was settled, the Blackfoot, Peigan and Kootenai Nations lived in or frequented this region. Today the community is thriving. Many residents are descendents of the pioneer families who settled here over 100 years ago.

The town is in a particularly windy part of Alberta, because of the strong Chinook winds that blow off the mountains, and is said to have the highest average wind speed of any town in North America. The strong winds have given rise to a significant amount of wind farm development in the area, with the towers and blades of wind turbines being a characteristic of the scenery.

The town was severely affected by a flood that hit the area in 1995.

Notable Individuals: Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLachlin was born in Pincher Creek. Canadian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Stuart McDowall, was born in Pincher Creek.

External links

• Official Town of Pincher Creek Website
• Cultural Attractions