CHAPS Cochrane Historical Museum
Cochrane Historical & Archival Preservation Society
Beautiful Scenery
Visitors to the CHAPS Museum in Cochrane, Alberta are within an hour’s drive of Banff National Park and the mountain playgrounds west of Calgary that offer year round outdoor activities in a beautiful setting.
Located within The Cochrane Ranche
The Dominion Government incorporated a company in 1881 and it was known as the Cochrane Ranche Company. (excerpt from Big Hill Country page 155).
The Museum Building's History
Constructed in 1909 by the Davies family using bricks from the Collin’s Brick Yard. Built to be used as a hospital/nursing home and private residence. Moved to its current site in 2014.

Experience the history of
Canada's West
Through the eyes of its settlers, ranchers and farmers;
the service and supply businesses, the educators and more.

Thanks for your memories of Cochrane
This past week, we asked for your favourite memories of Cochrane. We had a fantastic response.

Schools NW of Cochrane
The Department of Agriculture placed a bounty on gophers – they chewed up the young plants in the grain fields like you wouldn’t believe. The bounty was claimed by “turning in” gopher tails. My students had a little project to raise some money with gopher tails.

What do you miss about Cochrane?
Your responses may help guide future CHAPS social media posts, inspire exhibits or displays at the Cochrane Historical Museum, or simply preserve everyday memories that might otherwise be lost.

Bancroft Family
A friend, who farmed where McMahon Stadium is now, remembers seeing hundreds of cattle drifting by during the storm. It had been a hard winter and cattle were in poor condition with many dying as they piled up against fences.

Schools South West of Cochrane
Harry, along with George, would lie on the CPR railroad bed and let the trains pass over them, “nearly scaring their mothers to death”.

Mystery on the Track: Help Us Identify This Historic Cochrane Photo
We invite you to take a close look at this photo and share what you know—or what you think you know.
