by Sonia Turner
Note: Wherever possible, land locations have been listed in brackets. The land location of a creek is that of the mouth of the creek. References for this information include Dominion Topographical maps and the Gazetteer of Canada.
Atkinson Creek (30-28-6-5) – flows into the Little Red Deer River, and called Beaver Creek by local Indians.
Aylmer, Mount (27-11-5) – elevation 10,375 feet. Situated north of Lake Minnewanka. It is a prominent mountain easily perceived from the Cochrane area. Named in 1890 by J. J. McArthur, Dominion Land Surveyor, after his hometown of Aylmer, Quebec.
Bateman Creek (8-24-6-5) – named after the Tom Bateman family, pioneers of Jumping Pound district.
Bateman Ridge (24-25-4-5) – located in the Jumping Pound area, and named after the Bateman family.
Baynes House Valley – named for the large house in the valley built by Baynes, one-time partner of A. P. Patrick at the Mount Royal Ranch.
Benchlands – terraces on the Ghost River, named by Guy Gibson.
Buffalo Crossing – a crossing on the Ghost River below Benchlands, named by Guy Gibson because of the evidence of buffalo crossing. Nearby, ancient Indian artifacts have been found, including a 12,000-year-old projectile point.
Burnt Ground – an area northeast of Cochrane, where a fire burned in 1895. As the willow roots burned, depressions were formed, leaving the ground very rough.
Beaupré – a locality north of 1A Highway about ten miles west of Cochrane. Named after Louis Beaupré, an early settler who bought squatter’s rights there.
Beaupré Creek (15-26-5-5) – flows through the Beaupré district.
Beaupré Hill (27-5-5) – a prominent landmark in the district.
Beaupré Creek School District No. 4182 – was established in 1925. Beaver Dam Creek (10-30-3-5) – rises in the west side of the Weedon district, flows through Mortimer Coulee, and winds on the northeast. So named because of the numerous beavers in it.
Beaver Dam School District No. 1056 – established in 1904. Still in operation as a small consolidated school. Located one and one-half miles south of Madden.
Behanhouse Creek – named after Behanhouse. Behan was a cook on a survey party in 1912.
Big Hill (25-26-3-5) – the hill below which Cochrane is situated. Early maps show it as Manachaban Hill, which is its Blackfoot name. The apex of the Big Hill is about two miles east of the town.
Big Hill Creek (34-25-4-5) — flows into the Bow River just west of Cochrane, below Big Hill. Big Hill Springs Provincial Park – located six miles northeast of Cochrane in the Big Hill Creek coulee.
Blackrock Mountain (27-9-5) – elevation 9,580 feet. Readily visible from the Cochrane area. It is a sharp black peak.
Bottrel (21-28-44-5) – named after A. E. Botterell, and misspelled when officially recorded. At one time several businesses were located there; presently there is a store and a small municipal park.
Bottrel Road – often called the Dog Pound Road, now designated as Highway 22. Bow River – so named because the Indians obtained wood for bow making along its banks.
Bow River Fort, or Old Bow Fort (25-7-5) – was the Hudson’s Bay Company fort built on the Bow River in 1833 to promote the fur trade with Indians of the area. Situated at the junction of the Bow River and Bow Fort Creek. It was also known as Piegan Post.
Brooks Ridge (10-27-6-5) – named after Frank Brooks, the original owner of Brooks Sawmills.
Bryant Creek (9-24-6-5) – located southwest of Jumping Pound, and named after the Bryant family. Alfred Bryant was a forest ranger in that area.
Caldbeck Post Office (NW 14 4-27-5-5) – named after Caldbeck, Wigton, Cumberland, England, the home of John Peel.
Chapelton School District No. 1812 – established in 1909. Since the school was in Horse Creek district, the name of the school district was changed to Horse Creek School District in
Clemens Hill School District No. 4859 – established in 1939, and named after Joe Clemens, pioneer homesteader of the Jumping Pound district.
Coal Creek – named after the coal deposits at its mouth. Flows through Grand Valley.
Cochrane (2,3-26-4-5) – situated on the southwest slope and at the base of the Big Hill. Named after Senator M. H. Cochrane (1823 1903), who established the Cochrane Ranche in 1881.
Cochrane Lakes (27,34-26-4-5) – named after W. F. Cochrane, son of Senator M. H. Cochrane of the Cochrane Ranche Company. The lakes are about four miles north of 1A Highway, and west of Highway 22.
Cochrane Lakes School District No. 1947 – established in 1909.
Cochrane Ridge – located on top of the Big Hill; the ridge is the backbone of the hill. This land is presently being subdivided into 20-acre plots.
Cope Creek (14-25-5-5) – named after the Cope family, early homesteaders in the area. Cope Ridge (25-5-5) – also named after the Cope family.
Copithorne Ridge (25-4-5) – located in the Jumping Pound district and named after the Copithorne family, early homesteaders.
Crawford Plateau (25-5-5) – located in the Jumping Pound district, and named after Arthur Crawford
Dartigue School District No. 3814 – established in 1919 and named after John Dartigue. A school was never built in the district, due to the small population of school-age children at any one time. Those that did live within the boundaries of the district attended either Chapelton, West Brook or Mount Hope schools.
Deadman Hill — situated between the Ghost and Bow Rivers; it is believed to be the hill west of the Ghost in the angle it makes with the Bow. In Cree, it was called “chipei watchi.” Hector states that slain Indians were buried in a grave in the woods on top of the hill.
Deer Springs (2-29-5-5) – located in Winchell Coulee, and so-called because it is frequented by deer.
Desert, The – the high plateau in Township 27, Range 4 that had a very arid, treeless appearance in the dry years of the 1930s.
Devil’s Head Mountain (27-9-5) – elevation 9, 174feet. Its name is a translation of the Cree name “we-ti-kwas-ti-kan;” in Stoney, “si ham-pa” Tyrell). It was stated by Sir George Simpson that the mountain “bears a resemblance to an upturned face.”
Dog Pound (29-3-5) – a locality that derives its name from a Cree name, but its origin is not clear. Presently it is a hamlet on the Crossfield – Cremona railway.
Dog Pound Creek – rises in the Rabbit Lake Indian Reserve and flows in a northeasterly direction.
DP Valley – runs through the Mount Royal Ranch.
Dream Hill – believed to be one of the most southerly of the Wildcat Hills. Dr. Hector passed through here in 1858 on one of his explorations.
Dry Lake (SW14 10-28-4-5) – located in the West Brook area. The land was homesteaded by Marston Brothers; now owned by Mike Harbidge.
Fallen Timber Creek (32-7-5) – name self explanatory.
Fricke Creek (28-5-5) – named after Hank Fricke who homesteaded in the area.
Fuller Pass – between Aura Ranger Station and the Little Red Deer River. Named after Jerry Fuller.
Garlin Corner – located at the intersection of the Grand Valley road and the road running east between Townships 27 and 28; named after Louis Garlin, whose land corners the intersection.
Ghost Lake (9-26-6-5) – the flooded area formed by the Ghost Dam. There is now a village on the north shore of the lake. The Ghost River flows into the Bow just above the dam. Ghost River (26-6-5) – appeared on the Palliser map of 1860 as Dead Man River. There were said to be many Indian graves along the river. A ghost is supposed to have been going up and down the river picking up the skulls of those who had been slain by the Crees. There are several other legends also.
Gillies Hill – on the south part of the Gillies family’s homestead.
Glendale Road – runs north from Highway 1A, then angles northeast to join the Lochend road. In the early years the Glendale road was the route from Cochrane to the area around the Lochend Post Office.
Grand Valley – named by Donald McEachen, who exclaimed “Aye! It’s a grand valley!”
Grand Valley School District No. 559 – established in 1900. The old log school is still standing in a field on the old McEachen farm.
Grease Creek (35-28-6-5) – a tributary of the Little Red Deer River. It receives its name from the greasewood or black birch brush growing along the creek, so named by Sir James Hector, who called them Pre de Graisse. The Stoney Indians called them Sna Tinda Wapta (sna-grease; tinda-meadows; wapta-plains).
Horse Creek (8-26-4-5) – supposed to have been so named because of a lost horse that was found drowned in the creek.
Highway 1A – the highway connecting Calgary and Cochrane, and continues west, which follows the old Morley Trail along much of its route. Rev. John McDougall is the first white man on record to travel the Morley Trail; in 1875 he rode east to investigate reports that a company of white men were building at the mouth of the Elbow River. Thus he met the N.W.M.P. detachment who were building Fort Calgary.
Inglis Post Office – located at the home of A. McCrady in the Inglis district; named after the Inglis family. Inglis School District – established in 1916 and named after the Inglis family. Ireland Hill (27-6-5) – named after John Ireland, who homesteaded there; located in the Grand Valley hills.
Irwin Hill (26-6-5) – located in the Beaupré district. Believed to have been named after James Irwin, who lived nearby in Jackass Canyon.
Jackass Canyon (26-6-5) – located northwest of Beaupré. When the C.P.R. came through in the 1880s, mules were used for building the roadbed. These mules were wintered in this canyon, hence the name.
Jacob Creek (6-26-6-5) – named after a Stoney Indian chief who signed Treaty No. 7 in 1877. It flows into the Ghost Dam reservoir.
Jamieson Creek (26-6-5) – a tributary of the Ghost River, named after the Jamieson family.
Jean’s Creek – flows into Rabbit Creek from the east, at a point two miles south of the Little Red Deer River. Named about 1934 after Jean L. Johnson, who camped there when she homesteaded.
Jumping Pound – locality south and west of Cochrane.
Jumping Pound Creek (4-26-4-5) – flows into the Bow River southwest of Cochrane. In Blackfoot, its name is Ninapiskan, or “men’s pound”. There is a buffalo jump on a high, steep bank near its mouth, hence the name given to the creek. There is also a Jumping Pound Mountain (23-7-5), elevation 7,300 feet.
Kangienos Lake (26-7-5) – a narrow lake almost two miles long.
Kerfoot Creek (10-27-5-5) – named after W. D Kerfoot.
Keystone Hills (27,28-6-5) – named about 1928 by an oil company.
Klondike Valley – an area west of Bottrel, so named because it was rumoured to be a source of gold in the early days.
Le Sueur Creek (31-26-7-5) – named after the Payn Le Sueur family, who homesteaded in the area, and were the first owners of the Bar C Ranch. Little Jumping Pound Creek (30-24-4-5) – flows into the Jumping Pound Creek.
Lochend – a locality 14 miles northeast of Cochrane, named by J. K. Laidlaw,
Lochend Lake – named by J. K. Laidlaw, and derived from the Gaelic name meaning “at the end of the lake”.
Lochend Post Office (27-3-5) – was located in the Laidlaw home, and established in 1905. Lochend Road – runs north from the 1A Highway to Madden.
Lochend School District No. 2732 – established in 1912.
Madden (31-28-2-5) — a hamlet named after Bernard Madden, an early settler of the Beaver Dam district.
Manachaban Hill – the Blackfoot name for what is more commonly known as Big Hill.
McDonald Coulee – runs west into the Big Hill Creek coulee. At one time the land was owned by D. P. McDonald, who had a calf camp in the Big Hill Creek coulee.
McDougall Coulee (31,32-4,5-5) – named after the McDougall family.
McDougall, Mount – elevation 8,500 feet. Named after Rev. George McDougall and his sons, Rev. John, and David.
McKenna Creek (5-26-4-5) – flows into the Bow River south of Mitford.
Milligan Hill (7-27-6-5) – named by Guy Gibson, because John Milligan had one of the first cabins in that area,
Mill Valley – located west of Stimson Valley; named after Quigley’s sawmill.
Mitford (26-5-5) – a town between Cochrane and Morley on the banks of the Bow River. Mitford was named by Lady Adela Cochrane after her friend Mrs. Percy Mitford. The town was abandoned when the C.P.R. established their station at Cochrane, and later a fire burned the buildings that remained; some, such as All Saints Anglican Church, were moved to Cochrane.
Montreal Valley – named after the Mount Royal Ranch.
Morley – an Indian Reservation. Established as a mission at Morleyville, by the Rev. George McDougall. Named after Rev. Morley Punshon.
Mortimer Coulee – the deep, wide valley near the head of Beaver Dam Creek, named after the Mortimer Brothers, who homesteaded in the coulee.
Nesbitt Coulee – north of Bottrel; named after David Nesbitt, pioneer carpenter who built many of the log houses in the Bottrel area.
Norman Lake (22-24-5-5) – located southwest of Jumping Pound; named after the Norman family who lived nearby.
Nicoll Ridge (25-4,5-5) – located in the Jumping Pound area; named after the Nicoll family.
Owl Creek (23-28-7-5) – runs north into Beaver (Atkinson) Creek.
Parks Creek (10-25-5-5) – located in the Jumping Pound area west of Cope Creek. Named after the Park family, who homesteaded nearby.
Parks Ridge – also in the west Jumping Pound area.
Pirmez Creek (24-3-5) (1910); named after Count Raoul Pirmez, owner of the Belgian Horse Ranch.
Phipps Corner – located on the Horse Creek road at the corner of John Phipps’ homestead quarter.
Pile of Bones Creek (24-25-5-5) – presumably so named because of the severe cattle losses suffered by the Cochrane Ranche, whose cattle watered nearby on a quarter set aside as a water reserve (SW14 14-25-5-5).
Potts Lake (31-25-5-5) – named after the Potts family, early homesteaders in the Jumping Pound district.
Pocaterra Creek and Pocaterra Range – named after George Pocaterra.
Potato Patch Hill – so named because of the potato patch on the sheltered slope of the hill on the Glenfinnan Ranch. A. W. McDonald was the gardener. Also called Red Slipper Hill, because Guy Gibson put Mrs. Wynne’s red slipper on the hill.
Radnor (26-5-5) – a flag-stop station on the C.P.R. just east of the Ghost Dam. Named in 1884 after Wilma, daughter of the 5th Earl of Radnor.
Ranch Creek (26-6-5) – near Behanhouse Creek. Ranch Creek flows into Behanhouse Creek which is a tributary to Spencer Creek.
Robber’s Roost – origin unknown.
Robinson Creek (27-6-5) – named after Tom Robinson, an early settler who lived on the banks of the creek.
Salter Creek (30-28-6-5) – Named in 1884 by G.M. Dawson, after his packer, a Scottish half breed, residing on the Stoney reserve at Morley, Alberta.
Salter Lake (27-6-5) — called Rabbit Lake by the local Indians.
Sheep Ranch Hill – the hill just west of Cochrane, between the town and the Cochrane Ranche, so named because the sheep corrals were at its base. It is presently known as Cochrane Crescent.
Scott Lake (25-6-5) – named after Leeson’s partner, Scott.
Sibbald Creek (8-24-6-5) – named after the Sibbald family who homesteaded in the area.
Sibbald Flats (13-24-7-5) – a level grassy meadow in the foothills, in the area west of the Sibbald homestead.
Sibbald Lake (5,8-25-6-5) – also named after the Sibbald family; it is now a recreational park.
Spencer Creek (17-26-6-5) – named after Mr. Spencer, one of the first settlers east of Morleyville.
Spencer Hills (26-6-5) – also named after Mr. Spencer and located in the same area.
Sta Wapta – cool running water; also two rivers.
Stimson Valley – located north of the Beaupré district; named after Fred Stimson.
Swanson Creek (18-28-5-5) – named after Paul Swanson. It is located in the north range of the Grand Valley hills.
Swanson Hills (28-5-5) – also named after Paul Swanson. They are between the Dog Pound Creek and Coal Creek.
Summit Hill – a high hill east of Bottrel, for which the Summit Hill School District and schools were named.
Waiparous Creek (6-27-6-5) – is part of the Ghost River system. It is derived from a Stoney Indian name meaning “Crow Indian scalp.”
Weedon School District – located in Township 27, Range 4; named by J. K. Hammond, an early homesteader, after his hometown in England.
Wildcat Hills (26-5-5) – elevation 5,135 feet; a range of timbered hills northwest of Cochrane.
Winchell Coulee – located south of Water Valley; named after the Winchell family who settled there.
Winchell Lake – located near the Winchell home; a well-known fishing spot.
Windy Flats located on the east side of Big Hill Creek coulee, approximately east of the Big Hill Springs Provincial Park. The name speaks for itself.
Wright’s Lake (11-28-4-5) – named after Scotty Wright, who homesteaded the NW 4 of the section.
