Calgary Alberta

After Daysland we spent 2 days in Calgary.  We camped at the same campground we had stayed in on our way up to Daysland - Calgary West Campground.   The campground is right next to the Olympic Village so we had a great view of the ski jump and other outside winter activities.   We spent Saturday at the Heritage Village and had a great time exploring the rail cars in the train garage.   Of special interest was the railcar used to bring emigrants from the States and the east to the plains of Alberta.   The ride took about 6 days---and there were 70+ people in each car -- cooking, eating, sleeping.   The men generally spent their time in the animal cars taking care of their horses, pigs, oxen, etc.   That left the women to take care of their children, cook, and it certainly wouldn't have been a pleasant trip -- slop buckets, cooking smells, unwashed bodies, heat....you can get the picture. 

We toured several homes that had been moved to the site, the various 1800's, 1900's businesses.   On our way out of the park, we stopped in Gasoline Alley, which contained a huge collection of antique gas pumps from gasoline stations across Canada, and also several antique cars.  

Sunday we drove to City Centre and visited Lougheed House, a 3 story home built in the late 1800's.   The home is the last of the substantial mansions that had dotted the area.   After members of the family died, the house became a training school for maids and cooks, then a Red Cross blood collection center and finally the house was bought by forward thinking city councilmen and restored.   The house is lacking most of the original furniture, but they have hopes of rounding up more of it.   From the house we went to the Fort Calgary Interpretive Center.   While we were downtown, we drove through the business area to see their architecture.   We were impressed with the buildings - very modern.

Monday morning we left under cloudy skies for Banff National Park.