A Stroll Through Time

This section of the Legislative Grounds highlights significant elements of Alberta’s past. It features two markers that display the northeast and northwest corners of the final Fort Edmonton which was built in 1883 and dismantled in 1915. The northeast marker provides a thumbnail sketch of Edmonton’s early history as a Hudson’s Bay trading post.

A commemorative plaque to John Rowand, chief factor of Fort Edmonton, honors this very influential figure in Edmonton’s early history.

A long stone stairway leads past the Walk of Premiers to the Centennial Flame. This flame was lit on July 1, 1967 by Ernest C. Manning, premier of Alberta, to commemorate Canada’s 100th anniversary of Confederation. It has burned continuously since that day and is a favorite attraction for visitors from near and far.

To the far right of the Centennial Flame is the Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial “Pillar of Strength.” It honors those officers who have fallen in the line of duty.

Nestled amongst the spruce trees to the west of the Centennial Flame is an imposing structure – the Kwakiutl Totem Pole. This carving was erected in 1971 to commemorate British Columbia’s provincial centennial.

To the west of the Totem Pole is a bronze statue of Donald Alexander Smith, Lord Strathcona, a prominent figure in Edmonton’s history. The statue depicts Lord Strathcona driving in the last spike of the Transcontinental Railway in 1885.

Along the southern edge of the Legislative Grounds is a walkway along an expansive grassy green. It winds its way past an amphitheatre, a bowling green and a seasonal skating rink.