some history

Established in the late 1800's by the Northwest Mounted Police, Millarville was discovered by people who recognized the beauty of a land rich in potential.

Malcom Millar built the first general store in 1892 and ranchers settled in the area to begin livestock raising. By the early 1900's, settlers from the United Kingdom had begun to establish cultural and educational standards as well as recreational and sporting opportunities. Included in these early developments was the opening of the Millarville Fordville School in 1908.

This region of Alberta is the birthplace of Alberta's oil and gas industry. In 1911, William Stewart Herron, a local entrepreneur and horse wrangler, noticed gas bubbling out of an old mine shaft near Okotoks, Alberta. The following year, William Herron and his partner Archibald Dingman struck gas in a well in Turner Valley, now called the Dingman #1 discovery well. This was the beginning of an industry that is booming today.

History buffs can visit the Alberta Government's Enjoying Alberta site for a listing of museums, historical sites, parks and protected areas.