Urban history of Edmonton

About 3000 BC, or before 10000 BC, there were human activities in this place called Edmonton today. Local residents enjoy the rich timber resources in this area, and the water and wildlife in this area have survived for thousands of years.

1754, Anthony Handy, a research explorer of Hongtun Bay Company, crossed the Canadian prairie, trying to find aborigines and set up a fur trading center with them. He may be the first European immigrant to arrive in Edmonton.

From 1795, the Hudson's Bay Company and the European businessmen of Northwest Company set up a trading post, which was located on the border of Saskatoon Province and later developed into the urban area of Edmonton. The trading post set up by Northwest Company was named "Augustus" border exchange, and at the same time, Hudson's Bay Company named its exchange Britain (now located in the northern suburb of London), the hometown of Mr. James Wendell Lake, the director of the company.

John Rowande, a fur dealer of Northwest Company, came to Edmonton on 1804. According to Rowande's plan, Edmonton border trade post has become one of the main economic source centers. The two companies merged in 182 1 year, 1830, and the last trading post was built in Alberta Parliament Building. By the end of19th century, Edmonton had become an important stop of the gold rush in North America.

Edmonton was founded in 1904 with a population of 8350. Since September 1905, it has become the capital of the newly-built Alberta province. 19 12 merged Nan 'an City. 1947, oil fields were discovered in the south of the city, which made the city develop rapidly.

During the world war

In the generation of 19 10, Edmonton began to develop rapidly because of the increase of its real estate price. 19 12, Edmonton merged with Rascona, south of North saskatchewan river, and became a city across the river.

Before World War I, due to the sudden interruption of the real estate boom market, the urban population dropped from 72,500 in 19 14 to 54,000 two years later. After the war broke out, because many young and middle-aged Canadians joined the army, the urban population declined again. Population and economy recovered somewhat after World War I, but generally speaking, the twenty years after World War I (namely 1920-30) were a period of slow development in Edmonton.

1929, Blackford airport opened, which was the first Canadian airport to be licensed, and later became the predecessor of Edmonton downtown airport. This airport is used as the main base for mail, food and medicine transportation in northern Canada, which also makes Edmonton a veritable northern gateway. The airport uses a large hangar to build an aviation museum, and there are some aircraft objects and equipment exhibitions.

It was not until the outbreak of World War II that Edmonton gradually became an important base of Alaska Expressway, thus entering the second period of vigorous development.

The boom period of the oil industry

Oil in Alberta was first discovered in Ruddick town, south of Edmonton, on February 1947, and oil was continuously discovered near Leduc Water in the 1940s and 1950s. Because Alberta's oil reserves are mainly concentrated in the north and middle, Edmonton has since become the center of the province's oil industry.

The prosperity of the oil industry has made Edmonton the oil capital of Canada. Since 1950s, the urban population has increased from149,000 to 269,000, and this migration trend has declined in 1960s. However, with the oil crises of 1973 and 100, the urban population has reached 52 1 000 at 198 1.

Development in recent years

198 1 year, West Edmonton Shopping Mall was completed and opened. At that time, it was the largest shopping center in the world. At present, it is still the largest in northern Alberta and has become one of the tourist attractions in the province, with an indoor amusement park, two indoor small golf courses, a bowling alley, a shooting range, the largest indoor water park and an ice rink.

On July 3rd1987 and 3rd1,a devastating tornado hit the city, killing 27 people. A train was blown away from a bridge north of Saskatchewan River. The citizens overcame the disaster through hard work. At that time, the mayor praised Edmonton as "the city of champions", which became a famous slogan of the city.

After 1990, the city's economy began to prosper again. Based on the oil industry, Edmonton has formed a diversified employment market. A large number of workers from all over Canada poured into the city. According to the forecast, in 2006-20 10, Edmonton will accept more than 83,000 new residents, most of whom are young men.