Interesting Stores
Pack of Western Wolves
In the early 1890's the pack of Western Wolves originated quite by accident. W. Pierce and a group of friends leased an old box car to be used as a club house, which they named the "Wolves Den." There they could play a little poker and plan the future industrial West. For the work conscious, duty bound bunch, those times were a crazy respite. One old cowboy remembered, "By God, when Cross and Cochrane came to Calgary could they celebrate!" Read the complete story.
"Ode to Annie"
Recollections of Maude Bannister living at the Bow Valley Ranche
Maude Bannister's eyes sparkle like sunbeams reflecting off the nearby creek when she talks of her mother, Annie. "She had beautiful auburn hair - it was almost a bronze color - with beautiful green eyes, flecked with brown," says Bannister. "My mother was a wonderful rider. Oh, she loved to ride and we had a beautiful black horse that Mr. (Pat) Burns gave to her. And she loved to dance, she was a beautiful dancer." Read the complete story.
"Ann's Story - A Great Ranching Empire And The People Who Made It Work"
The Bow Valley Ranche comprised of ten thousand acres. The Burns Company, or P Burns Ranches as it was known later, owned a frontage of 12 miles of the Bow River extending down river from the Captain Gordon place, now Burn's Feedlot. This Bow Valley was the sorting point for thousands and thousands of cattle. The big cattle ranches of the south such as Maunsell's, 7-U Browns Cartwright & Thorp's, Ings, and others sold their cattle directly to Mr. Burns at his Calgary office. Read the complete story.
