A central hub for history

Foremost is an Alberta village with enticing activities available on all sides

Known as the “gateway to the parks,” Foremost is a village in southeastern Alberta that is surrounded by heritage attractions. Here are a few of the most historically significant hot spots you can visit while you’re there:

1. Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park

Just a 30-minute drive southwest of Foremost, you can visit the vast and endlessly fascinating Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park. The facility serves as a nature preserve, but there is another key reason that people flock here. There is an abundance of aboriginal rock carvings and paintings, which make the site a sacred area for several First Nations communities, and a must-see for history lovers. The park is also known as the Áísínai’pi National Historic Site of Canada.

2. The Etzikom Windmill Museum and Historical Windmill Center

Situated 24 kilometres east of Foremost on the Red Coat Trail, you can find the Canadian National Historic Windmill Centre, a museum dedicated to windmills throughout history. Here there is an outdoor exhibit space with restored windmills from the past 200 years, as well as an indoor area with hands-on displays from early pioneer days. You can also take a look at fossils, petroglyphs, a historic church, First Nations artifacts and other items of interest.

3. Canadian Badlands

Foremost is considered a Canadian Badlands community, meaning it is part of a region steeped in both human and geological history. There are day tours available that take visitors through old coal mining towns, prehistoric sites and other significant places.