HISTORY OF Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo
Over 200 years ago, explorers like Peter Pond ventured through the region, seeking furs and discovering the area's rich natural resources. Fort McMurray, Alberta's oldest European settlement since 1788, became a hub for trappers and adventurers during the fur trade. The indigenous Chipewyan and Beaver people have a deep-rooted history in the Athabasca Region, dating back 9,000 years. Fort McMurray played a crucial role in transportation, especially during the fur trade era. In 1870, Fort McMurray was named by Henry Moberly after William McMurray, a key figure in the Hudson's Bay Company. The Hudson's Bay Company's steamer, SS Grahame, marked the beginning of sternwheeler travel in 1884. Rail service reached the area in 1919, and aviation became significant in the 1920s. Punch Dickens's historic airmail journey in 1929 elevated Fort McMurray's status as an Arctic gateway. The region's economy thrived on fishing, salt production, and logging until the rise of the oil sands industry. Aboriginal knowledge of bitumen dates back centuries, and by 1967, Suncor Energy proved the feasibility of extracting bitumen on a large scale. Fort McMurray's history reflects the resilience of rogues, fortune seekers, and adventurers. Today, technological advances and the pioneering spirit of oil sand companies continue to shape a promising future for the region. (Courtesy of FMWB.ca)
FORT MCMURRAY WOOD BUFFALO TODAY
Wood Buffalo ranks by area as one of the largest municipalities in North America, encompassing 68,453 square kilometres. The municipality was established in April 1995 through the amalgamation of the City of Fort McMurray and Improvement District No. 143. Commonly referred to and thought of as a city, Fort McMurray is unincorporated and, therefore, is the largest unincorporated "city" in Alberta. Additionally, the municipality consists of ten smaller communities: Anzac, Conklin, Draper, Fort Chipewyan, Fort Fitzgerald, Fort McKay, Gregoire Lake Estates, Javier, Mariana Lake and Spare Creek Estates. Today, the Municipality is one of the fastest growing industrial communities in Canada due to the rich oil sands deposits underlining the region with over $125 billion in oil sands investment planned for the next decade, Wood Buffalo boasts one of the world's hottest regional economies. (Courtesy of FMWB.ca)
QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY
- Population: 74,532 (2022)
- Location: 435 km (270 mi) northeast of Edmonton on Highway 63, nestled in the boreal forest at the confluence of the Athabasca River, the Clearwater River, the Hangingstone River and the Horse River (Google Maps)
- Closest Airport: Fort McMurray International Airport (Fly YMM)
- Post-Secondary Education: Keyano College
- Local Baseball Association: Fort McMurray "Oil Giants" Minor Baseball Association
- Attractions/Entertainment: Oil Sands Discovery Centre, MacDonald Island Park, Giants of Mining Tours, Fort McMurray Heritage Society, Rivers Casino & Entertainment Centre, Peter Pond Mall and much more!
- Other Major Sports: Fort McMurray Oil Barons (Hockey) and the Keyano College Huskies (Basketball, Soccer & Volleyball)
