Digitally Preserving Alberta's Diverse Cultural Heritage

Category: Metis

Kootenai Brown Poplar Grove Cabin Site

This site was rediscovered in 2016 by Edwin Knox, retired Waterton Lakes National Park Warden/Cultural Resource Management [1]. Initially, the search was for the location of John George “Kootenai” Brown’s cabin that now resides in the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village. Upon the rediscovery of this location and exploration of the area seven culturally modified trees (CMTs) were identified. The poplar trees contain carvings of dates and initials from 1882 to 1929. The increase in wildfires and that poplar trees are prone to rot [2] poses a risk to these 140 year old carvings. One tree has already fallen and it was imperative that these trees be digitally preserved for prosperity.

EaPd-7 and EaPd-8 Stone Circle Sites

There is evidence of over 10,000 years of human occupation on the Alberta Plains [1]. While this is a vast expanse of time the nomadic lifestyles of the people of the plains left a minimal trace of their lifeways on the landscape. The physical remains can consist of a single stone tool to a complex of stone circles, effigies and medicine wheels. This site, located in southern Alberta, is evidence of a temporary camp with over 60 stone circles, cairns, alignments and a possible turtle effigy. A few of the stone circles have been tagged in the model, how many can you see?

North West Mounted Police Barracks, Fort MacLeod

The North West Mounted Police (NWMP) Barracks, were constructed in 1884 replacing the original fort on MacLeod Island in the Old Man River (Est. 1874) due to flooding [4]. The buildings left of the NWMP Barracks represent the history of the protection of Canadian sovereignty of the West. As the first permanent station of the NWMP in western Canada Fort Macleod’s history is intertwined with the difficult histories of the whiskey trade, Indigenous relations, and European settlement in Southern Alberta. This survey was conducted to assist Alberta Culture and Tourism with the reconstruction and preservation of the harness shop (tag 4 in 3D model).

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