Origins of Calgary Stampede remembered in High River
Posted Jun 4, 2012 12:39 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s a special day at the High River cemetery where a private dedication ceremony is being held, Monday.
Four memorial benches are being dedicated to individuals who helped establish the Calgary Stampede.
One of the benches carries the name of Guy Weadick, the man credited with establishing our annual western party.
Stampede historian Rick Smith says originally the Stampede was going to be a one-off event.
“Having a one year celebration to remember the way the west was, and honour the west, and you know, pay tribute to the cowboys and all of that,” Smith tells 660News. “So they really didn’t think it was going to last.”
Smith adds that Weadick’s bench and the other three benches will see constant visitors in the future.
“They’re immediately adjacent to the graves, the four of them are,” he says. “I know the Museum of the Highwood, this summer, will be conducting High River cemetary historic tours. And this will be ideal for them, which I know they will be stopping to talk about these graves.”
2012 marks the Stampede’s 100th anniversary.
Other park benches will honour Flores La Due, who was Weadick’s wife; Charles Bensel who is the father of La Due; and long time Stampede supporter and volunteer Margaret Fraser.
