Buffalo Adventures in Wainwright, Alberta
Eat Bison Steaks, See an Archaeological Dig and Study a POW Camp
Jun 23, 2009
Continue on from last week’s Kalyna Country road trip from Vegreville to Vermilion Country to the area around Wainwright, Alberta. Here, check out Buffalo Adventures: they take guests to an archaeological dig, have displays on the second world war POW camp, show them the ruins of a ranch house, and feed travellers bison steaks.
Buffalo National Park
Buffalo Adventures starts some of its fascinating tours at the Wainwright Museum. Learn about the creation of Buffalo National Park in 1907, which was created by the government after purchasing one of the last (and largest) plains bison herds on the continent. Then walk around the charming Wainwright Museum to see the POW camp exhibits.
As Gord Snyder, a local and part of Buffalo Adventures, gushes, “I’m just sucked into all this history. I’m just loving it.”
“I’ll try to keep it brief. I tend to get really into it because I love this history,” adds Jennifer Ford, before adressing a group.
Prisoner of War Camp in Alberta
Functioning as a POW camp for German officers between 1945-1946, this prisoner of war camp was quite unconventional. The guards and prisoners were known to play hockey together (outside the barbed wire) and a German prisoner was the one who issued the guards their guns and bullets! The site is now the largest training area in Canada and trains troops to fight in Afghanistan.
Bodo Archaeological Dig Sites
One of the most captivating tours is the archaeological dig, Bodo, within Eyehill Creek sand dunes. It’s touted as one of the richest sites in western Canada, with finds dating back over 4,000 years. Most of the finds have been highly decorated pottery and it’s thought the Assiniboine First Nations people might have travelled here from Saskatchewan, which is still being researched.
Ranch House Ruins
Kemah Ranch was once a bustling cattle operation in Wainwright. Owned by the Mabey brothers of Lake City, Minnesota from 1905-1939, remnants of their life here was left behind in the form of ruins. Keith Brower takes guests on a walking tour of the property, talking about the history of the ranch and the prairie nature that surrounds it.
Bison Steaks
For those interested in seeing bison up close and personal, take a visit to the Rehman’s Bison Ranch. Buffalo herd can be seen roaming the farm, rolling in the dirt to get rid of moulting hair, or staring suspiciously. Leather goods are also on offer, and, the highlight of most people’s trips, is the chance to taste fresh bison steaks and burgers.
Alberta Travel
All of the above tours can be booked through Buffalo Adventures (780-842-9247). For assistance in planning this road trip vacation, contact Travel Alberta (1-800-ALBERTA).
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