page_title: Athabasca, Alberta
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Athabasca, Alberta / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Alberta During the Territorial Period (1870-1905) Adapted from Alberta:A New History By Palmer and Palmer.
context_page_description: Athabasca, originally named Athabasca Landing, is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located 145 km north of Edmonton at the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 55, on the banks of the Athabasca River. It is the centre of Athabasca County. It was known as Athabasca Landing prior to August 4, 1913.
context_section_description: Of Cree origin.  Early spellings:  Araubaska (Peter Pond) and Athapescow (Arrowsmith).  Various interpretations of the meaning: "where there are reeds" (Douglas); "meeting place of many waters" (Voorhis).  Town was first called Athabasca Landing about 1889; name changed to Athabaska in 1904 and changed back to Athabasca in 1948.  The provisional district of Athabasca was established in 1882, embracing the northern parts of modern Alberta and Saskatchewan.
  Unlike many other towns in Alberta, Athabasca predates the railway. It was the terminus of the Edmonton to Athabasca Landing trail. Athabasca lies on a southern protrusion of the Athabasca River. During the fur trade era, when rivers were the principal means of transportation, the Athabasca–Edmonton trail connected two different drainage basins. The Athabasca River flows north and is part of the Mackenzie River watershed, which leads to the Arctic Ocean. Edmonton lies across a height-of-land on the North Saskatchewan River in the Nelson River drainage basin, which empties into Hudson Bay. Edmonton was in Rupert's Land but not Athabasca. The trail allowed goods to be portaged back and forth between river systems. Once agricultural settlement occurred, the trail served a similar purpose. Eventually, road and rail links would trace the same path.
  The North-West Mounted Police stationed officers at Athabasca Landing for the summer of 1892, due to increased traffic on the trail. Inspector D.M. Howard, and eight constables, built a permanent post in 1893.
  A massive forest fire in August 1913 destroyed a good portion of the town, including 30 businesses. There was no loss of life. Rebuilding of the town began immediately.
  The Athabasca Heritage Society put up signs through the downtown as well as along the riverfront that explain and depict the history. It has also published a historical walking tour that is available from the town office, library and visitor information centre.
caption: Northern Alberta During the Territorial Period.
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