Claresholm is a small town of 3,800 (2016) located in Southern Alberta.
Understand
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The location was originally a watering stop for steam engines on the Canadian Pacific Railway line along the Macleod Trail when the trains first arrived in the area in 1891. The first settlers arrived in 1902, and the village was established in 1903. Claresholm was incorporated as a town in 1905, the year Alberta became a province. The community was named after Clare, a pioneer citizen.
Royal Canadian Air Force Station Claresholm was established near the town in 1941 to train pilots for service in World War II. It first opened June 9, 1941 as a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan base. No. 15 Service Flying Training School operated at the base from its opening until March 1945. In 1951, the base was used to train pilots for the Korean War and operated as No. 3 Flying Training School. It also trained NATO pilots. The base closed in 1958 and the hangars were converted to industrial use. A portion of the former base operates as Claresholm Industrial Airport. Among the artifacts in the Claresholm Museum from the air base is a Link Trainer.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Claresholm is located on Highway 2, approximately an hour northwest of Lethbridge and an hour south of Calgary city limits.
By bus
[edit]- FlixBus. Service from Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Calgary.
- Mountain Man Mike's Bus Service, ☏ +1-778-382-7729, [email protected]. Weekly service between Calgary and Kaslo with stops in Okotoks, High River, Claresholm, Fort Macleod, Pincher Creek, Sparwood, Fernie, Cranbrook, Creston, Salmo, Nelson, and Balfour. This service provider also offers a twice per week service between Kaslo and Vancouver via Nelson.
- Red Arrow, 4316 1 Street W (Claresholm Shell Station), toll-free: +1-800-232-1958, [email protected]. Operates premium service in Alberta featuring spacious seating (only three seats to a row) and workstation seats with electrical connections for business travelers and their computers. Sister brand Ebus serves most of the same destinations in standard motorcoaches for a lower fare.
Operates a route between Lethbridge and Calgary International Airport including stops in Fort Macleod, Claresholm, and downtown Calgary. Operates several days per week.
By plane
[edit]- 1 Claresholm Industrial Airport (4.6 km SW of Claresholm). General aviation only, no scheduled service. Formerly a British Commonwealth Air Training base.
Get around
[edit]See
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- 1 Claresholm & District Museum (Claresholm & District Museum and Visitor Information Centre), 5126 1st St W (Hwy 2 & 52 Ave), ☏ +1 403-625-1742, [email protected]. Temporarily closed due to COVID19. The Museum grounds include a 1912 CPR Train Station, an 8000 sf Exhibit Hall, Claresholm’s first schoolhouse (1903), a 1920s log cabin and a CPR caboose.
- 2 Claresholm Water Tower, 1st St W & 45 Ave W. Built in 1909 and completed in 1910, it serviced the community until the 1980s. It still stands tall as a beacon for those approaching the community. Historical reverence for the water tower played a large part in its inclusion in the town's Municipal Logo.
- 3 Harvard Memorial, Starline Rd & 4th St W (Centennial Park). Commemorates the pilots who trained and the personnel who were stationed in Claresholm in the 1950s as part of the NATO training program. Many of the young student pilots who learned to fly at Claresholm did so in a yellow Harvard like the one on display.
Do
[edit]- 1 The Bridges At Claresholm Golf Course, 349 39 Ave W, ☏ +1 403-625-3500, [email protected]. 18 hole golf course.
- 2 Pine Coulee Park, ☏ +1 403-625-6239, [email protected]. Pine Coulee is a large reservoir that provides Claresholm with its drinking water. The area is popular for camping, boating, wind surfing, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. Contains a campground consisting of 25 sites and 3 group campsites. Maintained by the Stavely Elks Club.
- 3 Willow Creek Park, ☏ +1 403-625-6239. Willow Creek Park features rustic camping, picnicking, hiking and fishing. There are 54 campsites and one group campsite.
Buy
[edit]Eat & drink
[edit]- 1 Antrée Restaurant, 4903 1st St W, ☏ +1 403-468-2292, [email protected]. M-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su noon-8PM. Authentic Korean and Japanese cuisine.
- 2 Casa Roma, 5324 1st St W, ☏ +1 403-625-4101. M-Sa 11AM-9PM Su noon-8PM. Italian, Greek, and pizza.
- 3 Douros Pizza & Steakhouse, 5207 1st St W, ☏ +1 403-625-4244 (Restaurant), +1 403-625-3838 (Lounge), [email protected]. Restaurant and lounge.
- 4 Roy's Place, 5008 1st St W, ☏ +1 403-625-3397, [email protected]. Tu-W 11AM-7PM, Th-Sa 7AM-8PM. Full service "dining diner" serving Canadian cuisine. Known for its oversized cinnamon buns and Dill Pickle Soup (served on Thursdays). Featured on Food Network Canada's "You Gotta Eat Here!"
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Best Seven Inn, 4063 1A St W, ☏ +1 587-801-1367.
- 2 Bluebird Motel, 5505 1st St W, ☏ +1 403-625-3395, toll-free: +1-800-661-4891. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 3 Lazy J Motel, 5225 1st St W, ☏ +1 403-625-4941, toll-free: +1-888-625-3899, [email protected].
- 4 The Wilshire Inn (formerly Motel 6), 11 Alberta Rd, ☏ +1 403-625-4646.
Connect
[edit]- Claresholm Visitor Information Centre (Claresholm & District Museum and Visitor Information Centre), 5126 1st Street W (Hwy 2 & 52 Ave), ☏ +1 403-625-3131, [email protected]. Temporarily closed due to COVID19. Located inside a 1912 CPR train station, the Travel Alberta accredited Visitor Information Centre (open seasonally) provides regional maps, brochures and booking recommendations. Free Wi-Fi, free RV and bus parking, and picnic area.
Go next
[edit]| Routes through Claresholm |
| Calgary ← Nanton ← | N  S
|
→ Fort Macleod → Lethbridge via 
|