Banff Information: History

Banff Information: History

    Banff got its name from Lord Steven who recalled the name of his place of birth, Banffshire, Scotland. [The Gaelic word for Banff was "Banbh".] When the transcontinental railway was establsihed through Bow Valley in the 1880's, that's when banff was first settled. Three railway workers discovered natuiral hot springs on the side of Sulphur Mountain in 1883, and, as a result, Canada, in 1885 created a federal reserve around them. It then began publicizing that area as a reort and spa for the purpose of subsidizing the railway. Rocky Mountain Park was born in 1887 after the reserve area was increased, and it was the beginning of Canada's National Park environment. The United nations made Banff National Park a World Heritage Site in 1985. It is, undeniably, one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations.

    In 2007, Banff's permanent population was thought to be just under 8,800 persons, and includes about 1,000 or so persons who increase or decrease it, depending upon tourism. Like many other similar tourist destinations, Banff's growth has alerted environmentalists who want the federal government to, among other things, restrict development in the town, and restrict the population's growth by creating a "need to reside" criterion prior to being able to become a permanent resident. The concern among all is that the town's growth will adversely impact the wilderness, its inhabitants and the surrounding national park.