Long before Calgary became the city it is today, Inglewood was already developing as one of its earliest communities.
Beginning in the 1880s, the area grew into a busy working-class district shaped by industry, railways, businesses and its location along the Elbow River. 9th Avenue became the heart of the community, and many of the buildings and homes that appeared during this period still help define Inglewood today.
In this video, I visit several of Inglewood's notable historic locations to see what these places look like today and learn a little about their past.
Fire Hall No. 3
Built in 1906, Fire Hall No. 3 served Inglewood for nearly half a century. After the fire department moved out, the building went through several different uses before eventually becoming The Hose & Hound, allowing the historic building to remain part of the neighbourhood.
Alexander School
Opened in 1903, Alexander School became an important part of the community for decades. Although the school eventually closed, the historic building was preserved and remains a recognizable part of Inglewood.
The Deane House
Built in 1906 for Northwest Mounted Police officer Captain Richard Deane, the Deane House is one of Calgary's oldest surviving homes.
The house was later moved across the Elbow River to its current location. Over the years, it served several purposes, including use as a boarding house, before being restored and becoming one of Calgary's best-known historic landmarks.
The Suitor House
Near the river is another remarkable survivor from Calgary's early years: the Suddart House, a simple log cabin dating to the late 1800s.
Built by local contractor Robert Suddart, it was once considered one of Inglewood's finest homes and remains an excellent example of Calgary's earliest residential architecture.
The National Hotel & Livery Barn
The National Hotel, built in 1908, served workers in what was then a heavily industrial part of Calgary.
Next door, a barn built in 1909 housed horses belonging to hotel guests. Today, the building is one of Calgary's last surviving livery barns — a reminder of a time when horses were an essential part of getting around the city.
Watch Inglewood: Then & Now
See these locations for yourself and compare historic Calgary with the neighbourhood as it looks today.
