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Medicine Hat

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Medicine Hat, known to locals as "the Hat," is a city of 56,048 (according to the 2005 municipal census) and is located in Census Division #1 and Cypress County in the southeastern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is situated on the Trans-Canada Highway Number 1 and on the South Saskatchewan River. Nearby towns considered part of the Medicine Hat area include Dunmore, Seven Persons, Redcliff, and Irvine. Its major claim to fame is Rudyard Kipling's famous line "all hell for a basement" referring to the vast reserves of natural gas beneath it.

The landscape around Medicine Hat is flat to slightly rolling and is characterized by short-grass vegetation. The Cypress Hills (including Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park) is a relatively short distance (by car) to the southeast of the city. Medicine Hat has a dry, continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. However, the winter cold is occasionally ameliorated by mild and dry chinook winds blowing from the west, and hot summer daytime temperatures are made tolerable by low humidity and rapid cooling in the evening hours. Medicine Hat receives less precipitation annually than other cities on the Canadian prairies.

The city is served by the Medicine Hat Airport.

Origin of name

The name "Medicine Hat" is the English translation of 'Saamis' (SA-AH-UMP-SIN)- the Blackfoot word for the eagle tail feather headress worn by medicine men - or 'Medicine Hat'. This particular 'Medicine Hat' finds its origins from Aboriginal legends about a battle long ago between the Blackfoot and the Cree Indian tribes in which a retreating "Medicine Man" lost his headdress in the South Saskatchewan River.

Early residents considered changing the name to something more 'normal', but visiting writer Rudyard Kipling convinced locals it would be truly unique and never imitated should they keep it. Medicine Hat is also known as "The Gas City" due to its tremendous wealth of natural gas beneath it. This inspired Kipling to say Medicine Hat was born lucky...You people in this district seem to have all Hell for a basement.

This quote in turn inspired Big Sugar's hit single "All Hell for a Basement", a song about the lead singer's hometown.

Medicine Hat residents are often referred to as 'Hatters'

Tourist attractions

The Medicine Hat Clay Industries National Historic District


The Medicine Hat Clay Industries National Historic District is a living, working museum that offers a unique and extensive experience through collections, exhibits, interpretation, guided tours and educational and artistic programming. The Medalta Potteries and Hycroft China Factory Complexes are the focal points in this 150 acre region. This nationally recognized industrial historic district is a cultural initiative of the Friends of Medalta Society with Federal, Provincial, Municipal and Private support. Restoration, preservation and cultural development of the Medicine Hat Clay Industries National Historic District for the purpose of education and public enjoyment is ongoing. For more information, visit our website at medalta.org.

The World's Tallest Teepee

Saamis Tepee


Just south of the Trans-Canada Highway and overlooking the Blackfoot buffalo jump, is the world's tallest teepee, the "Saamis Teepee". Designed for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary as a symbol of Canada's Aboriginal heritage, it was moved to Medicine Hat in 1991. It stands over 20 stories high and was designed to withstand extreme temperatures and winds up to 240 km/h (150 mph).

Parks

  • Police Point Park was an early North West Mounted Police outpost, and the park is now a nature-lovers' dream with shale paths next to the South Saskatchewan River.
  • Strathcona Island Park
  • Kin Coulee Park
  • Echodale Park is a 650 acre (2.6 km²) park that includes an artificial swimming lake and boating lake.

Post-secondary education

The first students were accepted to Medicine Hat College in 1965. Now with over 2,500 students and 2 campuses, the college has grown into an integral part of the community.

Military

The South Alberta Light Horse

Medicine Hat is home to The South Alberta Light Horse (SALH), an army reserve unit. The SALH is one of Alberta's oldest and most prestigious army reserve units. The SALH dates back to 1885 when it took part in the North-West Rebellion. Since then it has gained battle honours in the First and Second World Wars and today its members continue to serve overseas on UN and NATO missions. Currently the SALH has members serving in Afghanistan.

Canadian Forces Base Suffield

CFB Suffield is located 50 km west of the City. It is estimated that the base contributes $120 million annually to the local economy, principally through its two lodger units: British Army Training Unit Suffield, and Defence R&D Canada -- Suffield (DRDC).

Politics

Medicine Hat has recently seen a number of divisive political issues.

New Arena

A committee has been formed under the direction of City Council. The committee was supposed to report back to Council in the first half of 2005 to report on the feasibility of a new arena and potential locations. As of November 2005, it is unclear where the process is.


Local Media

Medicine Hat has many radio and television stations broadcasting from it, as well as recieving radio stations from nearby Drumheller and Calgary.

Radio

Television

P.O.W camps

During the Second World War, Medicine Hat held one of the largest P.O.W. camps in Canada. On June 26, 1946, Sergeant Berner Swab was hanged for the murder of August Plazik, both men former P.O.W's.

On December 18, 1946, five P.O.W. men, Willy Mueller, Hienrich Bush, Bruno Parnisowski, and Walter Wolf were sentenced and hanged for the murder of Karl Lehmann. All the men were placed in unmarked graves they had dug themselves. Their remains were moved to Kitchener, Ontario to a memorial grave. The RCMP investigated both cases and all of the accused were tried separately in Medicine Hat. The trials were held in civil rather than military courts, and the executions at Lethbridge Jail were also a civil responsibility.[1]

Famous Medicine Hatters

North West: Calgary North: Redcliff  
West: Bow Island Medicine Hat East: Maple Creek
  South: Havre  
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