Edmonton is Canada's fifth largest city and the provincial capital. It began as a Hudson's Bay Company fur trade post, which is faithfully recreated at Fort Edmonton Park in Edmonton's river valley.
As the 19th century drew to a close, so did the fur trade era, but a new source of prosperity was on the horizon--the Yukon gold rush. Edmonton served as the supply point for thousands of fortune hunters who ventured north. The discovery of oil at Leduc in 1947 "fuelled" a new wave of wealth in central and northern Alberta that continues to this day.
Home to the province's first and largest university, the University of Alberta, Edmonton is a stately city on the banks of the scenic North Saskatchewan River. It boasts the largest natural city-park system in North America, which provides year-round recreational opportunities.
Featured Site: The Hotel Selkirk
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