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The Wild West - the American frontier and westward expansion has had a massive influence in shaping the history and culture of the United States today. But it is often easy to forget that a very similar parallel westward expansion was happening concurrently up in Canada. Today, Canadians have their own Wild West story to tell.

The climate was different in Canada, being completely northern and cold in the winter - so no iconic hot desert towns like Tombstone, Arizona. Canada lacked notions like the American Manifest Destiny and other ideological ideas of the south. These periods were very complex and very different at different places and at different times - this makes it very difficult to generalize about the events. Here are a few of the key events and points of how the Canadian expansion was similar and yet different from the American one.

Canada's Westward Expansion Largely Lagged Behind The United States

Generally speaking, Canada was behind the United States in its westward expansion. Key to the development and settlement of the West was the railroad. The United States' first transcontinental railroad (called the Pacific Railroad) was completed in 1869 and connected Iowa with San Francisco. The Canadian Pacific Railway followed in 1886.

First Transcontinental Railroads:

Whereas America gained the bulk of its Western territories in 1848, Canada only received administration of its western territories in 1870 and 1871 (although settlement started in 1849). 1870-71 was when Britain transferred the last of its North American territories to Canada, and the colony of British Columbia joined Canada in 1871.

This all meant that Canada's wild west largely came at a later date.

Related: Step Back In Time & Enjoy The Wild West At Tombstone, Arizona

The Wild West / Old West Of The American Western Frontier

The Wild West or Old West refers to the period of American expansion. In some ways, it lasted from the European colonial settlements of the early 17th century and continued up to 1890 when the frontier was officially closed (or 1912, when the last of the Contiguous states were incorporated into the Union).

This article will only consider the archetypical Wild West period of the United States from when it gained vast western territories from Mexico after the American-Mexican War of 1846-48 and especially after the American Civil War of 1865 up until 1890.

  • American Wild West Period: 1848/1865-1890 (Archetypical Period)

By 1890 the population density of the American West was enough that the frontier had disappeared. In 1890 the Frontier was closed when the Census Bureau declared it no longer existed and was excluded from the census reports.

The Old West of America was spread over vastly different territories and climates; it included the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and the West Coast. It had everything from the scorching deserts of Arizona to the frozen plains of North Dakota. The period was also defined by conflict with Native Americans culminating in the Battle of Little Bighorn pitting Crazy Horse against General Custer.

It should be noted that most Western movies overly exaggerate and romanticize the anarchy and violence of the period.

Related: Think You Could Survive Cowboy Days In The Wild West? Here's What They Had To Eat

Canada's Subsequent Last Best West

Canada had been expanding concurrently with the United States (e.g., the Colony of Vancouver Island was created in 1849, one year after America received the western lands from Mexico). But Canada was not able to close the frontier for much later.

  • First West Colony: Established in 1849 On Vancouver Island
  • Last Best West Period: Between 1896 And 1914

The "Last Best West" was a marketing term used to lure in immigrants to settle Canada's largely unpopulated prairies between 1896 and WW1 in 1914. It was very successful and marked the heyday of western settlement after the American frontier had closed.

The phrase was coined as a direct comparison with the United States, whose "Wild West" days had already come to an end. There was also concern that Canadian authority over its prairies (particularly Alberta and Saskatchewan) could have been undermined if American settlers had reached the region en masse first. They were the last habitable regions of North America left unpopulated.

The story of the Canadian wild west is, in some ways, something of a mirror of that of the United States (cowboys, frontier towns, wagon trails, early railroads, etc.). In many other ways, it was also very different, having its own Canadian characteristics and British influence.

The best place to experience the "Wild West" of Canada is Alberta's Calgary Stampede - the world's largest outdoor rodeo.