Edmonton's heritage story unfolds across distinct eras — from the fur trade forts and early surveyed townships to the boom years of the 1910s, the Depression's enforced austerity, and the post-war building surge that transformed the city. Each period left a visible mark on the built landscape.
Browse structures, stories, and people organized by the historical era in which they emerged, or use the Timeline to move across the full span of Edmonton's built history.
In this collection
11,000 BCE–1870
Indigenous Peoples have called this area home for millennia. Many trace their origin stories to being of the lands of Turtle Island, and denounce other theories of migration. One certainty is that Settlers did not arrive in the West until commerce and the need for raw materials drove them to expand.
1870–1904
Edmonton as we know it today began to develop in the early 1870s. Initially a very small community, it grew steadily until 1904, at which time it had a population of over 8,000.
1905–1914
Between 1905 and 1913 Edmonton experienced incredible growth. The population exploded from less than 10,000 to almost 70,000 in only a few years.
1914–1945
Between 1914 and 1945 Edmonton underwent phenomenal change as the Great War, the Depression and the Second World War left their mark.
1946–1970
The discovery of oil in Alberta changed Edmonton forever. Rapid growth, new technologies and changing lifestyles and world views dramatically altered Edmonton's built landscape.
Image coming soon
1971–2026
Edmonton after the Post War Years — ongoing growth, neighbourhood boundary updates, and modern heritage. Local dev seed for map boundary testing.
Showing 6 time periods