Banff 
Many of us have visited places like Lake Louise, Mount Edith Cavell, or Alberta’s parks. And some of us have visited these places over and over again. But have you ever wondered how some of Alberta’s locations receive their names?
In honour of International Women’s Day, we take a look at some of the women of Alberta’s history who now lend their names to landmarks, mountain peaks, or parks.
These women received a place on the map for multiple reasons, including their philanthropy, familial connections, volunteering, or contributions to arts and culture, science, medicine, politics, and more.
If you are interested in place names, get the book Alberta Place Names, the Fascinating People & Stories Behind the Naming of Alberta.
Alberta and Lake Louise
The first place you should visit named after a woman? Well, travel across the entire province if you can.
The fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Vice-Regal Consort of Canada from 1878 to 1883, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta’s name is on multiple Alberta locations.
When the districts of Alberta, Athabasca, Assiniboia and Saskatchewan of Northwest Territories joined the confederation, an entire province was named in her honour.
She also has one of Canada’s most beautiful lakes named after her: Lake Louise in Banff National Park. Plus, you can view Mount Alberta from the Icefields Parkway when looking west.
Mount Edith Cavell
The story of Edith Cavell takes place on the front lines of World War One. Edith Cavell was a British war nurse posted in Belgium. During her posting in Belgium, she saved the lives of countless soldiers from both sides of the battlefield. She also assisted in the escape of Allied soldiers; sadly, she was later captured by German soldiers. In 1915, Germany tried and executed Edith Cavell on charges of treason.
Today, her legacy is one of the first peaks to greet you when you turn south on the Icefields Parkway. If you stop at the Athabasca Pass Lookout, the mountain is visible to the west. Head to the Mount Edith Cavell area to hike the Glacier trail and enjoy spectacular views of Mt. Edith Cavell and the Angel Glacier.
Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park
There are a few things in Alberta named to honour Queen Elizabeth II: Highway 2, a.k.a. the QEII, and the Queen Elizabeth ranges of the Rockies. And the most convenient location to visit, which was named in her honour, is Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park on Lac Cardinal. The northwestern Alberta Park is open year-round with camping from spring to fall.
Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
Lois Hole spent five years of her political career serving as Alberta’s 15th Lieutenant Governor. Her career did not start here, however, as Lois Hole was already an accomplished author, businesswoman, and active in her local community. Lois Hole and her husband, Ted Hole, owned a greenhouse business in Sturgeon County while she also worked as a school trustee.
During her time as Lieutenant Governor, she also served as Chancellor of the Alberta Order of Excellence. Her accomplished career served and benefited the local community, and her greenhouse grew into the Enjoy Centre – across the street from the Provincial Park Day Use! The Enjoy Centre is a large greenhouse filled with an array of local shops and goods, an event centre, a restaurant, and a café.
Coleman
The development of Coleman and the area around this stretch of the Crowsnest Highway began before the area received its name. Businessmen of the late 1800s began to show interest in the area thanks to its known coal deposits. This led to the incorporation of the International Coal & Coke and the designation of Alfred Cornelius Flumerfelt as the company’s president. The company steadily grew and supplied the people of the area with growing employment opportunities in the early 20th century. The company grew so much that it could purchase a plot of land on which to build a new family-oriented town. Mr. Flumerfelt named the town after his youngest daughter, Florence Coleman Flumerfelt.
The Crowsnest Pass makes for an incredible journey across southern Alberta. On the western side near Coleman, you can visit waterfalls, take long hikes, or explore historic areas like the Frank Slide site or the Leitch Colliers.
Patricia near Dinosaur Provincial Park
The hamlet of Patricia is about 15 minutes south of Dinosaur Provincial Park. The town is marked on the highway with a statue of an Albertosaurus if you’re driving in from the south. You can stay at the Patricia Hotel, or the Provincial Park’s campgrounds. The hotel is also attached to a popular restaurant, the Bar-B-Q Pit. The restaurant offers a unique DIY BBQ experience, too! But where does this area get its name?
The town is located halfway between Duchess and Princess, Alberta. So, you can likely guess that this is a royal name. Princess Patricia of Connaught was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and dedicated her life to art (Canadian landscapes) and volunteering as a nurse. She served as a nurse with the Red Cross during the First World War and later raised funds for the Organization.
Leah Peak
Leah Beaver was a Stoney woman who is credited with her adventures around the Maligne Lake area of what we now call Jasper National Park. Drive up Maligne Lake Road, and look out into the endless forests, valleys, and hills, and imagine exploring with no map, no cellphone, no car, just as Leah Beaver and her husband did. Leah Peak is visible from the top of Maligne Lake Road when looking out onto the lake.
Mount Mary-Jean near Luscar
Mount Mary-Jean is visible from Highway 40 in the northeast and from the Whitehorse Wildland in the southwest. Highway 40 has many sights to see for a road trip experience, including the Cadomin Mines on the way to the Whitehorse Wildland Provincial Park. The view of the mountain from the Luscar area is enhanced by the surrounding foothills.
Mary-Jean Green came from a prominent coal family and established the Mary-Jean Mitchell Green Foundation (for breast cancer research). Since the UK Foundation’s 1987 inception, it has raised over 4 million pounds (over 7 million CND) for breast cancer research. It is now part of the Breast Cancer Now Research Centre in London, England.
