Plan of Indian Battle Park in the River Valley at Lethbridge

History Biographical: "Located in the river valley in an area originally called the Company Bottom [for the North Western Coal & Navigation Company, who established their office and mine site at that location], the park occupies about 150 acres and was developed in 1960. The name, approved by council on 8 February 1960, commemorates the Last Great Indian Battle fought within Lethbridge's [future] city limits on 24 October 1870 between Blackfoot and Cree ... Public calls for a park at this location were made on 22 September 1991 and again on 30 June 1919. In 1912 the city purchased 160 acres of the Company Bottom from the CPR for $100 per acre, called the area the River Valley Tracts and leased small holdings to potential market gardeners. The area was referred to as the River Bottom Lease Lands on 5 June 1914 and later. In the 1940s and 1950s the area was called Riverside and 83 families lived there. A serious flood in June 1953 convinced council that residents had to be moved out of the riverbottom and the area converted to parkland-recreation. An major redevelopment by the Urban Parks/Heritage Trust Fund project was completed in 1985 and the park rededicated on 23 September." Source: Johnston, Alex and Peat, Barry R. Lethbridge Place Names. Occasional Paper No. 14, Lethbridge Historical Society, 1987