Historic Cochrane Ranche — Attraction in Town of Cochrane

The Cochrane Ranche Company Ltd. was founded by Senator Matthew Henry Cochrane in 1881. The ranch was originally located on a 109,000 acre land lease at Big Hill (now Cochrane, Alberta).

Cochrane Ranche Site is a large community park (in a gorgeous natural setting) that’s steeped in western culture, Indigenous history, and numerous recreational opportunities, including family-friendly mountain biking trails. A few of the additional attractions in the park include a quaint museum located in a historic 110-year-old building, a reconstructed corral, an interpretive trail that highlights the natural and human history of the site, picnic sites with fire pits, an outdoor stage for concerts and community events, the famous “Men of Vision” statue, archaeological remains, and of course, panoramic vistas of the aspen-coated foothills and soaring Rocky Mountains. Regardless of your interests, you’ll find something that is truly “your speed” in the 136-acre park. Copied...

The Cochrane Ranche was established in 1881 by Senator Matthew Cochrane, and was the first western leasehold ranche. This marked the beginning of the "Beef Bonanza" - the era of cattle in the foothill grasslands of the Rocky Mountain region. This era ended in 1896 when the federal government ended all leases. After the Cochrane Ranche several other businesses were operated in this area, such as the Collins Brickyard (1902-1925), Shelley Stone Quarry (1910-1920s), Cochrane Creamery (1912-1977), Beynon-Davies Dairy Farm (1919-1949) and Gilbert Ranches (1949-1977). The Cochrane Ranche Historic Site was officially opened on May 21, 1979 following a purchase of the land by the Alberta government. In May 2015, the Cochrane Historical and Archival Preservation Society (CHAPS) opened on site the Cochrane Historical Museum located in the renovated Davies family building originally constructed in 1909. The museum is dedicated to telling the history of the Town...

If you're in Cochrane and need to stretch your legs, the Historic Ranche House is a great place to head! Big beautiful trees, a steady creek winding through walking paths. Take a little stroll or a longer hike. It's a lovely way to spend a couple hours in nature.

Extra points if you have young kids/toddlers because there's so much to see as you go in...