The Macleod Trail was established between the fall of 1874 and the next spring. It was originally used to move goods from Fort Benton, Montana by bull train and shipped as far as they could go up the Missouri River.
Goods were then transferred to wagons to be taken to Fort Benton, then the bull trains headed to Fort Whoop-Up and then north to Fort Calgary. This was all guided by the Macleod Trail markers. The last coach to use the Macleod Trail delivered the mail to Okotoks in 1891.
Bill Dunn decided to start finding these markers and found his first in 2002-2003 in High River. He works on the project himself and with volunteers when he gets the help. He repairs, paints and photographs all the markers he discovers. As well, Dunn keeps a log of when and where he found each marker.
This project is important to Dunn as it tells a story of the early days in Alberta.
“The Old Macleod Trail marker project is of great historical value as it tells the story of early Alberta’s connection to the outside world before the arrival of the railroad in western Canada in 1883,” explains Dunn.
On Dec. 8, 2012 an event was held for the official unveiling of the latest Macleod Trail marker to be installed in Okotoks. It's in recognition of “Alberta’s first highway.”
The unearthing of the wagon wheel marker project was said to have begun in 1980 and Dunn sees it continuing for many years yet.
“The project will end when the last marker has been installed. The work of ongoing care and maintenance will go into the future,” says Dunn.
With the most recent marker in Okotoks, there are now 17 wheels on the trail between Fort Macleod and Calgary. Dunn says there aren’t believed to be any more wheels to be discovered in the foothills area. All of the markers that have now been discovered have GPS co-ordinates.
“The wagon wheel in the marker represents the mode of transportation used to move freight into the early district of Alberta, North West Territories, by bull teams pulling wagon trains,” says Dunn.
Since the first marker was restored in 2003, there has been a total of about 10 markers that have been repainted, replaced or restored.
Commentary from "Macleod Trail’s Wagon Wheel Markers Celebrates History", written by Stephanie Labbe, Prairie Post, Monday, 04 February 2013