Shorty Nier (1863-1926) came from Arizona to Calgary to seek his fortune in the early 1880s. He was a NWMP scout in the 1885 North West (2nd Riel) Rebellion and then rode for the Cochrane, the Oxley, the Flying E, and the Bar U Ranches. Shorty was also involved in most of the southern Alberta roundups of the day. Around 1900, Shorty Nier homesteaded near here and the area is named for him. In 1931 the CPR built the Crossfield to Cremona rail line across Shorty's land and built the Nier Siding near here. The P&H Nier grain elevator was also near here and was painted up in paisley colours by Sherwin Williams/Bapco/Cloverdale Paints (you pick one, history is unclear on this) that they used in their television advertising. Like the rail line, the Nier elevator too is gone. Supposedly burnt to the ground by the Crossfield Fire Department as a training exercise. A picture of the Nier grain elevator is in the image gallery. If you look around, you might see remains of the old rail-bed, and near here to the west about 700 meters you'll see the Nier Lakes. The Nier Lakes are fed by Writing Creek. Writing Creek is so named for the First Nation petroglyphs (rock carvings) at an old First Nations buffalo jump site. The buffalo jump and petroglyphs are on private land not visible from the road so please respect that and stay on the public side of the fences.