Historic Site Designation

Turner Valley Oil Field, Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Photo taken at the Interpretive Center, currently located at the Town Hall in Turner Valley

Turner Valley Gas Plant, Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Photo taken at the Interpretive Center, currently located at the Town Hall in Turner Valley

The historic Turner Valley Gas Plant and Provincial Historic Site is located in the Turner Valley Oil Field. About 32 kilometers long and about 1.6 kilometers wide, the Turner Valley oil field was the most important oil field until Leduc blew in 1947. It began production as a gas field, then became a major oil producer when the field's source pool was discovered. Gas production and processing, though, always remained important.

In May 1914, The Calgary Petroleum Products Company Limited (CPP) struck gas at Turner Valley. News of the discovery sent streams of curious citizens out to their automobiles and off into the foothills West of Calgary for a look. Western Canada's first oil boom was underway. As hundreds of companies formed and thousands of stocks changed hands, eager investors hoped they too would strike liquid gold.

The most important historic resource within the Turner Valley Oilfield, The Turner Valley Gas Plant was Western Canadas largest and most productive field until
the late 1940s.