A town south of Calgary was just named one of the most offbeat in Alberta, being touted as a “ quaint bedroom community.”

World Atlas, one of the largest publishing resources in geography, released its list of seven offbeat towns to visit in Alberta, and Okotoks found itself on the list.

The name Okotoks is derived from the Blackfoot word “Okatok,” which means “rock.” According to the Town of Okotoks , “The Blackfoot may have referred to this area as ‘Okatok’ because of the Big Rock, which they used as a reference marker in their journeys.”

Located just a few kilometres south of Calgary, Okotoks was incorporated as a village in 1893, and it wasn’t until June 1, 1904, that it became a town.

From 1892 to 1896, the town was called Dewdney, after Lieutenant Governor Lord Edgar Dew

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