Red Deer's Oil Rush Past Comes Full Circle

In 1914, an oil fever swept through Alberta after the Monarch Company struck oil in Turnery Valley. The rush was so intense that people ran down to the land office to get a claim number, with some even leaving their work or daily activities behind. In Red Deer, filings for oil leases skyrocketed, and companies like the Red Deer Oil and Gas Company formed.

However, by July 20, the rush had lost steam, with over 1,400 owners of tickets failing to appear when called to make a filing. The boom had benefited many citizens, but most of the money invested was from outside sources. By fall, several companies had suspended operations, and it wasn't until the Leduc discovery in 1947 that oil exploration and production picked up again.

With the growth of the petrochemical industry in the 1970s, Red Deer experienced a period of rapid growth. The Alberta Gas Trunk Line Company constructed two world-class petrochemical plants near Joffre, which produced ethylene from natural gas feedstock. The second plant opened in 1984, and partially due to these developments, Red Deer became one of the largest cities in Alberta.