Bow Island, a town in Alberta, Canada, is nestled on Highway 3 in southern Alberta. It's approximately 100 km north of the United States border, 320 km southeast of Calgary, and 51 km southwest of Medicine Hat. The community welcomed its first post-colonial families in 1900. By February 1910, the Village of Bow Island was established, and by March 1912, it was declared the Town of Bow Island.
The naming of Bow Island is steeped in local lore. The most popular story suggests a mix-up between the names of the communities of Grassy Lake, about 25 km to the west, and Bow Island. Interestingly, an island named "Bow Island" is located north of Grassy Lake near the confluence of the Bow River and the Oldman River, while a low depressional area named "Grassy Lake" is located south of Bow Island.
Bow Island was among the first towns in Alberta to operate natural gas wells until the franchise was sold to a private company. In the early 1950s, irrigation was extended to the Bow Island area, leading to a population boom. Today, Bow Island is surrounded by 110,000 acres of highly productive lands, boasting some of the most modern irrigation systems in the world.
Bow Island is strategically located between the cities of Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. Its nearest community is the Hamlet of Burdett. The town sits within Forty Mile County, offering a unique blend of urban amenities and rural charm.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Bow Island had a population of 2,036 living in 674 of its 724 total private dwellings, marking a 2.7% increase from its 2016 population of 1,983. The town spans a land area of 5.68 km2, resulting in a population density of 358.5/km2 in 2021. The 2017 municipal census reported a population of 2,043, a significant 9.4% increase from its 2007 municipal census population of 1,868.
Bow Island is home to "Blues at the Bow Live", an internationally renowned live blues venue located in the historic Bow Theatre. This nonprofit, volunteer-operated Canadian blues society was formed in 1993 and has been hosting sold-out performances since its inception. The society's first show in the Bow Theatre took place on December 17, 1994. Blues at the Bow draws patrons from every corner of the province of Alberta and beyond, adding a vibrant cultural pulse to the community.
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