Cranbrook, British Columbia, is a city nestled in southeast Canada, on the west side of the Kootenay River. As the largest urban centre in the East Kootenay region, Cranbrook is home to over 20,000 residents and serves as the headquarters for the Regional District of East Kootenay and various provincial ministries and agencies.
Cranbrook's history dates back to its original inhabitants, the Ktunaxa peoples. European settlers, notably Colonel James Baker, later purchased the land. Baker named his newly acquired land Cranbrook after his home in Cranbrook, Kent, England. In 1890, the Kootenay Indian Residential School, also known as St. Eugene's, opened in Cranbrook and operated until 1975.
In 1898, Baker convinced the Canadian Pacific Railway to establish their Crowsnest Pass line through Cranbrook instead of the nearby Gold Rush Boom Town Fort Steele. This decision led to Cranbrook's growth as the major centre of the region. On November 1, 1905, Cranbrook was incorporated as a city. Today, the city's major industries include mining, forestry services, trades, and health care.
Cranbrook is surrounded by rising hills, the Purcell Mountains to the west, and the Rocky Mountains to the north and east. The city is in close proximity to several lakes, including Jim Smith Lake, Wasa Lake, Lazy Lake, Moyie Lake, Monroe Lake, Norbury Lake, and Elizabeth Lake. These lakes offer opportunities for boating, fishing, and camping, with public recreational beaches and provincial campgrounds available.
Cranbrook features a humid continental climate, boasting the most sunshine hours of any BC city at approximately 2190.5 hours annually. The city experiences light wind speeds year-round, few foggy days, and has among the highest average barometric pressure of any city in Canada. Frost-free days average 110 days, typically occurring between May 26 to September 14.
As of the 2021 Canadian census, Cranbrook had a population of 20,499 living in 8,780 of its 9,058 total private dwellings, a change of 2.3% from its 2016 population of 20,047.
Cranbrook is a significant transportation hub due to its junction of major highways 3 and 93/95 and its proximity to the borders of Alberta and the United States. The city has a major Canadian Pacific Railway yard and is home to the Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport, which accommodates a limited number of international flights.
Cranbrook offers a variety of recreational activities. Western Financial Place, a pool and hockey arena, is home to the Cranbrook Bucks. The city also features a paved, two-lane 28 km trail between Cranbrook and Kimberley, BC, known as the Rails to Trails. Additionally, there are 2000 acres of wilderness to explore in the community forest.
Cranbrook is twinned with Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in the United States.
