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Wood Mountain N.W.M.P. Post
GPS:	49d 18.95m N	106d 22.67m W	2511 feet
Location:	8 kms south of the town of Wood Mountain.
The North West Mounted Police (NWMP) first marched west in 1874. By all accounts, the historic journey was a nightmare of dust storms, blistering heat, mosquitoes, horseflies and bad water. So when the exhausted men reached Wood Mountain and found shady coulees, abundant game, fresh water -- and a Boundary Commission crew about to abandon a perfectly good post -- it's no wonder they simply moved in.
At the end of the 1873 season, Captain Anderson, Chief Astronomer, led a reconnaissance party to select the site for the first NWMP station in 1874. As the next season would begin at mile 430 (690 kms) and continue further westward, a main depot was required at this location.
Anderson had heard of a Metis wintering camp in the area that might be suitable. He met a group of Sioux Indians, who had just left the hunter's camp, and they directed Anderson to it.
After reaching Wood Mountain, Anderson referred to it as an oasis in the middle of the semi-desert. He found that it was ideally suited as a depot because it had good water, abundant grazing and wood for construction. When the Mounties took over the Wood Mountain post, it became the first NWMP post in the southwest.
In early May 1874, George Crompton led a reconnaissance party to Wood Mountain and began constructing the depot buildings. On June 22, when the survey party arrived from Dufferin, the buildings were complete.
One hundred and twenty-five wagons loaded with supplies and equipment left Dufferin for Wood Mountain. This was a precaution in case the work could not be completed and would require another year.
Feeding more than 200 men and their horses was a major task.
Captain Featherstonhaugh, Assistant Astronomer, recorded the daily ration allowed.
The total weight of food per man per day was about 40 ounces.