Palliser

How the Stage was Set HISTORY IN BRIEF 1914: Opening year. 1929: The hotel was extended. 1993: The Palliser became the first hotel to be awarded a heraldic badge. HISTORY IN DETAIL 1883: When the Canadian Pacific Railway pushed west, Calgary was essentially a mounted police post and trading centre. With an influx of tourists, mainly en route to Canadian Pacific's Banff Springs hotel (now The Fairmont Banff Springs), a hospitality spot in Calgary was an essential link. As William Van Horne, General Manager of Canadian Pacific Railway, declared, 'If we can't export the scenery, we'll import the tourists.' 1914, 1 June: Named after Captain John Palliser, who explored the local area in the 1850s, The Fairmont Palliser opened as The Palliser. The public areas were fitted with oak paneling, candelabras, marble columns and floors, handmade rugs and public art. Ice water, along with hot and cold running water, was available in the 350 guest rooms, which featured mahogany doors, brass beds and windows. 1924: Along with the Hotel Macdonald in Edmonton, The Palliser was one of the first two establishments to be re-issued with a liquor licence by the Alberta Liquor Control Board when Alberta abolished Prohibition in 1924. During Prohibition the ballroom held dances, but because of the strict liquor rules, the hotel did not serve alcohol and people resorted to hip flasks or bottles hidden under formal gowns. Long tablecloths hid the forbidden substance during supper and waiters served ginger ale and turned a blind eye while guests mixed their own drinks. 1929: The eight-floor building was enlarged, thanks to a $30 million investment. 1922-1938: RB Bennett, Prime Minister of Canada from 1930 to 1935, lived in the hotel for stretches of time between and had a regular table beside the fireplace. 1954: The Louis XIV-style Crystal Ballroom was renamed the Palliser Room. 1960s: Architect Earl Morrison wanted to remove the famous fireplace for kitchen access, but adamant Calgarians persuaded the hotel to save the landmark 1993, June 2: The Crown granted the hotel a Heraldic Badge - a first for a hotel. With wild roses representing the Provincial flower of Alberta and wavy lines representing the Bow and Elbow River junction where Calgary is situated, the badge followed the original Palliser family crest as much as possible.

Among the many famous guests to have walked through the doors of The Pallise was R B Bennett, the eleventh Prime Minister of Canada (1930-35).