Raymond, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Raymond is a town in Warner County
Warner County No. 5, Alberta
The County of Warner No. 5 is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada.It is located in Census Division 2, just north of the United States border. Warner was organised as a rural municipality since 1912, and established in the actual borders since 1954. The seat of the municipality is...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located in southern Alberta
Southern Alberta
Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of the year 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017. The primary cities are Lethbridge and Medicine Hat...
south of Lethbridge
Lethbridge
Lethbridge is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada, and the largest city in southern Alberta. It is Alberta's fourth-largest city by population after Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer, and the third-largest by area after Calgary and Edmonton. The nearby Canadian Rockies contribute to the city's...
on Highway 52. Raymond is known for its annual rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
and its large Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
population. The sole high school in the town, Raymond High School
Raymond High School (Alberta)
Raymond High School is a public secondary school in Raymond, Alberta, Canada. It is the only school in the County of Warner for grades 10 through 12...
, is known for its sports achievements in basketball, Canadian football, and women's rugby union.
History
Raymond was founded in 1901 by mining magnate and industrialist Jesse KnightJesse Knight
Jesse Knight was one of relatively few Latter-day Saint mining magnates in nineteenth century Western America. Raised by the widow of Newel Knight, Jesse's family was poor throughout his youth. As a young man, he worked as a prospector and discovered the Humbug Mine in the Tintic Mining District...
. Knight named the town after his son Raymond.
Raymond was incorporated as a village in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
(NWT) on May 30, 1902. It incorporated as a town in the NWT 13 months later on July 1, 1903.
Demographics
The population of the Town of Raymond according to its 2010 municipal census is 3,868, a 5.2% increase over its 2009 municipal census population of 3,674.In 2006, the town had a population of 3,205 living in 1,085 dwellings
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
, a 0.2% increase over its population of 3,200 in 2001. The town had a land area of 4.75 km² (1.8 sq mi) and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 674.1 /km2.
Visible minorities
As of 2006, approximately 3.0% of the town's population were visible minorities. Of those minorities, 50 people identified themselves as JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese, 40 as Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, and 10 as South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n.
Religion
A majority of Raymondites are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In the town, there are three LDS Church chapels and nine separate congregations, composing one stake. (The closest LDS Church templeTemple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
, the Cardston Alberta Temple
Cardston Alberta Temple
The Cardston Alberta Temple is the eighth constructed and sixth operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in Cardston, Alberta, it is the oldest LDS temple outside the United States. It is one of eight temples that do not have an angel Moroni statue, and one of...
, is located 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest in Cardston
Cardston, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Cardston according to its 2007 municipal census is 3,578.In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001...
.) Raymond also has Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
, and United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
congregations. Until its temple was relocated to Lethbridge in 2006, the Raymond Buddhist Church
Raymond Buddhist Church
The Raymond Buddhist Church is a building in Raymond, Alberta, Canada that has been a schoolhouse, a Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist temple, and a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
was the oldest continually used Buddhist sanctuary in Canada.
Charitable giving
Statistics Canada has reported that Raymond ranks among the top five communities in Canada for the highest level of charitable donations per capita, which is partially due to the town population's high rate of titheTithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s given to the LDS Church.
Attractions
In 1902, one year after it was founded, Raymond held an outdoor rodeo and called it a stampede; this was Canada's first organized rodeo event. Since the inaugural event, the Raymond StampedeRaymond Stampede
The Raymond Stampede is an annual rodeo that is held in the town of Raymond, Alberta, Canada every 1 July. It is notable for being Alberta's oldest and Canada's second oldest rodeo event, having been instituted a full decade before the world-famous Calgary Stampede.The Stampede was first held in...
has been held on June 30 or July 1 every summer.
Raymond Heritage Days is held annually during the first week of July to celebrate the founding of Raymond. Events and activities include family softball, fireworks, midnight golfing, downtown games with bounce houses, a pancake breakfast, and a Canada Day parade, in addition to the Raymond Stampede.
Raymond is home to the Raymond Judo Club, the first Judo club in Alberta. The club was formed by Yoshio Katsuta in 1943.
The Raymond Aquatic Centre opened in 2010. It features two small waterslides, a junior Olympic-sized pool for lane swimming, diving boards, a climbing wall, a baby pool, and an eating area. The aquatic centre holds 1,000,000 litres of water during the summer and attracts up to 500 visitors a day.
The Raymond Buddhist Church
Raymond Buddhist Church
The Raymond Buddhist Church is a building in Raymond, Alberta, Canada that has been a schoolhouse, a Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist temple, and a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
is the oldest building in Raymond and the only remaining structure from the town's pioneer days.
Notable people
- Ted E. BrewertonTed E. BrewertonTeddy Eugene Brewerton is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
, general authorityGeneral authorityIn The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
in the LDS Church - Lloyd FairbanksLloyd FairbanksLloyd Fairbanks is a former Canadian Football League offensive lineman who played seventeen seasons in the CFL. Fairbanks was named to the CFL's All-Star team 5 times.-References:...
, former offensive lineman in the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football.... - Skouson HarkerSkouson HarkerSkouson Harker is a Canadian former professional basketball player of the FIBA European Leagues. Harker is from Raymond, Alberta, Canada...
, former professional basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player in the British Basketball LeagueBritish Basketball LeagueThe British Basketball League, often abbreviated to the BBL, is the premier men's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom. The BBL runs two knockout competitions alongside the league championship; the BBL Cup and the BBL Trophy....
and for the Edmonton EnergyEdmonton EnergyThe Edmonton Energy is a professional basketball team in the International Basketball League, formerly known as the Edmonton Chill. The Chill name was revoked in August 2008 after allegations of misconduct were filed with the league regarding Troy Barns, the majority shareholder in the team.On 27...
of the International Basketball LeagueInternational Basketball LeagueThe International Basketball League was a short lived professional basketball league in the United States. The IBL was headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The league started in 1999 and ended in 2001.-History:... - Jim HillyerJim Hillyer (politician)Jim Hillyer is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons for the federal Conservative Party of Canada in the 2011 election, representing the electoral district of Lethbridge.-Education:...
, Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of CanadaThe Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
Member of ParliamentParliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
for the LethbridgeLethbridge (electoral district)Lethbridge is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1917...
electoral district (2011–) - Raymond Knight, father of Canadian rodeo, world's first rodeo producer and stock contractorStock contractorA Stock contractor is an individual or business that provides animals for rodeo competition. Stock contractors supply "rough stock" - Saddle bronc and bareback bronc horses and bull riding bulls, plus steers for steer wrestling and team roping, plus calves for calf roping events...
, rodeo champion - Brett RalphBrett RalphBrett Ralph is a former professional Canadian football receiver, who most recently played with the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders. He is the younger brother of fellow CFL receiver Brock Ralph....
, wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
in the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
with the Calgary StampedersCalgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium... - Brock RalphBrock RalphBrock Ralph is a professional Canadian football slotback and wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He has previously played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.- Early years :...
, wide receiverWide receiverA wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
in the Canadian Football LeagueCanadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
with the Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue BombersThe Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded... - Cleon SkousenCleon SkousenWillard Cleon Skousen was an American author, conservative American Constitutionalist and faith-based political theorist. He was also a prolific popularizer among Latter-day Saints of their theology...
, conservative American author and political commentator - Phil TollestrupPhil TollestrupPhil Tollestrup is a former Olympic basketball player as a member of the Canadian national men's basketball team during the 1970s.Six feet, six inches tall forward, Tollestrup attributes the development of his basketball ability to his being able to practice on a daily basis both at his school gym,...
, basketball player in the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics and for the BYU CougarsBYU CougarsBYU Cougars is an American soccer team based in Provo, Utah, United States. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
of the NCAA, and member of the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame - William R. WalkerWilliam R. WalkerWilliam Russell Walker has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2002.Walker was born and raised in Raymond, Alberta, Canada. As a young man, he was a LDS Church missionary in Japan...
, general authority in the LDS Church
See also
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of towns in Alberta
- Temple Hill (Warner County, Alberta)Temple Hill (Warner County, Alberta)Temple Hill is an isolated hill located three kilometres north of Raymond, Alberta, Canada in Warner County.Temple Hill was so-named by Mormon settlers of Southern Alberta because some thought that it would be an appropriate site for a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
- John W. Taylor