Tucked into central Alberta along Highway 56, Big Valley sits roughly 32 km south of Stettler and 64 km north of Drumheller, within the County of Stettler No. 6. The area attracted settlers even before 1910, drawn by fertile soil and native prairie grass that made it well suited to cattle ranching. Large tracts of land to the southeast were held under Imperial Lease by Pat Burns, and much of that acreage has since been set aside as an ecological reserve protecting the region’s natural flora.
The arrival of the Canadian Northern Railway in 1911 transformed Big Valley almost overnight. By 1912 the community had a working terminal complete with a roundhouse, stockyards, rail yards, a water tower, a coal dock, and general maintenance facilities. The village reached official status in 1914 with around 500 residents, growing to 803 by 1920 when it was elevated to town status. Coal mining also shaped the community during this period: the largest local operation, Big Valley Collieries, opened in 1912 about 2 km north of the village, employed over 100 workers, and ran its own school and hotel. The coal mined here was a softer variety used primarily for residential heating. Demand held steady until the early 1950s, when oil and gas discoveries in 1950 changed the local economy. The last mine, a strip operation just 1 km north of town, closed in 1952. Today, the East Central Alberta Heritage Society owns the remaining rail line between Stettler and Big Valley, and Alberta Prairie Steam Tours operates steam train excursions along that track, while walking self-tours allow visitors to explore the visible remains of the old railway infrastructure.