Nestled in central Alberta at the crossroads of Highway 21 and Highway 585, Trochu sits roughly 15 kilometres north of Three Hills and is surrounded entirely by Kneehill County. The town traces its origins to 1903, when a French entrepreneur named Armand Trochu established the St. Anne Ranch Trading Company on the very land where the community now stands. Ranchers and settlers had already begun filtering into the area in the late 1890s, laying the groundwork for what would grow into an organized community named in Trochu’s honour.
According to the 2021 federal census, Trochu had a population of 998 residents living in 428 occupied private dwellings, a decline of about 5.7% from the 1,058 people recorded in 2016. The town covers a land area of 2.78 square kilometres, giving it a population density of roughly 359 people per square kilometre. Agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy, though oil and gas activity has brought a growing share of revenue to the area. Visitors to Trochu will find a number of noteworthy attractions, including the town’s arboretum, which is home to over 1,000 trees and shrubs representing more than 100 species, alongside both native and non-native flowering plants. The town also claims The World’s Tallest Golf Tee, a 40-foot structure standing just outside the Trochu Golf and Country Club. A local museum, arena, outdoor swimming pool, campground, and ball diamonds round out the recreational offerings. Among Trochu’s notable former residents are Stanley Cup champion Kevin Haller, Olympic gold medallist ice hockey player Al Purvis, and British Army general Martin Farndale.