Crossed the plains in 1874 as Inspector in the original North West Mounted Police. Co-founder of Forts Macleod and Calgary. Honorary Chieftain in Blackfoot Nation. Indian Agent, government archivist, explorer, pioneer, adventurer and author. "He knew not fear; a born optimist."
Sir Denny wrote of his arrival at the site of Calgary: "The view from the hill on the north side of Bow River, when we reached it at the beginning of September, 1875, was a beautiful one. A lonely valley lay before us with rolling hills to the south. There was much wood on both sides of the Bow and Elbow rivers. The mountains with their snowy peaks to the west, also an open valley south of the Elbow, and much timber along the Bow. There were many large bands of buffalo moving and grazing in the valleys, but no sign of human habitation. Our first sight of this lonely spot was one never to be forgotten, and one that only a poet could do justice to. It was by far the most beautiful spot seen in the west."
