Ranching Under the Arch

Ranching under the Arch is a historically grounded look at cattle ranching in southern Alberta, shaped by multi-generational family-owned operations that still exist today. In the 1880s, fledgling ranchers arrived on the plains drawn by the promise of year-round grazing under the Chinook—then faced the frontier realities of survival, loss, and loneliness.

Author D. Larraine Andrews follows several ranches with roots dating to the late nineteenth century, tracing the culture that formed around this work and its continued evolution, sometimes into the fifth generation. Built from historical archives, diaries, and personal accounts, the book adds informative maps, archival imagery, and contemporary photography to round out an epic portrait of the “Cattle Kingdom” in Alberta history.