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Meaning & History
Battleford was named after the Battle River, which itself was named due to historical conflicts between Indigenous groups, particularly the Cree and Blackfoot. The town was established in 1875 as a fur trading post and later became the first capital of the Northwest Territories (1876–1883) before the capital moved to Regina. The name "Battleford" combines Battle (from Battle River) and ford, an Old English word meaning "a shallow river crossing."