Courtesy of the Glenbow Collection
Wesley Fletcher Orr was the first mayor elected after Calgary was made a city, serving 1894 to 1895 and again in 1897. Born on 3 March 1831 in LaChute, Quebec, Orr led a colourful life. He first visited Calgary in 1883 and, in partnership with three men, bought what is now east Calgary. He did not move to the city, however, until 1886. Two years later, he became assistant editor of the Calgary Herald. He entered municipal politics in 1888 and served five terms as alderman. As chairman of the committee of public works, Orr oversaw the development of Calgary’s water and sewer systems, its municipal financing, and electric lighting. He also pursued policies that would prove to be favourable to his own financial interests. In the early 1890s, Orr led the city’s promotional ventures and persuaded the Dominion government to include Alberta in its promotional literature.
