Nanton is a town in southern Alberta, Canada. Nanton was named after Sir Augustus Meredith Nanton, of Winnipeg (1860–1925) who directed firms that offered financing for farms and ranches throughout the west. It is located south of Calgary, at the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 533.
Nanton was historically known as “Tap Town”, after providing passing motorists with free water supplied from the foothills via a stand tap on the northbound highway. This water was one of this first to be bottled and sold in Canada, resulting in the creation of Nanton Water & Soda Ltd, still a thriving business in the town today.[3]
Traditionally a farming and ranching community, Nanton is now a popular tourist destination.[4]
Nanton is known primarily for three distinct features: an aviation museum – Bomber Command Museum of Canada (formerly known as the Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum)[7] situated in the centre of town on Highway 2 south, adjacent to Highway 533; a high number of antique shops;[8] and two fully restored grain elevators on northbound Highway 2.
One of the main attractions at the aviation museum is its preserved Avro Lancaster bomber[9] FM159[10] which performs regular runs[11] of its Rolls-Royce Merlin engines.[12] The aviation museum is also home to a number of other significant RAF Bomber Command era aircraft,[13] including a Bristol Blenheim Mk IV.[14]
Nanton’s antique shops and galleries have contributed in making Nanton a popular tourist destination.[15][16][17] They are organized around the notion of a downtown walk.[18][19]
The Canadian Grain Elevator Discovery Centre is a set of restored grain elevators located in the centre of Nanton. The “Save One” society’s goal is to preserve examples of old grain elevators to educate visitors about the town’s, and Alberta’s, agricultural history. Net Sourced
Nanton
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