The Medicine Tree

The power of the Medicine Tree has been an integral part of High River since before the first settlers chose this site as home. The Medicine Tree was created through a natural grafting that occurred between two cottonwood trees, when the branch of one grew into the trunk of the other.

The indigenous peoples of this area, specifically the Stony and Blackfoot, considered this to be a sign from the Spirits that the location was favoured. The tree was located near the Highwood River, offering an abundance of grazing land, wood, and wild game for these tribes, long before white settlers arrived. Here is where the First Nations people set up their camps under the benevolent shade of this unusual tree, asking for good medicine and blessings of the land.

 It was also near the Medicine Tree that traders determined to build a fort, and soon after settlers came to claim the land that is now High River.

Today, the image of the Medicine Tree continues to be an icon and is the  central image of the Town's logo.  It is the connection between the First Nations people who originally called this area home, the industrious pioneers who built High River from the prairie grasslands, and the current residents who must continue to be stewards of the land to ensure a sustainable, environmentally responsible community for the future.

High River's logo

For complete information about using High River's logo, please refer to the Graphic Standards Manual  

High River's logo was created through a public process that ensured the final image would reflect residents' vision of our community. The Medicine Tree is at the heart of the image, as a reminder of the town's history as well as a guidepost for the future. Behind the tree is the mountain vista which is part of the beautiful landscape that surrounds the community, and finally there is the image of the Highwood river flowing beneath the tree. The colours represent the oasis in which High River is set along the banks of the Highwood river.