Cardston County
municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada
Cardston County is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 3 around the Town of Cardston.
The municipal district was established on January 1, 1954, through the amalgamation of the Municipal District of Sugar City No. 5 and part of the Municipal District of Cochrane No. 6. On January 1, 2000, the name was changed from Municipal District of Cardston No. 6 to Cardston County
Lakes
Payne Lake
Communities and localities
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Cardston County had a population of 4,856 living in 1,143 of its 1,387 total private dwellings, a change of 8.4% from its 2016 population of 4,481. With a land area of 3,358.39 km2 (1,296.68 sq mi), it had a population density of 1.4/km2 (3.7/sq mi) in 2021.
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Cardston County had a population of 4,481 living in 1,043 of its 1,260 total private dwellings, a 7.5% change from its 2011 population of 4,167. With a land area of 3,429.82 km2 (1,324.26 sq mi), it had a population density of 1.3/km2 (3.4/sq mi) in 2016.
The public source identifies “Cardston County” as municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Cardston, County and municipal.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Cardston County”, the useful work is to connect “municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 17, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2991163. Authority coordinates are 49.203, -113.302. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1954, 2000, 2021 and 2016.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cardston County”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cardston County primary sources, Cardston County archive and Cardston research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cardston County”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cardston County” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.