Calgary’s McHugh Bluff
Felix McHugh was a homesteader who moved to (what is now) Calgary from Ontario in the late 1800’s. He settled the land and, with his brothers John and Thomas, started work in the cattle industry, supplying meat to the nearby First Nation reservations. Among McHugh’s farmhands was Harry Longabaugh, A.K.A Harry Place, A.K.A. Frank Boyd, A.K.A. The Sundance Kid – who would later become a renowned outlaw (portrayed by Robert Redford in fila few decades later).
Eventually, Ezra Riley purchased the land from the McHughs and sold it to the City of Calgary in 1906. It was subdivided into the communities of Hillhurst, West Hillhurst and Hounsfield Heights in 1910. In that same year, he donated the property of Riley Park to the City of Calgary. Hillhurst and Sunnyside were established as communities in 1914.
Felix McHugh died on May 4th, 1912 at the age of 61. The site of his home is now a playground that sits on the corner where 5th Avenue and 7th Street NW meet.
