Big Rock
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Big Rock is a glacial erratic situated between the towns of Okotoks and Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada (18 kilometres south of Calgary). The 15,000 tonne (16,500 short ton) quartzite boulder is the world's largest known glacial erratic[1].
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[edit] History
The Big Rock was transported far from its original place at the Athabasca Glacier, by glacial ice over 10,000 years ago, and is the largest of several thousand erratics of the Foothills erratics train in Alberta.
The people of the Blackfoot First Nation used the Big Rock as a landmark for finding a crossing over the Sheep River (where Okotoks stands today) long before European settlement. The town's name Okotoks is derived from "o'kotok" [ˈo.kə.tok], meaning "Large Rock" in the Blackfoot language.
Erosion has caused noticeable signs of mass wasting, which was documented in 1991.[citation needed]
[edit] In popular culture
Since 1985, Big Rock Brewery has been in business, brewing beer in honor of the Big Rock.
[edit] References
- ^ Alberta museum historic site: Okotoks Erratic. Alberta Government: Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture.
[edit] See also
