Elbow Valley Community Information

Elbow Valley is a designated community (an unincorporated area) in southern Alberta, in the Municipal District of Rocky View. The Elbow Valley area is located immediately west of the city of Calgary, along Highway 8. The hamlet of Bragg Creek is west of Elbow Valley. The area is mostly residential.

Elbow Valley gets its name from the Elbow River, a river in the region that flows into the Bow River at Fort Calgary. The name for Elbow River is descriptive and refers to the point at which it abruptly turn northward and enters the Bow River (elbow-like curve). David Thompson referred to it as "Hokaikshi" in 1814, and Arrowsmith's map of 1859 labels it "Hokaikshi" or "Moose River". The Cree called it "o-too-kwa-na" and according to Tyrell, the Stoney referred to it as "mn-no-tho-ap-ta". Until 1880, it was often called "Swift Creek", after the speed of its watercourse.