The town of Wainwright in Alberta, Canada, was established in 1908 and named in honor of William Wainwright, a vice-president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. (The town was on the Grand Trunk line.)
The first baby born in the small community was the daughter of Martin L. Forster, proprietor of the Wainwright Hotel. She was named Wainwright Marguerite Forster, after the town.
(Wainwright was the fourth of eight children. Her siblings were named Russell, Claudine, Carl, Jessie, Doris, Eileen, and Jeanette.)
While being interviewed in 1958 — just before the town’s 50th anniversary celebration — Wainwright admitted: “It’s a strange first name for a woman and one that has caused quite a bit of confusion, believe me.”
(Other babies named after towns include Salida, Kelowna, and Nira.)
Sources:
- Blue, John. Alberta, Past and Present. Vol. 3. Chicago: Pioneer Historical Publishing Co., 1924.
- “Gave Wainwright its Name.” Saskatoon Star-Phoenix 20 Jun. 1958: 8.
- History of Wainwright – Town of Wainwright
- Old Town Hall / Fire Hall – Wainwright – Alberta Register of Historic Places
Image: Adapted from Wainwright sign by Awmcphee under CC BY-SA 4.0.
