Parks Canada is known worldwide as a leader in nature conservation, but we do much more than that. Together with our partners, we commemorate the people, places, and events that have shaped what we now call Canada. Join us to meet experts from across the country, as we explore the sites, stories and artifacts that bring history to life.
ReCollections will take you on a journey, coast-to-coast-to-coast, from a Viking Age Norse settlement in Northern Newfoundland to a sacred Haida village site in Gwaii Haanas, where the rainforest meets the wild Pacific Ocean... with many stops in between. Each episode explores new places and stories to help make sense of a complicated past.
For seven decades, the Bar U operated as a corporate ranch, with thousands of cattle fattening up on protein-rich fescue grass in Alberta’s Rocky Mountain foothills. But that grass has a history of its own, co-evolving on this landscape with a different grazer - the bison - over thousands of years. Through the history of three animals who’ve left their hoofmarks upon the prairie grasslands - bison, cattle and horses - we look at Canada’s “beef bonanza” that employed a colourful cast of cowboys, cooks and capitalists, turning grass into money at Bar U Ranch National Historic Site.
Special thanks to Jessica Hill.
Learn more:
Bar U Ranch National Historic Site
Plan Your Visit
Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: Bar U Ranch
Ranching Industry National Historic Event designation
John Ware, National Historic Person
(Old) Women’s Buffalo Jump National Historic Site
Heritage value description of each Bar U building
Bison conservation and breeding programs at Elk Island National Park
Plains Bison reintroduction in Banff National Park
Other Media:
Like Distant Thunder: Canada's bison conservation story by Lauren Markewicz
John Ware Reclaimed - Filmmaker Cheryl Foggo re-examines the story of John Ware, the legendary Black cowboy in this National Film Board documentary film.
First Marriages - a story from the Women’s Buffalo Jump near the Bar U Ranch (video from the Siksika Consultation Office)
Restoring Historic Buildings at the Bar U Ranch National Historic Site (Parks Canada video)
Questions about the ReCollections podcast or any of the episodes? Please contact us at nouveauxmedias-newmedia@pc.gc.ca
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
29 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT
Waterton Lakes: Archaeology in a Burned Landscape
In August 2017, a lightning strike near Waterton Lakes National Park sparked a devastating wildfire that burned nearly 40% of the park. But in the wake of destruction came a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’ll hear from archaeologists and Blackfoot elders about the collaborative archaeology project that’s deepening our understanding of the lives of Indigenous peoples who have lived and travelled in the Rocky Mountains and foothills for millennia.
Learn more:
Waterton Lakes National Park
Plan Your Visit
Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: Waterton Lakes
Prince of Wales Hotel National Historic Site designation
First Oil Well in Western Canada National Historic Site designation
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Other Media:
Post Wildfire Renewal Video and Photo Gallery
Dr. Mike Bruised Head’s PhD thesis on the impact of erasing Blackfoot place names in Paahtomahksikimi
Questions about the ReCollections podcast or any of the episodes? Please contact us at nouveauxmedias-newmedia@pc.gc.ca
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
Red Bay: Discovering the Basque Whalers of Terra Nova
The southern coast of Labrador in the 1500s was the scene of Canada’s first oil boom. Each summer, Basque crews from Spain and France traversed the Atlantic to hunt whales and render their blubber into a precious commodity: oil that lit the lamps of Europe. It was dangerous, messy… and profitable. The story was all but lost until the 1970s, when researchers and archaeologists flocked to the tiny community of Red Bay, digging in the gardens and diving in the harbour, to uncover the secrets of Red Bay National Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Special thanks to Joxe Felipe Auzmendi and Iñaki Beraetxe, to Daniel Payne for use of his song Selma Barkham’s Waltz, and to Javier Vicente for recording assistance.
Our condolences to the family of Robert Grenier, who led Parks Canada’s underwater archaeology work at Red Bay. Robert passed away in January 2026.
Learn more:
Red Bay National Historic Site
Plan your visit
Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: Red Bay
Heritage Designation: Red Bay National Historic Site
UNESCO World Heritage Site designation
Other Media:
The Great Whale Robbery of Labrador by Canadiana
The underwater archaeology of Red Bay: Basque shipbuilding and whaling in the 16th century, edited by Robert Grenier, Marc-André Bernier, and Willis Stevens.
Email us at nouveauxmedias-newmedia@pc.gc.ca for any questions or suggestions.
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it!
Visit parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
14 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT
Introducing ReCollections Season Two
ReCollections, the award-winning history and archaeology podcast from Parks Canada, is back for Season Two. Four new stories from national parks and national historic sites across Canada:
● Red Bay: Discovering the Basque Whalers of Terra Nova
● Fort Lennox: The Accidental Immigrants
● Bar U Ranch: Grass Into Money
● Waterton Lakes: Archaeology in a Burned Landscape
Join us for a journey of national historic significance.
17 Apr 2023
Introducing ReCollections: A Parks Canada Podcast
Join us for a journey of national historic significance.
17 Apr 2023
L’Anse aux Meadows: The Saga of Vinland
Travel back to the Viking Age to uncover the remnants of a thousand-year-old Norse encampment. We’ll hear about their incredible journey from Greenland to northern Newfoundland from a diverse group of experts including historians, archaeologists, and interpreters at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site.
Learn more:
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows
Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: https://g.co/arts/zsrgMj8ex1cQe5yK7
Plan your visit: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/visit
UNESCO page: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/4/
National Film Board documentaries:
The Man Who Discovered America: https://www.nfb.ca/film/man_discovered_america
The Vinland Mystery: https://www.nfb.ca/film/vinland_mystery/
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
A transcript and bibliography for this episode is available on our website: https://parks.canada.ca/recollections
17 Apr 2023
Dawson City: A Ruby in the Rough
Welcome to Ruby's Place in Dawson City, Yukon, “the Paris of the North.” Through the remarkable lives of Madam Ruby Scott and her employees, we’ll hear about Dawson’s Gold Rush heyday and the boom/bust cycle of both the mining and sex work industries. At the heart of the story is Ruby's Place, an elegant false-front building conserved as part of the Klondike National Historic Sites… despite the threats from climate change.
Learn More:
Klondike National Historic Sites: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/yt/klondike
Plan your visit: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/yt/klondike/visit
Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/PwWxfnGFmjSquw
UNESCO World Heritage Site (Tentative List): https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6255/
Tr'ochëk National Historic Site: https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1970&i=65024
The Other Little House: The Brothel as a Colonial Institution on the Canadian Prairies, 1880–93 by L. K. Bertram: https://academic.oup.com/jsh/article/56/1/58/6554394?login=false
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
A transcript and bibliography for this episode is available on our website: https://parks.canada.ca/recollections
17 Apr 2023
Gwaii Haanas: The Living Landscapes of SG̱ang Gwaay
In this episode, we’ll travel to the Pacific Northwest islands of Haida Gwaii, home to the Haida Nation for more than 13,000 years. Our focus: a collaborative archaeology project at an evacuated village on the remote island of SGang Gwaay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that was devastated by hurricane-force winds in a 2018 storm. Many voices tell the rich history of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site.
Special thanks to Consulting Producer Camille Collinson.
Learn More:
Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve and Haida Heritage Site: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas
Living Landscapes of SG̱ang Gwaay project: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/nature/conservation/restauration-restoration/vivants-living
Follow the Gwaii Haanas - Islands of Beauty Facebook page for the latest on the Living Landscapes project: https://www.facebook.com/GwaiiHaanas/
Plan your visit: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas/visit
UNESCO World Heritage Site: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/157/
Take the Haida Gwaii Pledge: https://haidagwaiipledge.ca/
The Hope For Wellness Helpline is available at 1-855-242-3310 or https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
A transcript and bibliography for this episode is available on our website: https://parks.canada.ca/recollections
17 Apr 2023
Grosse Île: The Quarantine Island
For over a century, an unassuming island in the St. Lawrence River played a major role in the immigration journey from Europe to North America. A scene of hope and tragedy, punctuated by a series of deadly crises, Grosse Île was home to a quarantine station that served as the gateway for millions of newcomers. Witness to pandemics, health emergencies and the development of modern medical science, Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site is a powerful reminder of the immigrant experience. And it all kicked off with a volcanic eruption on the other side of the planet.
Learn More:
Grosse-Ile and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/grosseile
Plan Your Visit: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/grosseile/visit
Dr. Frédérick Montizambert, National Historic Person: https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/DFHD/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=1843
For the Temporary Accommodation of Settlers by David Monteyne: https://www.mqup.ca/for-the-temporary-accommodation-of-settlers-products-9780228006381.php
Google Arts and Culture Exhibition: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/WgXRiCleYInljA
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
A transcript and bibliography for this episode is available on our website: https://parks.canada.ca/recollections
17 Apr 2023
Louisbourg: Enslavement and Freedom at the French Fortress
In this episode, we find traces of the lives of enslaved people at the 18th-century French Fortress of Louisbourg in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. By piecing together the unique story of Guinea-born Marie Marguerite Rose, we’ll learn about those who lived and died in enslavement…as well as the rise and fall (and rise again) of the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site.
Special thanks to our Consulting Producers: Dr. Karolyn Smardz-Frost and Dr. Afua Cooper of A Black People’s History of Canada Project: https://www.blackpeopleshistory.ca/
Learn More:
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg
Marie Marguerite Rose, National Historic Person: https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=12005
Plan your visit: https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/visit
Google Arts and Culture Exhibit: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/vQVxpt_04-996g
Do you have a suggestion for a new National Historic Person, Site or Event? We’d love to hear it! Visit https://parks.canada.ca/commemorate for details on how to submit a nomination.
A transcript and bibliography for this episode is available on our website: https://parks.canada.ca/recollections
17 Apr 2023
Bill Mason: Wilderness Artist - from Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast
A special episode from our friends at the Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast - Bill Mason: Wilderness Artist.
If you enjoyed our ReCollections episode Grosse-Île: The Quarantine Island, check out their The Shamrock and the Fleur-de-Lys episode to learn more about Irish immigration to Québec.
Bill Mason's films: Pukaskwa National Park and Paddle to the Sea.
Plan a visit to Pukaskwa National Park in Ontario.
Discover Library and Archives Canada podcast is available wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe for lots more stories about the treasures in their collection.
Inside a recent episode
Bar U Ranch: Grass Into Money
Published 5 Feb 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Part 2, cows. Latin name, boastaurus. Probably first domesticated by humans over 10 ,000 years ago from their ancestors, the huge and now extinct orrocks that once roamed the plains of Eurasia. As the tragedy of the bison decline played out, the settler population of the west continued to grow and so did the grass. The ecosystem that co -evolved with bison turned out to be ideal for a profitable new grazer introduced to North America four centuries earlier. Cattle. Here's Coralie Keller, an interpreter at Barrio. All this grass had nobody eating it, so that tell the beast business came about getting into the beast and answer. […]
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