Stettler was founded in 1905 and was named after Swiss immigrant Carl Stettler, who also founded a settlement east of the town at Blumenau, as well as being influential in the nearby community of Castor. He also served on the first Town Council of Stettler.
Demographics
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Stettler recorded a population of 5,952 living in 2,415 of its 2,607 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 5,748. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016. In the 2011 Census, the Town of Stettler had a population of 5,748 living in 2,350 of its 2,536 total dwellings, a 5.6% change from its 2006 adjusted population of 5,445. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011. The population of the Town of Stettler according to its 2008 municipal census is 5,843. The median household income in 2005 for Stettler was $56,201, which is below the Alberta provincial average of $63,988.
Government
The following people have served as mayor of Stettler.
As of 2019, The High school is known as the William E. Hay Stettler Secondary Campus and contains grades 7-12 with the town's Performing Arts Center, two gymnasiums and three dedicated welding, construction and mechanic shops. The Elementary school now runs K-6 and heavily stresses the 7 Habits program. The schools are set on a large field containing playgrounds, soccer nets, a football, and the track and field facilitates built for the Summer Games when Stettler hosted them.
Attractions
Stettler is also home to Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, a popular attraction delivering rail tours on a line running from Stettler to Big Valley, a, one-hour trip. In addition, Stettler has a historic Parrish & Heimbeckergrain elevator overlooking the railway tracks. One of the last elevators in Alberta and the only survivor of the three elevators that previously operated in Stettler. It operates as a museum and also houses a 1887 Heeber and Son's Little Giant threshing machine, a 1912 International Harvesterhit-and-miss engine called the Beast and a 1940s Ford tractor called Mickey Mouse. All run and in 2016 the Little Giant traveled to Winnipeg and joined more than 150 other threshing machines that claimed a Guinness World Records record for the . The Little Giant had the distinction of being the oldest one there and possibly may be one of the oldest still working threshing machines. There is also a county museum featuring the original town train station which was moved and other historic buildings.
