In 1883, Sam Scarlett, set up a Stopping House at one of the prominent rock formations along the Rosebud River. "Scarlett's" became an important and popular stop along the Calgary Edmonton Trail - frequented by freighters, the NWMP, military and the various stage coach lines.

When the Calgary & Edmonton Railway arrived in 1890, the surveyors made an allotment for a siding, station house, and townsite to be built in relative proximity to Scarlett's Stopping House. However, to avoid crossing the Rosebud River at that point, the rail line was laid approximately 4 km west of Scarlett's.

The town was named after a town in Scotland. The Post Office opened on September 1, 1900.

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---------- Carstairs Today ----------