The area was originally part of the Hudson's Bay Company reserve and was settled by employees of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway.

[6] As described below, Calder was originally an independent village incorporated under the name of West Edmonton that was developed to house the workforce at the railway's roundhouse, repair shop and shunt yards.

[11] Comprising one quarter section, it was incorporated as the Village of West Edmonton on July 6, 1910.

[13] The former village was at the northeast corner of 127 Street and 127 Avenue[11] just north of the Hudson's Bay Company reserve lands.

The Hudson's Bay Company, "hoping to benefit from rising real estate prices in pre World War I Edmonton, delayed the sale and development of about 1,600 acres (6 km2) of its reserve lands.

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway located its roundhouse, repair shops and shunting yard near the site of the community.