It is the first town when travelling west from Manitoba on the Red Coat Trail, the path taken by the North-West Mounted Police on their March West in 1874, and now modern Highway 13.

The town has a public school, hospital, two banks, and other businesses and services.

Like most towns in the area, its economy is based on farming, oil drilling, and various services.

[4] The town was named after General Sir Redvers Buller in 1897.

Buller was then fighting in the Second Boer War, and had earlier in his career commanded a company to quell the Red River Rebellion.