Before European settlement, the Red Deer area was inhabited by Aboriginal tribes and later by Métis people and fur traders. The area was a good hunting area for buffalo, deer, moose and elk. The area also had plenty of beaver and other fur-bearing animals used for warm clothing and later for trading with Europeans.
The name Red Deer comes from the name of the river that flows through the area. The Red Deer River takes its name from the Aboriginal name “Waskasoo Seepee” meaning "elk river" in the Cree Aboriginal language. The name of the river was applied to the growing settlement. Red Deer was an important river-crossing point on the journey between Edmonton and Calgary. As is the case today, the economy of Red Deer is strongly linked to the commerce between Edmonton and Calgary.