List of ghost towns in Alberta

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The province of Alberta has several ghost towns that have been completely or partially abandoned.[1] Many of Alberta's ghost towns exist as a result of a number of failed coal mining operations in the area during the early 20th century.

Ghost towns are towns that once had a considerable population, that have since dwindled in numbers causing some or all its business to close, either due to the rerouting of a highway, train tracks being pulled, or exhaustion of some natural resource.

Remains of Flowerdale.
Hotel in Luscar, 1950s
Sun setting on Maybutt
The road into Mountain Park – an early colour photo
Vacant Store Nemiscam
Vacant Store Orion

List of ghost towns[edit]

Ghost town Municipality Location About Peak Year Peak population Population
Alderson Cypress County 50°17′00″N 111°20′00″W / 50.28335°N 111.3333°W / 50.28335; -111.3333 (Alderson)
Alexo Clearwater County 52°28′00″N 115°48′00″W / 52.46667°N 115.7999°W / 52.46667; -115.7999 (Alexo) Former coal mining community
Allerston County of Warner No. 5 49°08′40″N 111°45′51″W / 49.14458°N 111.7642°W / 49.14458; -111.7642 (Allerston)
Allingham Kneehill County 51°42′00″N 113°36′00″W / 51.69999°N 113.5999°W / 51.69999; -113.5999 (Allingham)
Altorado County of Forty Mile No. 8
Amber Valley Athabasca County 54°44′00″N 112°55′00″W / 54.73333°N 112.9166°W / 54.73333; -112.9166 (Altorado)
Anthracite Improvement District No. 9 (Banff National Park) 51°11′57″N 115°30′01″W / 51.19916°N 115.5003°W / 51.19916; -115.5003 (Anthracite)
Ardenode Wheatland County 51°08′49″N 113°25′23″W / 51.14707°N 113.4231°W / 51.14707; -113.4231 (Ardenode)
Ardley Red Deer County 52°16′00″N 113°14′00″W / 52.26668°N 113.2332°W / 52.26668; -113.2332 (Ardley)
Bankhead Improvement District No. 9 (Banff National Park) 51°12′00″N 115°32′00″W / 51.19998°N 115.5333°W / 51.19998; -115.5333 (Bankhead) Former coal mining community 1,000 [2]
Bardo Beaver County 53°18′06″N 112°41′04″W / 53.30172°N 112.6845°W / 53.30172; -112.6845 (Bardo)
Battle Bend Flagstaff County 52°26′03″N 111°26′39″W / 52.43410°N 111.4442°W / 52.43410; -111.4442 (Battle Bend)
Beazer Cardston County 49°06′57″N 113°28′51″W / 49.11575°N 113.4807°W / 49.11575; -113.4807 (Beazer)
Belloy Birch Hills County 55°45′00″N 118°15′00″W / 55.74995°N 118.24997°W / 55.74995; -118.24997 (Belloy)
Bindloss Special Area No. 2 50°52′43″N 110°16′32″W / 50.87872°N 110.2756°W / 50.87872; -110.2756 (Bindloss)
Bingham County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°28′48″N 111°16′34″W / 49.48000°N 111.27611°W / 49.48000; -111.27611 (Bingham)
Bone Point
Buffalo Special Area No. 2 50°48′00″N 110°40′00″W / 50.80001°N 110.6666°W / 50.80001; -110.6666 (Buffalo)
Bulwark County of Paintearth No. 18 52°15′00″N 111°35′00″W / 52.24999°N 111.5833°W / 52.24999; -111.5833 (Bulwark)
Butte Clearwater County 52°11′00″N 114°44′00″W / 52.18334°N 114.7333°W / 52.18334; -114.7333 (Butte)
Coalspur Yellowhead County 53°11′00″N 117°01′02″W / 53.18340°N 117.0171°W / 53.18340; -117.0171 (Coalspur)
Commerce Lethbridge County 49°55′01″N 112°56′21″W / 49.91691°N 112.9393°W / 49.91691; -112.9393 (Commerce) 1921 360 [3]
Conquerville County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°40′10″N 111°13′25″W / 49.66955°N 111.2237°W / 49.66955; -111.2237 (Conquerville)
Conrad County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°31′00″N 111°58′00″W / 49.51667°N 111.9666°W / 49.51667; -111.9666 (Conrad)
Del Bonita Cardston County 49°01′46″N 112°47′21″W / 49.02945°N 112.7892°W / 49.02945; -112.7892 (Del Bonita)
Dorothy Starland County 51°18′00″N 112°19′00″W / 51.30002°N 112.3166°W / 51.30002; -112.3166 (Dorothy)
East Coulee Town of Drumheller 51°20′11″N 112°29′22″W / 51.33632°N 112.4894°W / 51.33632; -112.4894 (East Coulee) 177 [4]
Embarras Landing Yellowhead County 53°18′00″N 116°54′00″W / 53.30000°N 116.9000°W / 53.30000; -116.9000 (Embarras Landing)
Evarts Red Deer County 52°15′38″N 114°16′18″W / 52.260556°N 114.271667°W / 52.260556; -114.271667 (Evarts) 1915[5] 22[5]
Flowerdale[6] Special Area No. 2 51°21′57″N 111°33′54″W / 51.3658055°N 111.5651312°W / 51.3658055; -111.5651312 (Frankburg) The settlement was abandoned in the early 1920s and destroyed by a prairie fire soon after.[7] Flowerdale had a post office, Flowerdale Holdings, a general store, a schoolhouse and many other businesses.[7]
Frankburg[8] Municipal District of Foothills No. 31 50°31′44″N 113°38′39″W / 50.52880°N 113.6442°W / 50.52880; -113.6442 (Frankburg)
Georgetown Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 51°06′28″N 115°23′38″W / 51.10774°N 115.39393°W / 51.10774; -115.39393 (Georgetown)
Harrisville[9] Cardston County
Judson Cardston County 49°32′00″N 112°21′00″W / 49.53332°N 112.3499°W / 49.53332; -112.3499 (Judson)
Kimball Cardston County 49°05′00″N 113°12′00″W / 49.08335°N 113.1999°W / 49.08335; -113.1999 (Kimball)
Kovach Kananaskis Improvement District 50°56′00″N 115°12′00″W / 50.93335°N 115.1999°W / 50.93335; -115.1999 (Kovach)
Legend County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°28′55″N 111°35′51″W / 49.48208°N 111.5975°W / 49.48208; -111.5975 (Legend)
Lille Municipality of Crowsnest Pass 49°39′05″N 114°23′52″W / 49.65137°N 114.3977°W / 49.65137; -114.3977 (Lille)
Luscar Yellowhead County 53°04′06″N 117°24′01″W / 53.06821°N 117.4003°W / 53.06821; -117.4003 (Luscar) Former coal mining community
Maybutt County of Warner No. 5 49°31′04″N 112°31′42″W / 49.51788°N 112.5282°W / 49.51788; -112.5282 (Maybutt)
Mercoal Yellowhead County 53°10′00″N 117°05′00″W / 53.16666°N 117.0833°W / 53.16666; -117.0833 (Mercoal) Former coal mining community
Mintlaw Red Deer County 52°13′18″N 113°54′52″W / 52.22179°N 113.9144°W / 52.22179; -113.9144 (Mintlaw)
Mitford Rocky View County 51°12′44″N 114°33′03″W / 51.21212°N 114.5508°W / 51.21212; -114.5508 (Mitford)
Mountain Park Yellowhead County 52°55′00″N 117°16′00″W / 52.91668°N 117.2666°W / 52.91668; -117.2666 (Mountain Park) Former coal mining community
Nordegg Clearwater County 52°28′05″N 116°04′53″W / 52.46800°N 116.0814°W / 52.46800; -116.0814 (Nordegg) Former coal mining community/National Historic Site
Pakowki County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°27′57″N 110°56′52″W / 49.46594°N 110.9477°W / 49.46594; -110.9477 (Pakowki)
Port Cornwall Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124 55°10′01″N 114°03′30″W / 55.166944°N 114.058333°W / 55.166944; -114.058333 (Port Cornwall) 1913[10] 200[10]
Pendant d'Oreille County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°12′10″N 110°52′00″W / 49.20273°N 110.8666°W / 49.20273; -110.8666 (Pendant d'Oreille)
Raley Cardston County 49°17′26″N 113°10′56″W / 49.29059°N 113.1821°W / 49.29059; -113.1821 (Raley)
Retlaw Municipal District of Taber 50°04′00″N 112°16′00″W / 50.06667°N 112.2666°W / 50.06667; -112.2666 (Retlaw)
Rowley Starland County 51°45′55″N 112°47′17″W / 51.76530°N 112.7880°W / 51.76530; -112.7880 (Rowley)
Taylorville Cardston County 49°02′00″N 113°07′00″W / 49.03331°N 113.1166°W / 49.03331; -113.1166 (Taylorville)
Tollerton Yellowhead County 53°32′09″N 116°28′10″W / 53.535833°N 116.469444°W / 53.535833; -116.469444 (Tollerton) 1916[11] 180[11]
Travers Vulcan County 50°15′07″N 112°32′51″W / 50.25198°N 112.5476°W / 50.25198; -112.5476 (Travers)
Twin River Cardston County
Wardlow Special Area No. 2 50°54′23″N 111°33′03″W / 50.90644°N 111.5509°W / 50.90644; -111.5509 (Wardlow)
Whiskey Gap Cardston County 49°01′57″N 113°01′59″W / 49.03250°N 113.0331°W / 49.03250; -113.0331 (Whiskey Gap)
Whitford Lamont County 53°52′00″N 112°13′00″W / 53.86665°N 112.2166°W / 53.86665; -112.2166 (Whitford)
Whitla County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°52′00″N 111°03′00″W / 49.86669°N 111.0499°W / 49.86669; -111.0499 (Whitla)
Wimborne Kneehill County 51°51′55″N 113°35′39″W / 51.86525°N 113.5941°W / 51.86525; -113.5941 (Wimborne)
Windfall Woodlands County 54°11′14″N 116°13′10″W / 54.1872°N 116.2194°W / 54.1872; -116.2194 (Windfall) Former gas plant community founded by Canadian Fina Oil Ltd.[12] 1961 [13] 101 [13]
Winnifred County of Forty Mile No. 8 49°54′00″N 111°12′00″W / 49.89999°N 111.1999°W / 49.89999; -111.1999 (Winnifred)
Woolford Cardston County 49°11′00″N 113°08′00″W / 49.18334°N 113.1333°W / 49.18334; -113.1333 (Woolford)
Wostok Lamont County 53°51′00″N 112°28′00″W / 53.85000°N 112.4666°W / 53.85000; -112.4666 (Wostok)

See also[edit]

AB
NB
PE
Canadian Provinces and Territories
Ghost towns in Canada by province or territory

References[edit]

  1. ^ Ghost towns in Canada. "Alberta Ghost Towns". Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2007. 
  2. ^ Crag & Canyon 24 June 1922 / Mine Closed Permanently
  3. ^ Census of Canada, 1921. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1921. 
  4. ^ Statistics Canada (2007). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2006 and 2001 censuses". Retrieved 11 October 2010. 
  5. ^ a b "Population Data 1915" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1915. Retrieved 6 July 2011. 
  6. ^ Roads to Rose Lynn: Rose Lynn Book Club (1978). Roads to Rose Lynn. 
  7. ^ a b Roads to Rose Lynn: Rose Lynn Book Club (1978). Roads to Rose Lynn. p. 445. 
  8. ^ Fencelines and Furrows History Book Society (1971). Fencelines and Furrows. p. 35. 
  9. ^ Shaw, Keith (1978). Chief mountain country : a history of Cardston and district. Volume I. Cardston, Alberta: Cardston and District Historical Society. p. 63. ISBN 0-919213-89-8. 
  10. ^ a b "Population Data 1913" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1913. Retrieved 6 July 2011. 
  11. ^ a b "Population Data 1916" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1916. Retrieved 6 July 2011. 
  12. ^ Whitecourt Web (which summarized from Sagitawah Saga by Doreen Olecko, along with other source works). "Oil & Gas – 1950 to 1960s". Retrieved 10 October 2010. 
  13. ^ a b 1961 Census of Canada, Series SP, Population – Unincorporated Villages, Bulletin SP–4. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1961. 

External links[edit]