List of ghost towns in Alberta

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 communities 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 in the 1950s

Sun setting on Maybutt

The road into Mountain Park

Vacant store in Nemiscam

Vacant store in Orion

Grain elevator in Skiff

List of ghost towns

Ghost town	Municipality	Location	About	Peak population (year)	Latest population (year)
Alderson	Cypress County	50.283°N 111.333°W / 50.283; -111.333 (Alderson)		161 (1911)[2]
Alexo	Clearwater County	52.475°N 115.783°W / 52.475; -115.783 (Alexo)	Former coal mining community[3]	113 (1951)[4]
Allerston	County of Warner No. 5	49.145°N 111.764°W / 49.145; -111.764 (Allerston)
Allingham	Kneehill County	51.700°N 113.600°W / 51.700; -113.600 (Allingham)
Ardley	Red Deer County[5]	52.261°N 113.228°W / 52.261; -113.228 (Ardley)			17 (1991)[6]
Altorado	County of Forty Mile No. 8
Amber Valley	Athabasca County	54.733°N 112.917°W / 54.733; -112.917 (Altorado)
Ansell	Yellowhead County	53.557°N 116.525°W / 53.557; -116.525 (Ansell)		272 (1951)
Anthracite	Improvement District No. 9 (Banff National Park)	51.199°N 115.500°W / 51.199; -115.500 (Anthracite)		25 (1911)[7]
Ardenode	Wheatland County	51.147°N 113.423°W / 51.147; -113.423 (Ardenode)			0 (2016)[8]
Bankhead	Improvement District No. 9 (Banff National Park)	51.200°N 115.533°W / 51.200; -115.533 (Bankhead)	Former coal mining community	694 (1911)[7]
Bardo	Beaver County	53.302°N 112.685°W / 53.302; -112.685 (Bardo)
Battle Bend	Flagstaff County	52.434°N 111.444°W / 52.434; -111.444 (Battle Bend)
Beazer	Cardston County	49.116°N 113.481°W / 49.116; -113.481 (Beazer)			11 (2008)[9]
Belloy	Birch Hills County	55.750°N 118.250°W / 55.750; -118.250 (Belloy)
Bickerdike	Yellowhead County	53.544°N 116.642°W / 53.544; -116.642 (Bickerdike)	Post office closed in 1956	150 (1911)
Bindloss	Special Area No. 2	50.879°N 110.276°W / 50.879; -110.276 (Bindloss)			14 (1991)[6]
Bingham	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.480°N 111.276°W / 49.480; -111.276 (Bingham)
Bliss	Yellowhead County	53.032°N 117.327°W / 53.032; -117.327		652 (1956)[10]
Bow City	Vulcan County	50.425°N 112.273°W / 50.425; -112.273	http://www.ghosttowns.com/canada/alberta/bowcity.htm
Brush Hill	County of Minburn No. 27	53.5707167°N 111.9601167°W / 53.5707167; -111.9601167
Buffalo	Special Area No. 2	50.800°N 110.667°W / 50.800; -110.667 (Buffalo)
Bulwark	County of Paintearth No. 18	52.250°N 111.583°W / 52.250; -111.583 (Bulwark)
Butte	Clearwater County	52.183°N 114.733°W / 52.183; -114.733 (Butte)
Cadomin	Yellowhead County	53.032°N 117.327°W / 53.032; -117.327 (Cadomin)		1,053 (1941)[4]	40 (2016)[8]
Cambria	Town of Drumheller	51.396°N 112.593°W / 51.396; -112.593 (Cambria)		239 (1951)[4]
Chisholm Mills	Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124	54.910°N 114.170°W / 54.910; -114.170 (Chisholm Mills)		323 (1941)[4]	25 (2016)[8]
Coal Valley	Yellowhead County	53.083°N 116.800°W / 53.083; -116.800 (Coal Valley)		194 (1951)[4]
Coalspur	Yellowhead County	53.183°N 117.017°W / 53.183; -117.017 (Coalspur)		133 (1951)[4]
Commerce	Lethbridge County	49.917°N 112.939°W / 49.917; -112.939 (Commerce)		360 (1921)[2]
Conquerville	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.670°N 111.224°W / 49.670; -111.224 (Conquerville)
Conrad	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.517°N 111.967°W / 49.517; -111.967 (Conrad)
Del Bonita	Cardston County	49.029°N 112.789°W / 49.029; -112.789 (Del Bonita)			8 (2008)[9]
Dorothy	Special Area No. 2	51.300°N 112.317°W / 51.300; -112.317 (Dorothy)			14 (1991)[6]
East Coulee	Town of Drumheller	51.336°N 112.489°W / 51.336; -112.489 (East Coulee)		1,831 (1941)[4]	148 (2016)[8]
Embarras Landing	Yellowhead County	53.300°N 116.900°W / 53.300; -116.900 (Embarras Landing)
Evarts	Red Deer County	52.261°N 114.272°W / 52.261; -114.272 (Evarts)		25 (1911)[2]
Faith	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.2752°N 111.2152°W / 49.2752; -111.2152 (Faith)
Flowerdale[11]	Special Area No. 2	51.366°N 111.565°W / 51.366; -111.565 (Flowerdale)	The settlement was abandoned in the early 1920s and destroyed by a prairie fire soon after.[12] Flowerdale had a post office, Flowerdale Holdings, a general store, a schoolhouse and many other businesses.[12]
Foothills	Yellowhead County			224 (1956)[10]
Frank	Municipality of Crowsnest Pass	49.600°N 114.405°W / 49.600; -114.405 (Frank)		1,178 (1906)[13]	85 (2016)[8]
Frankburg[14]	Municipal District of Foothills No. 31	50.529°N 113.644°W / 50.529; -113.644 (Frankburg)
Georgetown	Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8	51.108°N 115.394°W / 51.108; -115.394 (Georgetown)
Harrisville[15]	Cardston County	49.159°N 113.641°W / 49.159; -113.641 (Harrisville)
Judson	Cardston County	49.533°N 112.350°W / 49.533; -112.350 (Judson)
Kimball	Cardston County	49.083°N 113.200°W / 49.083; -113.200 (Kimball)			26 (2008)[9]
Kovach	Kananaskis Improvement District	50.933°N 115.200°W / 50.933; -115.200 (Kovach)
Legend	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.482°N 111.598°W / 49.482; -111.598 (Legend)
Lehigh	Town of Drumheller	51.354°N 112.514°W / 51.354; -112.514 (Lehigh)		133 (1941)[4]
Lille	Municipal District of Ranchland No. 66	49.651°N 114.398°W / 49.651; -114.398 (Lille)		413[2] (1906)[2]
Luscar	Yellowhead County	53.068°N 117.400°W / 53.068; -117.400 (Luscar)	Former coal mining community	620 (1941)[4]
Mannix	Brazeau County			369 (1961)[2]
Maybutt	County of Warner No. 5	49.518°N 112.528°W / 49.518; -112.528 (Maybutt)
Mercoal	Yellowhead County	53.167°N 117.083°W / 53.167; -117.083 (Mercoal)	Former coal mining community	977 (1951)[4]
Mintlaw	Red Deer County	52.222°N 113.914°W / 52.222; -113.914 (Mintlaw)
Mitford	Rocky View County	51.212°N 114.551°W / 51.212; -114.551 (Mitford)
Mountain Park	Yellowhead County	52.917°N 117.267°W / 52.917; -117.267 (Mountain Park)	Former coal mining community
Nordegg	Clearwater County	52.468°N 116.081°W / 52.468; -116.081 (Nordegg)	Former coal mining community/National Historic Site	875 (1951)[4]	53 (1986)[16]
Pakowki	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.466°N 110.948°W / 49.466; -110.948 (Pakowki)
Passburg	Municipality of Crowsnest Pass	49.557°N 114.340°W / 49.557; -114.340 (Passburg)		305 (1911)[7]
Port Cornwall	Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124	55.167°N 114.058°W / 55.167; -114.058 (Port Cornwall)		200 (1913)[17]
Pendant d'Oreille	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.203°N 110.867°W / 49.203; -110.867 (Pendant d'Oreille)
Queenstown	Vulcan County	50.638°N 112.938°W / 50.638; -112.938 (Queenstown)		666 (1911)[7]	8 (2007)[9]
Raley	Cardston County	49.291°N 113.182°W / 49.291; -113.182 (Raley)
Retlaw	Municipal District of Taber	50.067°N 112.267°W / 50.067; -112.267 (Retlaw)		154 (1921)[2]
Rowley	Starland County	51.765°N 112.788°W / 51.765; -112.788 (Rowley)		76 (1951)[4]	8 (2013)[18]
Royalties	Foothills County	50.555°N 114.231°W / 50.555; -114.231 (Royalties)		824 (1941)[4]
St. Michael	Lamont County	52.832°N 112.629°W / 52.832; -112.629 (St. Michael)		342 (1951)[4]	39 (1991)[6]
Seebe	Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8	51.096°N 115.0648°W / 51.096; -115.0648 (Seebe)		147 (1951)[4]	0 (2016)[8]
Sterco	Yellowhead County	53.100°N 116.828°W / 53.100; -116.828 (Sterco)		224 (1941)[4]
Taylorville	Cardston County	49.033°N 113.117°W / 49.033; -113.117 (Taylorville)
Tollerton	Yellowhead County	53.536°N 116.469°W / 53.536; -116.469 (Tollerton)		180 (1916)[19]
Travers	Vulcan County	50.252°N 112.548°W / 50.252; -112.548 (Travers)			0 (2007)[9]
Twin River	Cardston County
Violet Grove	Brazeau County	53.163°N 115.038°W / 53.163; -115.038 (Violet Grove)		712 (1956)[10]	141 (2005)[20]
Wardlow	Special Area No. 2	50.906°N 111.551°W / 50.906; -111.551 (Wardlow)			28 (1991)[6]
Wayne	Town of Drumheller	51.382°N 112.660°W / 51.382; -112.660 (Wayne)		601 (1941)[4]
Whiskey Gap	Cardston County	49.033°N 113.033°W / 49.033; -113.033 (Whiskey Gap)
Whitford	Lamont County	53.867°N 112.217°W / 53.867; -112.217 (Whitford)			6 (1981)[21]
Whitla	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.867°N 111.050°W / 49.867; -111.050 (Whitla)
Wimborne	Kneehill County	51.865°N 113.594°W / 51.865; -113.594 (Wimborne)		90 (1951)[4]	20 (2016)[8]
Windfall	Woodlands County	54.187°N 116.219°W / 54.187; -116.219 (Windfall)	Former gas plant community founded by Canadian Fina Oil Ltd.[22]	101 (1961)[2]
Winnifred	County of Forty Mile No. 8	49.900°N 111.200°W / 49.900; -111.200 (Winnifred)		80 (1941)[4]
Woolford	Cardston County	49.183°N 113.133°W / 49.183; -113.133 (Woolford)			13 (1986)[16]
Wostok	Lamont County	53.850°N 112.467°W / 53.850; -112.467 (Wostok)			15 (1991)[6]
Yates	Yellowhead County	53.032°N 117.327°W / 53.032; -117.327 (Yates)		301 (1951)[4]

See also

BC

AB

SK

MB

ON

QC

NB

PE

NS

NL

YT

NT

NU

Ghost towns in Canada by province or territory

• List of census divisions of Alberta
• List of communities in Alberta
• List of ghost towns in Canada
• List of hamlets in Alberta
• List of Indian reserves in Alberta
• List of localities in Alberta
• List of municipal districts in Alberta
• List of municipalities in Alberta
• List of towns in Alberta
• List of villages in Alberta

References

1. Ghost towns in Canada. "Alberta Ghost Towns". Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2007.
2. 1961 Census of Canada, Series SP, Population – Unincorporated Villages, Bulletin SP–4. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1961.
3. Morgan, O. 1948. Bighorn and Saunders. Western Miner, vol. 21, no. 8, p. 96.
4. Ninth Census of Canada, 1951 (PDF). Vol. SP-7 (Population: Unincorporated villages and hamlets). Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 31 March 1954. pp. 55–57. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
5. "Fantastic Mrs. Fox". TALES OF BASEBALL. 28 July 2017.
6. "91 Census: Unincorporated Places – Population and Dwelling Counts" (PDF). Statistics Canada. June 1993. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
7. Fifth Census of Canada, 1911. Dominion Bureau of Statistics.
8. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
9. "Alberta Population Summary: Alberta's Hamlets Alphabetically, 2010" (PDF). Alberta Population. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
10. Census of Canada, 1956 (PDF). Vol. Population of unincorporated villages and settlements. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 25 October 1957. pp. 56–59. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
11. Roads to Rose Lynn: Rose Lynn Book Club (1978). Roads to Rose Lynn.
12. Roads to Rose Lynn: Rose Lynn Book Club (1978). Roads to Rose Lynn. p. 445.
13. "Table 1: Population by sexes in 1906 and 1901". 1906 Census: Northwest Provinces (Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta) (PDF). Vol. I: Population of 1906 Compared with 1901. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1907. pp. 55–78. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
14. Fencelines and Furrows History Book Society (1971). Fencelines and Furrows. p. 35. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
15. 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. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
16. "Census Canada 1986: Population – Unincorporated Places (Population and Dwelling Counts – Canada)" (PDF). Statistics Canada. July 1988. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
17. "Population Data 1913" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1913. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
18. "Past Census Trackers: 2013 Municipal Censuses". Alberta Population. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
19. "Population Data 1916" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1916. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
20. "Regular Council Meeting". Brazeau County. 30 August 2005. p. 47 (PDF page 70). Retrieved 25 September 2021.
21. "1981 Census of Canada: Place Name Reference List – Western Provinces and the Territories" (PDF). Statistics Canada. May 1983. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
22. Whitecourt Web (which summarized from Sagitawah Saga by Doreen Olecko, along with other source works). "Oil & Gas – 1950 to 1960s". Retrieved 10 October 2010.

External links

• Alberta ghost towns
• Canadian geographical names database