Drumheller/drʌmˈhɛlər/ is a town on the Red Deer River in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located 110 kilometres (68 mi) northeast of Calgary and 97 kilometres (60 mi) south of Stettler. The Drumheller portion of the Red Deer River valley, often referred to as Dinosaur Valley, has an approximate width of 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and an approximate length of 28 kilometres (17 mi).
Drumheller was named after Samuel Drumheller, who, after purchasing the homestead of Thomas Patrick Greentree, had it surveyed into the original Drumheller townsite and put lots on the market in 1911. Also in 1911, Samuel Drumheller started coal mining operations near the townsite.[7]
Drumheller got a railway station in 1912.[8] It was then incorporated as a village on May 15, 1913, a town on March 2, 1916, and a city on April 3, 1930.[9] Over a 15-year period, Drumheller's population increased 857% from 312 in 1916[10] to 2,987 in 1931[11] shortly after becoming a city.
Drumheller boomed until the end of the Second World War when coal lost most of its value.[7]
The City of Drumheller amalgamated with the Municipal District of Badlands No. 7 on January 1, 1998, to form the current Town of Drumheller.[12] Some of the reasons the two municipalities amalgamated included Badlands No. 7 having more in common with Drumheller than other surrounding rural municipalities and both were experiencing similar planning and development issues due to their locations within the Red Deer River valley.[13] The amalgamated municipality opted for town status rather than city status so that highways within would remain the responsibility of the Province of Alberta.[14] As a result of the amalgamation, Drumheller became Alberta's largest town in terms of land area at 107.93 square kilometres (41.67 sq mi).[15]
The 1998 amalgamation resulted in Drumheller absorbing six hamlets that were previously under the jurisdiction of the Municipal District of Badlands No. 7—Cambria, East Coulee, Lehigh, Nacmine, Rosedale and Wayne.[13] Drumheller also previously absorbed the hamlets of Bankview, Midlandvale (Midland), Newcastle and North Drumheller during annexations while under city status.[13] Bankview and Midland were annexed in 1964 and 1972 respectively, while Newcastle and North Drumheller were both annexed in 1967.[13] Other localities within Drumheller, either absorbed through past annexations or its eventual amalgamation with Badlands No. 7, include Aerial, Eladesor, Kneehill, Rosedale Station, Western Monarch (Atlas)[16] and Willow Creek.[17]
In total, Drumheller has absorbed at least 13 other communities in its history, some of which are now recognized as neighbourhoods or districts within the town.[18]
Geography
Climate
Drumheller experiences a semi-arid climate (BSk) with very cold winters and hot summers. The highest temperature ever recorded in Drumheller was 40.6 °C (105 °F) on July 18, 1941.[19] The coldest temperature ever recorded was −43.9 °C (−47 °F) on January 29, 1996.[20]
Climate data for Drumheller, 1981−2010 normals, extremes 1923−present
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Drumheller had a population of 7,909 living in 3,198 of its 3,557 total private dwellings, a change of -0.9% from its 2016 population of 7,982. With a land area of 107.56 km2 (41.53 sq mi), it had a population density of 73.5/km2 (190.4/sq mi) in 2021.[4]
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Drumheller recorded a population of 7,982 living in 3,164 of its 3,471 total private dwellings, a -0.6% change from its 2011 population of 8,029. With a land area of 108.03 km2 (41.71 sq mi), it had a population density of 73.9/km2 (191.4/sq mi) in 2016.[35]
Economy
Drumheller was once the largest coal producing city in Western Canada, with the Atlas Coal Mine. Now, coal mining has been replaced by natural gas and oil. Drumheller has Alberta's second largest natural gas field, the West Drumheller Field. However, Drumheller is planning to transition away from fossil fuels and emphasize renewable energy sources, such as wind power, in its economy.[36]
Currently, tourism is Drumheller's main industry. A federal prison and regional medical complex also contribute to the economy. Agriculture is also quite important.[37]
South of the traffic bridge over the Red Deer river on Highway 9 is the World's Largest Dinosaur, a 26.2-metre (86 ft) high fiberglass Tyrannosaurus rex that can be entered for a view of the Badlands, including the adjacent 23 metre (75 ft) water fountain, again one of the largest in Canada.[38] Tourist attractions also include the Star Mine Suspension Bridge, Atlas Coal Mine, Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Horseshoe Canyon, Rotary Spray Park,[39] Aquaplex (with indoor and outdoor pools), Horse Thief Canyon, hoodoos, Midland Provincial Park, the Rosedeer Hotel in Wayne, 27 kilometres (17 mi) of constructed pathways, Bleriot Ferry, East Coulee School Museum, the Homestead Museum and the Little Church, which is capable of seating only six patrons.[40]
Next to the now closed Drumheller ski hill is the Canadian Badlands Passion Play site, where, for two weeks each July, performances are held. The Badlands Amphitheatre began hosting the Passion Play in 1991.[41] Companies are composed of actors from all over Alberta. The site also offers small plays throughout the summer and an interpretive centre.[42]
Drumheller was also home to the Valley Doll Museum and Gifts, where it displayed over 700 dolls.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is a museum that hosts Canada's largest collection of dinosaur fossils. It boasts 500,000 visitors a year, the largest of all provincial museum attractions. It opened on September 25, 1985. The museum is located in the northwest quadrant of the Town of Drumheller, in Midland Provincial Park and is operated by the Government of Alberta under the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women.
Media
Digital
DrumhellerOnline.com is Drumheller's local news portal.
Newspapers covering Drumheller include the weekly Drumheller Mail, which has been publishing every Wednesday since 1911 and has been owned by the Sheddy family since 1954.
Television
All stations are analogue relays of stations from Calgary.
^"Table I: Population of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta by Districts, Townships, Cities, Towns, and Incorporated Villages in 1916, 1911, 1906, and 1901". Census of Prairie Provinces, 1916. Vol. Population and Agriculture. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1918. pp. 77–140.
^"Table 12: Population of Canada by provinces, counties or census divisions and subdivisions, 1871-1931". Census of Canada, 1931. Ottawa: Government of Canada. 1932. pp. 98–102.
^"Table 5: Population of urban centres, 1916-1946, with guide to locations". 1946 Census of Alberta(PDF). Vol. Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 22 August 1949. pp. 397–400. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
^"Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1901–1961". 1961 Census of Canada. Series 1.1: Historical, 1901–1961. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 8 March 1963. p. 6.77–6.83. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
^"Table 10: Population of incorporated cities, towns and villages, 1966 and 1961, with guide to locations". 1961 Census of Canada. Vol. Population: Incorporated Cities, Towns and Villages. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. October 1967. pp. 10–1 to 10–32. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
^"Table 2: Area and Density of Population, for Census Subdivisions Population by census subdivisions, 1971 (Alberta)". 1971 Census of Canada. Special Bulletin: Geography. Vol. Land Areas and Densities of Statistical Units. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. June 1973. pp. 2–41 to 2–44. Retrieved 24 October 2021.[permanent dead link]
^Population: Geographic Distributions – Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Statistics Canada. June 1977. pp. 3–41.
