Highway 25 north of Lethbridge is mostly known for one thing: cows. This is heart of “Feedlot Alley“, the highest concentration of intensive farming operations in Alberta, which produces over half of the beef consumed in Canada. While industrial farms dominate the landscape today, the area’s roots are deep underground, in the rich coal seams that run along the Oldman River. Underneath silage pits, cattle pens, and pivot tracks lie a rich heritage of boom towns, ghost towns, and a pioneer history dating back over century.

 

A smoky shot of the C.P.R. Station at Diamond City. As you may have guessed, Diamond City derives its name from mining, albeit coal not diamonds. The present townsite overlooking the Oldman River Valley, just to the northwest of Lethbridge, was developed to serve the growing numbers of people who had come to work in the mines and haul the “black diamonds” from deep within the ground. In operation for over 20 years, the Diamond City mine closed in 1927, although its economic fortunes were bolstered for several years after with the growth of irrigation. As for the station, it is a private residence, moved to its present location from High River to be renovated and restored. Sources: Coyote Flats : historical review, 1905-1965. Volume 1, @thelostcanuck on Flickr #FABTrip17 #explorealberta @southwestalberta @canadianbadlands @travelalberta

A post shared by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Sep 10, 2017 at 8:42pm PDT

 

In late 1910, the first shaft was sunk in what would become the Chinook Coal Mine, northwest of Lethbridge. In quick fashion, a community grew up around the mine, incorporating as the village of Coalgate in 1912. A post office was established in 1913, and for some reason was named “Commerce”, causing all sorts of confusion. With the post office having put its stamp on the community, the village soon changed its name to Commerce, which by the end of 1913 was nearing a population of 300. Increased wartime coal demand continued to boost the village’s prospects, and by the end of 1914, over 400 people lived in Commerce, most of them miners living in company accommodations. A private railway spur line was extended from Kipp, along the Canadian Pacific line west of Lethbridge, to the Chinook Mine; and an Ellison grain elevator was established trackside in 1915-16. At its peak, the community boasted a modest commerce sector, including a general store, grocer and pool hall, boarding house, and hardware store. As is the story of so many mining towns, the prosperity wouldn’t last. According to “The History of Diamond City and Commerce”, the mine closed in 1924, and its various parts were poached for use in other mines throughout the area. The spur line shut down, and the elevator moved to Diamond City shortly after, using a technique called the “Deadman Pully”. As for Commerce, it was a dead village walking. As tax revenue dried up, and being unable to meet its debt obligations, the village disintegrated, and was disorganized by provincial Order in Council in February 1930. #mybadlands #explorealberta #albertahistory #forgottenalberta #alberta #canada @southwestalberta

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The Turin district was named after a prolific Percheron stud horse, imported in the early years by eight area farmers, shareholders in the Coyote Flats Percheron Horse Co. As T.C. Noble wrote in the history of Coyote Flats, the citizens of Turin weren’t horsing around when they chose this strapping stallion to be their community’s namesake: “The raising of good draft horses proved to be a very profitable venture for those who had good range and the knowledge and patience to train horses for farm work. The Percheron was the most popular breed. Good stallions such as the one called “Turin” and from which the Turin district was named were purchased and did much to improve the local work horses of the district. The horse must certainly be recognized and given rightful prestige in the developing of our country.” @southwestalberta @canadianbadlands #fabtrip17 #forgottenalberta #albertahistory #alberta #canada

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“Gone are the days of the peddlar with his trinkets, the Manitoba scoop, the John Deere wagon and the Bennett buggy, while the coal oil lamp, the kitchen range and the coal hod have disappeared from the household. The one room school has disappeared from the landscape. Automation and centralization are in evidence everywhere. The modern home on the tree-bordered farm is a far cry from the sod shack of the pioneer.” – Marie Sorgard, Coyote Flats: historical review 1905-1965 #turin #albertahistory #alberta #canada @southwestalberta @canadianbadlands @travelalberta #explorealberta #fabtrip17

A post shared by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Sep 12, 2017 at 7:13pm PDT

 

Smoky solitude along the banks of the Little Bow, south of Turin, Alberta. #forgottenalberta #alberta #canada @southwestalberta @canadianbadlands #explorealberta #fabtrip17

A post shared by Jonathan Koch (@forgotten_alberta) on Sep 13, 2017 at 3:23pm PDT