Passburg
Police Flats | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 49°33′25″N 114°20′24″W / 49.557°N 114.340°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Alberta |
Specialized municipality | Crowsnest Pass |
Government | |
• Type | Unincorporated |
• Governing body | Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Council |
Time zone | UTC−7 ( MST) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC−6 ( MDT) |
Passburg is a ghost town in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southern Alberta, Canada that was formerly a coal mining community. It is on Highway 3 (the Crowsnest Highway) approximately 130 km (81 mi) west of Lethbridge and 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Bellevue.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1911 | 305 | — |
Source: Statistics Canada [1] |
In the 1880s, the Passburg area was originally a haven for cattle rustlers and their stolen stock destined for the United States due to availability of grass, multiple water sources, and shelter. [2] In response, the North-West Mounted Police established a post in the area, [2] which then became known as Police Flats. [3]
William Hamilton founded the Leitch Collieries Ltd. Coal Company, also known as the Leitch Collieries Coal and Coke Company, [2] in the Police Flats area in 1907. [3] The first mine was developed at Byron Creek while the second mine was developed at Police Flats in 1909. [2] Above ground infrastructure to support mining activity included 101 coke ovens, a wooden washery that was 27 m (89 ft) in height, and a tipple that could process 1,000 to 2,000 tons of coal on a daily basis. [2]
A subdivision plan for the Passburg townsite was surveyed in August 1907. [4] The townsite, which was a kilometre west of the second mine, was intended to house the miners and their families. [2] The opening of a general store, another store, a bank, a hotel, a doctor's office, church, and meat market soon followed along with numerous homes. [3] Passburg's post office opened in one of its stores on June 1, 1908. [3] A sandstone power house was built at the second mine that began producing electricity for the townsite in 1910. [2] By the 1911 Census of Canada, the townsite grew to a population of 305. [1]
Strikes at Leitch Collieries occurred in 1909 and 1911. [2] The Great War weakened coal prices and prevented agreements to supply product to the United States, England, and the Balkans. [2] Relationships became strained with its financing banks and the Canadian Pacific Railway, which was both a customer and transporter of Leitch Collieries' products. [2] The company stopped production in 1915 and placed its assets up for sale. [2] After the death of a prospective buyer later in 1915, Leitch Collieries was unable to finance a restart of production despite the demand generated by the war. [2] The company sold off its assets in 1919. [2]
Passburg's post office closed in 1938. [3] The Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site was designated by the Government of Alberta in 1983. [5]
The Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site is located north of Highway 3 (the Crowsnest Highway) east of East Hillcrest Drive between Burmis to the east and Bellevue to the northwest. [6] The site is self-guided from Labour Day to mid-May while interpretive staff lead tours during the balance of the year. [7]
William Kovach, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta between 1948 and 1966, was born in Passburg. [8]
Passburg
Police Flats | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 49°33′25″N 114°20′24″W / 49.557°N 114.340°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Alberta |
Specialized municipality | Crowsnest Pass |
Government | |
• Type | Unincorporated |
• Governing body | Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Council |
Time zone | UTC−7 ( MST) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC−6 ( MDT) |
Passburg is a ghost town in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southern Alberta, Canada that was formerly a coal mining community. It is on Highway 3 (the Crowsnest Highway) approximately 130 km (81 mi) west of Lethbridge and 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Bellevue.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1911 | 305 | — |
Source: Statistics Canada [1] |
In the 1880s, the Passburg area was originally a haven for cattle rustlers and their stolen stock destined for the United States due to availability of grass, multiple water sources, and shelter. [2] In response, the North-West Mounted Police established a post in the area, [2] which then became known as Police Flats. [3]
William Hamilton founded the Leitch Collieries Ltd. Coal Company, also known as the Leitch Collieries Coal and Coke Company, [2] in the Police Flats area in 1907. [3] The first mine was developed at Byron Creek while the second mine was developed at Police Flats in 1909. [2] Above ground infrastructure to support mining activity included 101 coke ovens, a wooden washery that was 27 m (89 ft) in height, and a tipple that could process 1,000 to 2,000 tons of coal on a daily basis. [2]
A subdivision plan for the Passburg townsite was surveyed in August 1907. [4] The townsite, which was a kilometre west of the second mine, was intended to house the miners and their families. [2] The opening of a general store, another store, a bank, a hotel, a doctor's office, church, and meat market soon followed along with numerous homes. [3] Passburg's post office opened in one of its stores on June 1, 1908. [3] A sandstone power house was built at the second mine that began producing electricity for the townsite in 1910. [2] By the 1911 Census of Canada, the townsite grew to a population of 305. [1]
Strikes at Leitch Collieries occurred in 1909 and 1911. [2] The Great War weakened coal prices and prevented agreements to supply product to the United States, England, and the Balkans. [2] Relationships became strained with its financing banks and the Canadian Pacific Railway, which was both a customer and transporter of Leitch Collieries' products. [2] The company stopped production in 1915 and placed its assets up for sale. [2] After the death of a prospective buyer later in 1915, Leitch Collieries was unable to finance a restart of production despite the demand generated by the war. [2] The company sold off its assets in 1919. [2]
Passburg's post office closed in 1938. [3] The Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site was designated by the Government of Alberta in 1983. [5]
The Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site is located north of Highway 3 (the Crowsnest Highway) east of East Hillcrest Drive between Burmis to the east and Bellevue to the northwest. [6] The site is self-guided from Labour Day to mid-May while interpretive staff lead tours during the balance of the year. [7]
William Kovach, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta between 1948 and 1966, was born in Passburg. [8]