Mallaig is a settlement

Hamlet (place)

A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...

 in Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 within the County of St. Paul No. 19

St. Paul County No. 19, Alberta

The County of St. Paul No. 19 is a municipal district in northeast Alberta, Canada.It is located in Census Division 12. It was previously known as the Municipal District of St. Paul No. 86 until January 1, 1962 when it became the County of St. Paul No. 19. The municipal seat is in the Town of St....

. It is located approximately 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) northeast of Edmonton. Its primary industry is agriculture.

The hamlet was one of the many communities that spawned due to the construction of the railroad in Western Canada

Western Canada

Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...

 during the early 1900s. In 1928, the hamlet was officially founded. The name was inspired by one of the Scottish

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 workers. The many swamps and low lying areas in the area reminded him of his home town (Mallaig, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

).

As the 20th century progressed, the railway has been removed, and has been replaced by the Iron Horse Trail, which is a long, recreational trail intended for all-terrain vehicle

All-terrain vehicle

An all-terrain vehicle , also known as a quad, quad bike, three wheeler, or four wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control...

s. The hamlet today is quite small, containing minimal services, a landfill

Landfill

A landfill site , is a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial and is the oldest form of waste treatment...

, and a school (Kindergarten to Grade 12) with an enrollment of approximately 300 students from the hamlet and surrounding area.

External links

• Information on the hamlet with pictures (located halfway down the page)
• Another edition of link above (information is located near the bottom of the page)
• Local school website
• Information on Mallaig and surrounding communities
• Information on "Haying in the 30's", an annual festival
• Alberta's Francophone Heritage - Mallaig

Further reading

• Mallaig – Therien History Book Committee. Precious Memories – Mémoires Précieuses: Mallaig – Therien 1906-1992. Mallaig: Mallaig History Book Committee, 1993.