Nordegg, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Nordegg is a hamlet
in west-central Alberta
, Canada
within Clearwater County
. It is located in the North Saskatchewan River
valley in the foothills
of the Canadian Rockies
, at the crossroads of David Thompson Highway and the Highway 734
spur of the Bighorn Highway.
development company. The town was a joint venture between the German firm and the Canadian Northern Railway
. The coaling operation was named Brazeau Colleries, after the nearby Brazeau River
.
In 1914, as World War I
broke out, German assets in Canada were frozen, and Nordegg himself was asked to leave Canada. However, the town retained its name, unlike many other German-named towns in Canada during this time.
Coal production at Nordegg continued until 1955, at which time declining demand for coal from railway operators, due to a switch to diesel locomotives, drove the operation out of business.
A land exchange with the Province of Alberta has stimulated redevelopment of Nordegg. A mountain acreage community is developing north of Highway 11, adjacent to the Shunda Creek Hostel, and Clearwater County has released plans for the redevelopment of downtown Nordegg, much on the footprint of the original townsite.
Nordegg is now associated with tourism and recreation, primarily because of its location near to so many parks and recreations areas, for example Ram Falls Provincial Park
, the Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve and the dozens of small campsites along the David Thompson Highway. The distinctive Coliseum and Shunda (Baldy) Mountains overlook Nordegg and are rewarding day-hikes.
Nordegg is the last community on the David Thompson Highway before reaching Banff National Park to the west. The area west of Nordegg is known as the Bighorn Backcountry, and includes many excellent hiking trails. Off Highway Vehicle use is permitted in some areas, but local authorities are notoriously strict; preferring to hand out fines and summons rather than warnings.
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 west-central 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 Clearwater County
Clearwater County, Alberta
Clearwater County is a municipal district in west central Alberta, Canada in Division No. 9. Its northwest boundary is the Brazeau River. The municipal seat is located in the town of Rocky Mountain House, which is enclaved within, and technically outside the bounds of the county...
. It is located in the North Saskatchewan River
North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows east from the Canadian Rockies to central Saskatchewan. It is one of two major rivers that join to make up the Saskatchewan River....
valley in the foothills
Rocky Mountain Foothills
The Rocky Mountain Foothills are an upland area flanking the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, extending south from the Liard River into Alberta. Bordering the Interior Plains system, they are part of the Rocky Mountain System or Eastern System of the Western Cordillera of North America....
of the Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
, at the crossroads of David Thompson Highway and the Highway 734
Alberta Highway 734
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 734 is a highway in western Alberta, Canada that travels through the forested foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It is formerly part of Forestry Trunk Road and is still colloquially referred to as such....
spur of the Bighorn Highway.
History
The community was initially founded as a coal mining town in the early 1900s and is named after Martin Nordegg, a representative of a GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
development company. The town was a joint venture between the German firm and the Canadian Northern Railway
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
. The coaling operation was named Brazeau Colleries, after the nearby Brazeau River
Brazeau River
The Brazeau River is a river in western Alberta, Canada. It is a major tributary of the North Saskatchewan River.The river was named for Joseph Brazeau, a linguist associated with the Palliser Expedition.-Course:...
.
In 1914, as World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out, German assets in Canada were frozen, and Nordegg himself was asked to leave Canada. However, the town retained its name, unlike many other German-named towns in Canada during this time.
Coal production at Nordegg continued until 1955, at which time declining demand for coal from railway operators, due to a switch to diesel locomotives, drove the operation out of business.
Nordegg today
During its peak, Nordegg was a town of over 3000. After the closure of the mine most of the population left, and today there are only a few hundred people remaining. Most of the surface coal processing operation is still standing. In 1993 it was declared a Provincial Historic Resource, and in 2002 a National Historic Site. The original Nordegg town site is open to the public. At the mine site, visitors may experience a guided tour of the coal handling, processing and support facilities during the summer tourist season. Tourists should keep in mind that actual entrance into the underground mine itself is no longer possible or allowed, as time has caused the contents to collapse, thereby rendering a tour impossible.A land exchange with the Province of Alberta has stimulated redevelopment of Nordegg. A mountain acreage community is developing north of Highway 11, adjacent to the Shunda Creek Hostel, and Clearwater County has released plans for the redevelopment of downtown Nordegg, much on the footprint of the original townsite.
Nordegg is now associated with tourism and recreation, primarily because of its location near to so many parks and recreations areas, for example Ram Falls Provincial Park
Ram Falls Provincial Park
Ram Falls Provincial Park is a provincial park in Alberta, Canada, located south of Nordegg and west of Rocky Mountain House on Highway 734....
, the Kootenay Plains Ecological Reserve and the dozens of small campsites along the David Thompson Highway. The distinctive Coliseum and Shunda (Baldy) Mountains overlook Nordegg and are rewarding day-hikes.
Nordegg is the last community on the David Thompson Highway before reaching Banff National Park to the west. The area west of Nordegg is known as the Bighorn Backcountry, and includes many excellent hiking trails. Off Highway Vehicle use is permitted in some areas, but local authorities are notoriously strict; preferring to hand out fines and summons rather than warnings.