Dead Man's Flats facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dead Man's Flats
Pigeon Mountain
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 Dead Man's Flats
Location in Alberta
Dead Man's Flats
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Alberta's Rockies |
| Census division | 15 |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 1.23 km2 (0.47 sq mi) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 377 |
| • Density | 305.9/km2 (792/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Forward sortation area |
T1W
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| Area code(s) | +1 403, +1 587, +1 825 |
| Highways |  Hwy 1 (TCH) Trans-Canada Highway Hwy 1A Hwy 742 |
| Waterways | Bow River |
Dead Man's Flats is a small community called a hamlet in the Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 in Alberta, Canada. It is also known as Pigeon Mountain by Statistics Canada, which is the country's main data agency.
This hamlet is located in Alberta's Rockies, a beautiful mountain region. You can find it right off Highway 1 at exit 98. It's about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) southeast of Canmore and 78 kilometers (48 miles) west of Calgary.
Contents
History of Dead Man's Flats
The name "Dead Man's Flats" has a few interesting stories behind it.
How the Name Came About
One story says the name comes from an event in 1904. It happened at a dairy farm near the Bow River. Another tale involves some First Nations people who were hunting beaver. They saw a warden coming and didn't have time to run. So, they covered themselves in beaver blood and pretended to be dead. The warden believed them and went for help. This allowed the hunters to escape with their beaver pelts. However, this story is not confirmed in official reports.
In 1954, the Calgary Herald newspaper wrote that the area was named "only 10 to 12 years ago after a man was found shot in a cabin." But the newspaper also used the name "Dead Man's flat" (without the 's' and with a small 'f') back in 1924. An article from that year mentioned some boys from Canmore going on a fishing trip to "Dead Man's flat."
Name Change and Growth
From 1974 to 1985, the hamlet was officially called Pigeon Mountain Service Centre. But in 1985, its name was changed back to Dead Man's Flats. This was done to attract more visitors and boost tourism. The name "Dead Man's Flats" had been used unofficially for many years before that.
Before the Trans-Canada highway was built in the 1950s, this area was mostly empty Crown land (land owned by the government). There were only a few buildings, like a corral for animals and a small cabin for campers. When the new highway came through, Dead Man's Flats started to grow. It became a popular stop for travelers and truck drivers.
Today, you can find several businesses there. These include motels, a Husky truck stop with a diner that's open 24 hours, a Shell gas station with a U-Haul rental service, and the one98eight restaurant. There are also plans to build new homes and a light industrial park in the area.
Population of Dead Man's Flats
Every few years, Statistics Canada counts the number of people living in different places. This is called a census.
Recent Population Numbers
In the 2021 Census, Dead Man's Flats had a population of 377 people. These people lived in 128 homes. This was a big increase from its population of 125 people in 2016.
The hamlet covers a land area of about 1.23 square kilometers (0.47 square miles). This means that in 2021, there were about 305.9 people living in each square kilometer.
In the 2016 Census, Dead Man's Flats (also known as Pigeon Mountain) had 125 people. They lived in 57 homes. This was a small increase from 121 people in 2011. The land area in 2016 was about 1.07 square kilometers (0.41 square miles).
