Dickson, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dickson
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 Dickson
Location in Alberta
Dickson
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census division | 8 |
| Municipal district | Red Deer County |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| Area
(2021)
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| • Land | 0.16 km2 (0.06 sq mi) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 50 |
| • Density | 304.3/km2 (788/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Area code(s) | 403, 587, 825 |
Dickson is a small community, called a hamlet, in central Alberta, Canada. It's part of Red Deer County and is about 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Innisfail. You can find it close to the Dickson Dam and Gleniffer Lake.
Contents
History of Dickson
How Dickson Started
In 1902, some men from Nebraska, USA, decided to start new farms in Western Canada. The Canadian government suggested they settle in Alberta because there was a lot of land available. An agent helped them find a large area about 20 miles (32 km) west of Innisfail.
Two of these men, Henry and Jim Larsen, visited Alberta. They liked the rich farmland and went back home to Nebraska to prepare for their move.
The First Danish Settlers
The first thing these Danish settlers did was create a church group called the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church. In March 1903, Fred Pedersen, John Jensen, and Laus Christensen were the first to leave. A second group followed in June.
On July 1, 1903, their train arrived in Calgary, Alberta. By the second week of July, the new families had set up their tents on their own pieces of land. They agreed that families with children would live close together.
Building a Community
Dickson began with 17 Danish people. This made it the first Danish settlement in Western Canada. These settlers hoped to own land and build a future for their families. Like many early settlers, they faced many challenges.
They were far from other towns, and the trails were rough. Also, many of them only spoke Danish, which made it harder to communicate. This helped them keep their Danish traditions strong, as they didn't feel they needed to learn English right away. All church services were in Danish, and the church was very important to the community. Despite these challenges, they worked together to build Dickson.
Growth and Development
In 1904, three new families arrived, including Reverend J.C. Gundesen. In February 1905, a post office opened in Carl Christiansen's home, with Carl as the postmaster. This put Dickson on the map!
From 1905 to 1910, many more families and people moved to the area. Most of them were Lutheran. In 1907, a new church group, the Bethany Lutheran Congregation, was formed. The church became the main place for spiritual, social, and fun activities.
By 1909, Dickson had four main buildings: a store, a church, a school, and a parsonage (the minister's home). In 1911, a new church was finished. It was the first Danish Lutheran Church in Western Canada. The Dickson store became the heart of the community. Settlers would trade farm goods and lumber for supplies from Carl Christiansen. This family business ran until 1980.
Life in Dickson Through the Years
After the first Danish settlers, more Danes moved to the area. They were drawn by the Lutheran Church, good farmland, and friendly people. Even though some land was low, it was very productive.
In 1929, a high school was built, which was one of the first rural high schools. In 1933, a girls' dormitory was added for young women attending high school. The active church community and groups like the Luther League, a skating rink, Boy Scouts, and a choir made Dickson a great place to live.
During the Great Depression, farmers in Dickson did well because of the rich soil and regular rain. The nearby Markerville creamery [1] also helped. Over the years, the church community had many important moments, like planting spruce trees in 1929 and building a new church in 1967. In 1983, it became the largest rural Lutheran church group in Canada. The Danish Queen even visited in 1991!
Today, Dickson is still a very productive farming area. The Lutheran Church, the arena, the Danish Canadian Museum [2], and the Dickson Store Museum [3] make it an interesting and busy place to visit.
Population of Dickson
How Many People Live Here?
In 2021, the community of Dickson had a population of 50 people. These people lived in 24 homes. This was a small decrease from 2016, when 58 people lived in Dickson.
The hamlet covers a small area of about 0.16 square kilometers (0.06 square miles). This means that in 2021, there were about 304 people living in each square kilometer.
In 2016, Dickson had 58 residents living in 25 homes. This was a slight change from 2011, when the population was 60 people.
