Georgetown, Alberta facts for kids
Georgetown is a ghost town in Alberta, Canada. It is located at the base of Mount Rundle, close to the town of Banff. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, and few or no people live there anymore. Georgetown was once a busy coal mining community.
The Story of Georgetown
Georgetown was built because of coal. In the early 1900s, another nearby coal town called Anthracite was struggling. Its mines had problems like floods. So, the Georgetown Coal Company decided to try mining in a new spot near Banff. They found a new place to dig for coal at the foot of Mount Rundle.
By 1912, the new mining town of Georgetown was up and running. It was located in the Bow Valley, which is a beautiful area.
Life in the Mining Town
Life in Georgetown was thought to be better than in some other mining towns. The town had a special "company store." This store sold everything people needed, and if something wasn't there, they could order it. However, the mining company owned this store. This meant miners had to buy all their food and supplies from the company store. This system is sometimes called a "truck system."
Homes in Georgetown had running water and electricity. But, indoor toilets were seen as a luxury, so most homes did not have them. Miners worked hard, but their wages were quite low. They earned about $3 each day.
Why Georgetown Became a Ghost Town
Georgetown was a lively place for a few years. About 200 people lived there. It had homes, a community hall for gatherings, and even a post office.
However, when the First World War started in 1914, things changed. The Georgetown Coal Company began to have money problems. Just three years after the first miners moved in, the Georgetown mine had to close down.
When the mine closed, most of the miners and their families moved away. Many went to nearby towns like Canmore, places in the Crowsnest Pass, or Drumheller. Today, you can still find the old foundations of some of Georgetown's buildings. It's possible to visit the site during the summer months.
