Leavitt, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leavitt
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 Leavitt
Location in Alberta
Leavitt
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 3 |
| Municipal district | Cardston County |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| Population
(2008)
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| • Total | 59 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Area code(s) | 403, 587, 825 |
Leavitt is a small community, known as a hamlet, located in southern Alberta, Canada. It's part of Cardston County and sits about 13 kilometers (8 miles) west of the town of Cardston along Highway 5. This area is also part of the Canadian federal voting district called Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner.
Contents
Discovering Leavitt's Beginnings
The first person to settle in the Leavitt area was Thomas Rowell Leavitt. He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and came to Alberta from Utah Territory in the late 1800s. Many Latter-day Saints moved to Canada and Mexico during this time, seeking places where they could practice their beliefs freely.
How Leavitt Got Its Name
The settlement was first called Buffalo Flats. Later, its name was changed to Leavitt to honor Thomas Rowell Leavitt, who was an important early settler in the area.
The Leavitt Family's Journey
Cardston was the very first Latter-day Saint community in Canada. Leavitt was founded by Thomas Rowell Leavitt, who shared similar beliefs. He was born in Hatley, Quebec, Canada, in 1834. His parents became early members of the Church and later moved to Utah.
Thomas Rowell Leavitt had a large family of 26 children. Four of his children passed away when they were very young, but 22 grew up to be adults. Twenty of these 22 children chose to stay in Canada and become citizens. Today, many people in the region are descendants of the original Leavitt pioneer family.
A Pioneer's Difficult Trek
Thomas Rowell Leavitt, often called 'Tom,' was a farmer. He had also worked as a constable, marshal, and sheriff in Wellsville, Utah. To reach Canada, he and his group traveled for six weeks, covering about 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) in the early spring of 1887.
They arrived at Lee Creek, Alberta, on May 25. They traveled in covered wagons, which was one of the last recorded pioneer wagon journeys in the Old West. Tom Leavitt was joined on this journey by some of his children.
Life and Growth in Leavitt
The first school in Leavitt started in the church building, which was finished on July 10, 1896. This shows how important education and community were to the early settlers.
Building the Community's Future
Thomas Leavitt's son, Alfred, who was born in Utah, followed his father to Alberta in 1897. He and his brothers helped to dig important irrigation canals. These canals were part of a promise made by Charles Ora Card, who founded Cardston. He had promised the Canadian government that these canals would be built in exchange for more land for Latter-day Saint settlers.
Leavitt's Natural Beauty and Economy
The hamlet of Leavitt is located in a beautiful valley with rolling hills. It's very close to the U.S.-Canada border and is in the shadow of Chief Mountain and the Canadian Rockies mountain range.
The main ways people make a living in this area are through cattle ranching and farming. The history of the Latter-day Saints is still very strong in this part of Alberta. A large number of people in the region are still Latter-day Saints, which can be seen by the impressive Cardston Alberta Temple in Cardston.
Community Services Over Time
Leavitt's first post office opened in 1900, with Walter Glenn as the first postmaster. The post office stayed open until 1968. During those 68 years, three members of the Leavitt family worked as postmasters.
Thomas Leavitt, the founder of the community, passed away in 1891. The Leavitt Chapel, a meetinghouse for the Cardston Stake, was built in 1896. It was used for meetings and services until the 1950s. Much of the land around Leavitt is not heavily populated, meaning there are still many open spaces.
Leavitt's Population Today
According to the 2008 municipal census conducted by Cardston County, the population of Leavitt was 59 people.
