Lille, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lille
French Camp
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Former village
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Ruins of coke ovens at the abandoned Lille townsite
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 Lille
Location in M.D. of Ranchland
Lille
Location in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass
Lille
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Municipal district | Ranchland No. 66 |
| Village | February 22, 1904 |
| Dissolved | 1919 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
Lille is a ghost town and former village in the Crowsnest Pass area of southwest Alberta, Canada. It was a company-built coal mining community that, between 1901 and 1912, hosted a population that grew to over 400. The mines at Lille closed in 1912, due primarily to weak coal prices, increasing production costs, and the increasingly poor quality (high ash content) of the coal. The community was then dismantled and most of its structures were moved elsewhere. Today the site is an Alberta Provincial Historic Resource and is known for the elegant ruins of a set of Bernard-style coke ovens that was imported from Belgium.
History
Lille was established as a coal mining town in 1901 by two representatives of a French company, United Gold Fields Ltd. The representatives, J. J. Fleutot and C. Remy, were looking for coal in the Crowsnest Pass of Alberta when they happened upon a seam near the future site of Lille. The town was initially called 'French Camp', but in 1903 the founders of the town changed its name to Lille after the French town of the same name where the mining venture's financial backers were located. The next year, the Frank-Grassy Mountain Railway was built, giving the town a strong connection to the outside world. Lille was built mostly by the company, which was renamed West Canadian Collieries in 1903. Approximately 20 residences existed, along with a doctor, a school room, a hospital and a hotel. The company also rented space for firms to conduct business. Although originally planned for nearby Frank, coke ovens were established in Lille in 1903. In 1912, the local coal mine closed due to the collapse of the local coke industry. West Canadian Collieries suffered a loss of over $40,000, as wages exceeded revenue by that amount. Although Lille is a Provincial Historic Site, much of the town site has fallen prey to scavengers, and as such very little of Lille remains.
