Midlandvale, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Midlandvale
Midland
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Former hamlet
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Mining in the early days of Midlandvale
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 Midlandvale
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Census division | No. 5 |
| Municipality | Town of Drumheller |
| Annexed | 1972 |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Area code(s) | 403, 587, 825 |
Midlandvale is a small community located in Alberta, Canada. It is now part of the Town of Drumheller. Midlandvale used to be a separate small village, known as a hamlet. It joined Drumheller in 1972. Today, people often call it Midland. You can find Midlandvale in the Red Deer River valley. It is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) west of Drumheller's main area, along North Dinosaur Trail (Highway 838).
Contents
A Look Back: Midlandvale's History
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Midlandvale was once a busy home for many mine workers. They worked in coal mines like Midland No. 1, Midland No. 2, Western Gem, and Brilliant Mines. At its peak, over 600 people lived here, and about 400 of them worked in the mines.
Life in the Mining Community
Life in Midlandvale was vibrant and full of community spirit. People often played sports together. In the summer, baseball and soccer games were very popular. When winter arrived, everyone enjoyed playing hockey. Sports were important for different reasons. Mine owners used games to promote their businesses. On the other hand, workers' unions saw team sports as a way to show that miners could work together. They believed that by sticking together, they could fight for better working conditions.
Challenges and Changes
Midlandvale faced tough times, too. During the Spanish influenza outbreak in 1919–1920, many people became very sick. Those who were ill were kept separate, sometimes in places like the basement of the Drumheller People's Bakery. It was a very difficult period for the community.
The mines continued to operate until the late 1950s. However, the Great Depression in the 1930s made things very hard. Trade slowed down a lot. In one year during the 1930s, the coal mine in Midlandvale only worked for 52 days. This shows how much the economy struggled back then.
Midlandvale Today
If you visit Midlandvale today, you won't see the old sporting fields or hockey rinks. They are all gone now. In 1974, the Midland Mining Company, led by its president Sidney McMullen, gave a large piece of land to the government. This land was about 595 hectares (1,470 acres).
This area has now been turned into a special historical site. It has walking trails and exhibits that teach visitors about the past. It's a great place to learn about the history of mining and community life in Midlandvale.
