Millet, Alberta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Millet
Town
Town of Millet
Millet Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta Millet Location in Canada Show map of Canada
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Central Alberta
Census division	11
Municipal district	County of Wetaskiwin No. 10
Incorporated
• Village	June 17, 1903
• Town	September 1, 1983
Area  (2021)
• Land	6.62 km2 (2.56 sq mi)
Elevation	755 m (2,477 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	1,890
• Density	285.3/km2 (739/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Postal code span	T0C 1Z0
Area code(s)	-1+780
Highways	Highway 2A Highway 616
Waterways	Pigeon Lake Coal Lake Pipestone Creek

Millet is a friendly town in central Alberta, Canada. It's about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Edmonton, which is Alberta's capital city.

History of Millet

The town of Millet was likely named after August Millet. He was thought to be a canoeist who worked with Father Lacombe. Another idea is that it was named after a French painter, Jean-François Millet. A railway boss, William Cornelius Van Horne, liked this painter. He also named a nearby place, Hobbema, after another painter.

Becoming a Village and Town

On June 17, 1903, Millet officially became a village. This happened by a special order from the Northwest Territories government. By 1908, Millet had its first elected councillors.

In October 1927, a big fire destroyed many buildings on Railway Street. But the community rebuilt.

In 1950, a community hall was built by the Board of Trade. They gave it to the Village, and it's still used today! In 1953, homes in Millet got natural gas. Griffiths Scott School was built in 1982. A special apartment building for senior citizens was finished in 1983. On September 1, 1983, Millet officially became a town. Everyone celebrated with "Coming to Town" events on October 15, 1983.

People of Millet

Population Numbers

In 2021, Statistics Canada counted 1,890 people living in Millet. These people lived in 800 homes. This was a small change from 2016, when the population was 1,955.

Millet covers a land area of 6.62 square kilometers (2.56 square miles). This means about 285 people live in each square kilometer.

In 2016, the town had 1,945 people. They lived in 822 homes. Millet's land area was 3.72 square kilometers (1.44 square miles) at that time.

Millet's Economy

Millet's economy mainly focuses on two things:

• Agriculture: This means farming and related activities.
• Recreation: This includes activities for fun and sports.

Arts and Culture in Millet

Millet hosts fun events throughout the year.

• In May, Millet has a special festival with live bands.
• In June, the town celebrates "Millet Days." This big event includes:
  • A parade
  • A trade show (where businesses show their products)
  • A softball tournament
  • Fireworks
  • A soccer tournament

Places to Visit in Millet

The Millet and District Museum, Archives and Visitor Information Centre is a great place to learn about the town's history. It opened in 1985. You can find it at the north end of town, on the west side of Highway 2A.

Education in Millet

Wetaskiwin Regional Division No. 11 manages the public schools in the area.

• Millet has one school called Griffiths-Scott School. It teaches students from early childhood (EC) up to grade 8.
• For high school, students from Millet go to Wetaskiwin Composite High School.

Pipestone School is in Pipestone, a nearby community, and does not serve Millet.

Media in Millet

Millet is home to a weekly newspaper called The Leduc-Wetaskiwin Pipestone Flyer. This paper covers news for both the County of Wetaskiwin and Leduc County.

Because Millet is close to bigger cities, its news is also shared in the Wetaskiwin Times and The Leduc Representative.

In the Wetaskiwin area, there's a community TV channel (Northern Cablevision Channel 10). There are also two local radio stations. People in Millet can also pick up major radio stations from Edmonton. The Edmonton Sun and Edmonton Journal newspapers are also available in Millet.