Nemiscam, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nemiscam
Nemiskam
Bingham |
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Vacant store
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 Nemiscam, Alberta
Location in County of Forty Mile
Nemiscam, Alberta
Location in Alberta
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Planning region | South Saskatchewan |
| Municipal district | Forty Mile |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Postal code span |
NA
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| Area code(s) | +1-403 |
| Highways | Highway 61 |
Nemiscam is a small, quiet place in southern Alberta, Canada. It is sometimes called Nemiskam, and it used to be known as Bingham. Nemiscam is not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it is an unincorporated community within the County of Forty Mile No. 8.
You can find Nemiscam about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of Foremost. It sits along Highway 61. People in the area often call Nemiscam a "ghost town". This is because it has very few people living there and many empty buildings.
Even though it's mostly empty, Nemiscam has become a small tourist spot. People from nearby cities like Calgary and Medicine Hat visit to see the abandoned buildings. Two famous sights are a sign that says "Future home of Kmart" and the old Nemiskam Garage. These are both found along Township Road 63A.
Nemiscam is also close to other ghost towns. Altorado is 11 kilometers (7 miles) south. Conquerville is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) north. Orion is 33 kilometers (20 miles) east.
Contents
History of Nemiscam: From Bingham to a Ghost Town
How Nemiscam Began
Nemiscam started as a small community called "Bingham" in 1915. This first settlement was about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) southwest of where Nemiscam is today. When a new railway line was built, it bypassed Bingham. Because of this, the people of Bingham decided to move. They settled in the new location, which became Nemiscam. Some even moved their entire homes and businesses to the new spot!
During its busiest years, Nemiscam was a lively place. It had a community hall where people gathered. There were also four tall grain elevators to store crops. A school taught the local children, and a service station helped travelers.
The Story of Altorado
About 11 kilometers (7 miles) south of Nemiscam was another community called Altorado. By 1913, Altorado had over 100 people. However, the Canadian Pacific Rail extended its train line north from Altorado to Bingham (which is now Nemiscam). This meant Altorado would not have a train station, which was very important for towns back then.
Because of this, many Altorado residents moved to Nemiscam. They hoped for a better future there. This move caused Altorado to slowly become a ghost town, much like Nemiscam is today.
Nemiscam's Population Changes
In the 1960s, Nemiscam had 54 residents. By 1966, this number had dropped to just 17 people. Over time, many original buildings were moved, and residents left to find better opportunities. Most people moved to nearby Foremost. Some even took their homes with them!
In the early 1990s, Nemiscam faced another big change. Its four grain elevators were taken down. This left the community with only about six buildings. This is why Nemiscam is now considered a ghost town.
Why the Name Nemiscam?
The name Nemiscam has caused some confusion over the years. People and map companies today often spell it with a "C" (Nemiscam). However, many older residents prefer to spell it with a "K" (Nemiskam). This is how it was originally spelled on the old grain elevators and community hall. The name "Nemiskam" (with a "K") comes from a native word meaning "between two valleys."
Nemiscam in the News
Nemiscam has even been featured on TV! On September 10, 2020, CBC News released a short documentary. It was called "'This Alberta ghost town has no services, but still has guests'".
The documentary showed how people travel from far away to take photos and videos of the abandoned town. It also mentioned that the old schoolhouse in Nemiscam is thought to be "the most photographed abandoned building in Alberta." This shows how interesting Nemiscam is to many people.
