Tangent, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tangent
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 Tangent
Location in Alberta
Tangent
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Census division | 19 |
| Municipal district | Birch Hills County |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| Population
(1991)
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| • Total | 39 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Area code(s) | 780, 587, 825 |
Tangent is a small community called a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada. It is part of Birch Hills County. You can find it along Alberta Highway 740. Tangent is about 98 kilometers (61 miles) northeast of a larger city called Grande Prairie.
The name "Tangent" came from the railway. Surveyors noticed a long, straight part of the train tracks here. This straight section is called a "tangent" in geometry. The railway connected Edmonton to Dawson Creek.
History of Tangent
The first person to settle in the area where Tangent is now was John Yaremko. He arrived on June 18, 1928. Soon after, Albert Purcha and his family joined him.
In the spring of 1929, many more people came to settle in Tangent. They were encouraged by Father Josephat Hamelin. By May of that year, a general store was built. A post office was also set up in the winter.
In the 1950s, natural gas was found in the area. This discovery created a new industry for Tangent. Before this, the community mainly focused on agriculture (farming) and animal husbandry (raising animals).
People and Community
Today, Tangent is mostly an agricultural community. Many of its residents are Franco-Albertans. These are people of French heritage who live in Alberta. They are often descendants of the settlers who came with Father Hamelin. The community also includes Eastern European Canadians and Anglo-Canadians.
In 1991, Statistics Canada conducted a count of the population. This count is called a census. The 1991 Census showed that Tangent had a population of 39 people.
