Vilna, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vilna
|
|
|---|---|
|
Village
|
|
| Village of Vilna | |
Pool hall and barbershop
|
|
 Vilna
Location in Alberta
|
|
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Central Alberta |
| Census Division | No. 12 |
| Municipal district | Smoky Lake County |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Incorporated | |
| • Village | June 23, 1923 |
| Area
(2021)
|
|
| • Land | 0.96 km2 (0.37 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 640 m (2,100 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
|
|
| • Total | 268 |
| • Density | 278/km2 (720/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Highways |  Hwy 28 Hwy 859 |
| Waterways | Bonnie Lake, Stony Creek |
Vilna is a small village in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Smoky Lake County. You can find Vilna on Highway 28. It is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of the city of Edmonton.
Just 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) north of Vilna is the Bonnie Lake Provincial Recreation Area. This is a fun place to visit on the shores of Bonnie Lake.
Contents
History of Vilna
How Vilna Started
Vilna was founded in 1907. Many of the first people to settle here came from central Europe. By 1918, people in the larger area started calling the district "Vilna". They named it after Vilnius, which is the capital city of Lithuania.
The main community of Vilna began to grow in 1919. This was when the railroad reached the area. The first grain elevator was also built then. A grain elevator is a tall building used to store grain.
Becoming a Village
In 1920, a post office called "Villette" moved to the growing community. At this time, the community was officially named Vilna. The first schoolhouse was also built in 1920. Vilna officially became a village on June 13, 1923. When a place is "incorporated" as a village, it means it gets its own local government.
The Meteor Event
Something amazing happened near Vilna on February 5, 1967. A "meteor air burst" occurred. This is when a meteor explodes in the sky. Scientists estimated the explosion was as powerful as 600 tonnes of TNT! Later, two tiny pieces of the meteor were found. These "meteorite fragments" weighed 48 milligrams and 94 milligrams. They are now kept at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Population of Vilna
How Many People Live Here?
In 2021, the Village of Vilna had a population of 268 people. These people lived in 108 homes. This number was a little less than the 290 people who lived there in 2016.
In 2016, Vilna had 290 residents. This was an increase from 249 people in 2011. The village covers a small land area of 0.96 square kilometers (0.37 square miles).
Fun Things to See
World's Largest Mushroom
Vilna is famous for something special! The village claims to have the world's largest metal sculpture of a mushroom. It's a unique attraction that many people like to visit.
