Windfall, Alberta facts for kids
Windfall is a place in Alberta, Canada, that used to be a small community. Now, it is a ghost town, meaning no one lives there anymore. It is located about 36 kilometers (22 miles) west of Whitecourt, near the Athabasca River.
History of Windfall
Windfall started because of a big discovery. In March 1955, a company called Canadian Fina Oil Ltd. found a lot of natural gas in the area. This gas was found in a place they called the Windfall field.
Early Development
Because of the gas discovery, Canadian Fina Oil Ltd. decided to build a small plant. This plant was designed to collect natural gas and other useful materials from the ground. The company also found gas in two other nearby areas. So, the plant helped collect gas from all three places.
The community of Windfall was built in two main stages. It had an apartment building and 17 houses. These houses were quite big, each over 97 square meters (1,050 square feet). They had basements, paved driveways, and separate garages. Windfall also had a school with three classrooms. By 1961, about 101 people lived there. The community had important services like water, gas, electricity, roads, sidewalks, and streetlights.
Growth and Decline
The small gas plant worked very well. Because of its success, a much larger plant was built by another company, Pan American Petroleum Corporation. This new plant opened in April 1962 and was called the West Whitecourt Plant.
To make it easier for people to get to the new plant, a bridge was built. This bridge went over the Athabasca River, connecting Windfall to Highway 43. Before the bridge, driving from Whitecourt could take up to four hours. With the new bridge, the drive was much shorter, about 39 kilometers (24 miles). Later that year, in November 1962, a train track was also extended from Whitecourt to Windfall.
By 1966, fewer people lived in Windfall. The population dropped to 78. Soon after, most families moved away. Many went to Whitecourt, which was about 36 kilometers (22 miles) east. This left Windfall empty, turning it into a ghost town. Even though the community was empty, the West Whitecourt Plant next to it kept operating.
The houses from Windfall were later moved to another town called Fox Creek. This town is about 44 kilometers (27 miles) northwest. Even today, road signs on Highway 43 still point towards Windfall.
