Wanham, Alberta
Wanham | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 55°44′N 118°24′W / 55.733°N 118.400°W | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Alberta |
Region | Northern Alberta |
Census division | 17 |
Municipal district | Birch Hills County |
Government | |
• Type | Unincorporated |
• Governing body | Birch Hills County Council |
Area (2021)[1] | |
• Land | 0.98 km2 (0.38 sq mi) |
Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 141 |
• Density | 143.3/km2 (371/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
Area code(s) | 780, 587, 825 |
Wanham (/ˈwɑːnəm/) is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within Birch Hills County.[2] It is located 29 km (18 mi) east of Rycroft along Highway 49 and approximately 106 km (66 mi) north of Grande Prairie, in the farmlands of Peace River Country. Saddle River, a tributary of Peace River, flows immediately north of the community. The origin of the name Wanham could have come from Wanham in England.[3]
The local economy is based on agriculture and ranching, the settlement being an agricultural service centre for the surrounding farms. A wood products plant, Newpro, was previously the largest employer in the settlement. It was announced it was closing in January 2006.
History
[edit]It was established in 1916 as a station on the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway.[4] The first post office was built in 1918.
It was incorporated as a village, but dissolved and merged with Birch Hills County in 1999 by Order in Council 458/99.[5] Birch Hills County's municipal office is in Wanham.
Demographics
[edit]In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wanham had a population of 141 living in 58 of its 76 total private dwellings, a change of 13.7% from its 2016 population of 124. With a land area of 0.98 km2 (0.38 sq mi), it had a population density of 143.9/km2 (372.6/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wanham had a population of 124 living in 62 of its 78 total private dwellings, a change of -2.4% from its 2011 population of 127. With a land area of 0.99 km2 (0.38 sq mi), it had a population density of 125.3/km2 (324.4/sq mi) in 2016.[10]
Attractions
[edit]A yearly plowing competition takes place in Wanham since 1971. It is currently named Alberta Provincial and Canadian Plowing Match and includes a horse drawn antique parade, live music and fashion show.
The Grizzly Bear Prairie Museum is seasonally opened in Wanham. It was founded in 1979 by a group called the Community of Cooperating Organization (COCO for short). It was officially opened in 1981.
Climate
[edit]Climate data for Wanham | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) | 14.5 (58.1) | 17.2 (63.0) | 29.4 (84.9) | 32 (90) | 33.9 (93.0) | 33 (91) | 36 (97) | 31.5 (88.7) | 26.7 (80.1) | 18 (64) | 11 (52) | 33.9 (93.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.3 (15.3) | −6 (21) | 0.9 (33.6) | 10.3 (50.5) | 17.3 (63.1) | 20.7 (69.3) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21 (70) | 16.1 (61.0) | 9.4 (48.9) | −2 (28) | −8 (18) | 7.7 (45.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −14.8 (5.4) | −11.7 (10.9) | −4.8 (23.4) | 4.2 (39.6) | 10.5 (50.9) | 14.5 (58.1) | 16.2 (61.2) | 14.8 (58.6) | 10 (50) | 3.9 (39.0) | −6.8 (19.8) | −13.3 (8.1) | 1.9 (35.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −20.3 (−4.5) | −17.3 (0.9) | −10.5 (13.1) | −1.9 (28.6) | 3.8 (38.8) | 8.2 (46.8) | 10 (50) | 8.4 (47.1) | 3.8 (38.8) | −1.5 (29.3) | −11.5 (11.3) | −18.7 (−1.7) | −4 (25) |
Record low °C (°F) | −48.3 (−54.9) | −45 (−49) | −37 (−35) | −22.8 (−9.0) | −7.2 (19.0) | −3.9 (25.0) | 0 (32) | −4.5 (23.9) | −10.6 (12.9) | −28 (−18) | −41.1 (−42.0) | −50 (−58) | −50 (−58) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 29.1 (1.15) | 21.4 (0.84) | 18.6 (0.73) | 22.2 (0.87) | 40.6 (1.60) | 75.8 (2.98) | 72.4 (2.85) | 65.8 (2.59) | 42.2 (1.66) | 28 (1.1) | 24.2 (0.95) | 27.8 (1.09) | 468 (18.4) |
Source: Environment Canada[11] |
See also
[edit]- List of communities in Alberta
- List of former urban municipalities in Alberta
- List of hamlets in Alberta
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
- ^ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "Wanham Alberta".
- ^ Discover the Peace Country. "Wanham". Retrieved June 20, 2007.
- ^ Alberta Municipal Affairs (June 2007). "Birch Hills County". Retrieved June 20, 2007.
- ^ "Table 9: Population by census subdivisions, 1966 by sex, and 1961". 1966 Census of Canada. Western Provinces. Vol. Population: Divisions and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1967.
- ^ "Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Vol. Population: Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977.
- ^ "Table 2: Census Subdivisions in Alphabetical Order, Showing Population Rank, Canada, 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Vol. Census subdivisions in decreasing population order. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. ISBN 0-660-51563-6.
- ^ "Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN 0-660-57115-3.
- ^ a b "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
- ^ Environment Canada—[1]. Retrieved 7 April 2010.