Hinton, Alberta
| Hinton | |||
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 Hinton Main Street |
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| Location in Alberta | |||
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| State : |
 Canada
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| Province : | Alberta | ||
| Municipal District: | Yellowhead County | ||
| Coordinates : | 53 ° 24 ′ N , 117 ° 35 ′ W | ||
| Height : | 1003 m | ||
| Area : | 33.77 km² | ||
| Residents : | 9640 (as of 2011) | ||
| Population density : | 285.5 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Time zone : | Mountain Time ( UTC − 7 ) | ||
| Postal code : | T7V | ||
| Website : | www.town.hinton.ab.ca | ||
Hinton [ hɪntən ] is a small town in Alberta ( Canada ), about 70 km north of Jasper and 300 km west of Edmonton . It was named after W. D. Hinton who was vice chairman of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway . Hinton has existed as a recognized locality since 1928, but has changed its location several times and now extends over a length of twelve kilometers.
history
The first settlement in the area was along Hardisty Creek , where a group of Indians from the Jasper area left members suffering from smallpox while the rest of the group moved on to Lac Ste Anne Mission for medical assistance. At that time, an epidemic of smallpox was rampant among the Indian tribes of Alberta. The area was therefore called Cache Picote (smallpox camp) around 1870 .
In 1888 Jack Gregg established a trading post on Muskuta Creek (then Prairie Creek ). In 1914 the Canadian Northern Railway established a station in the area called Bliss . In 1915 the post office for Hinton was built in Dalehurst , and the entrance served as the center for Hinton (named after the entrance gate to Jasper National Park ). However, the Canadian Northern Railway stopped operating the railroad in 1926.
In the 1930s, the population in Hinton experienced a boom when coal mining began. In the subsequent recession it fell back to fewer than 100 inhabitants. In 1955 it increased again when a pulp mill was opened. The factory allowed Hinton and the neighboring town of Drinnan to grow until both towns were merged into a single town in 1958 under the name Hinton.
On February 8, 1986, the Dalehurst railway accident occurred on the outskirts of Hinton when a CN freight train and a VIA passenger train collided head-on. The freight train ran over a signal showing "Halt!" At an operating point and immediately afterwards collided with the oncoming passenger train on the single-lane route. 23 people died and another 71 were injured.
Economy and Infrastructure
Hinton's economy has long been determined by coal mining , pulp production and its function as a supply center on the Edmonton to Jasper route . Recently, as the gateway to Jasper National Park , it has also built up its own tourism industry.
Hinton is the second typical stop after Edson on Highway 16 ( Yellowhead ) between Edmonton and Jasper.
In Hinton there is a route of the Canadian National Railway (CN) and a station of the VIA Rail Canada .
Culture and sights
Hinton is the starting point of the Coal Branch , a 250 km long scenic route through a hilly landscape in the apron of the Rocky Mountains , in which there are abandoned coal mines. The Athabasca Tower , a forest fire watchtower, offers impressive views of the Rocky Mountains. The Beaver Boardwalk in the southern part of the city allows you to see beavers and other animals. Places to visit include the Brule Sand Dunes , Emerson Lake, and Ogre Canyon . Hinton is also known as one of the best cross-country ski resorts in North America. In 1987 the biathlon world cup competitions took place here .
sons and daughters of the town
- Dave Scatchard (* 1976), Canadian ice hockey player
- Melissa Jones (* 1982), Canadian natural track tobogganist
- Greg Jones (* 1987), Canadian natural track luge
Web links
- Website of the town of Hinton (English)
- History of Hinton (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Hinton Community Profile. Census 2011. In: Statistics Canada . July 30, 2012, accessed August 14, 2012 .