Wanham, Alberta (original) (raw)
Hamlet in Alberta, Canada
| Wanham | |
|---|---|
| Hamlet | |
  WanhamLocation of WanhamShow map of Alberta WanhamWanham (Canada)Show map of Canada |
|
| Coordinates: 55°44′N 118°24′W / 55.733°N 118.400°W / 55.733; -118.400 | |
| 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 () 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.
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.
Federal censuspopulation history
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 251 | — |
| 1966 | 235 | −6.4% |
| 1971 | 268 | +14.0% |
| 1976 | 225 | −16.0% |
| 1981 | 266 | +18.2% |
| 1986 | 233 | −12.4% |
| 1991 | 216 | −7.3% |
| 2011 | 127 | −41.2% |
| 2016 | 124 | −2.4% |
| 2021 | 141 | +13.7% |
| Source: Statistics Canada[6][7][8][9][10] |
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]
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 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] |
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of former urban municipalities in Alberta
- List of hamlets in Alberta
- ^ 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.