Fort Vermilion | |
|---|---|
Hamlet | |
 Aerial view from north | |
 Seal | |
  Fort Vermilion Location of Fort Vermilion in Alberta Show map of Alberta Fort Vermilion Fort Vermilion (Canada) Show map of Canada | |
| Coordinates:58°23′24″N116°01′00″W / 58.39000°N 116.01667°W /58.39000; -116.01667 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Census division | 17 |
| Specialized municipality | Mackenzie County |
| Established | 1788 (oldest in Alberta) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| • Reeve | Josh Knelsen |
| • Governing body | Mackenzie County Council
|
| • MP | Arnold Viersen (Cons -Peace River—Westlock) |
| • MLA | Dan Williams (UCP -Peace River) |
| Area (2021)[2] | |
| • Land | 5.36 km2 (2.07 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 270 m (890 ft) |
| Population (2021)[2] | |
• Total | 753 |
| • Density | 140.4/km2 (364/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| Postal code | |
| Area codes | 780,587, 825 |
| Highways | Highway 88 (Bicentennial Highway) |
| Waterways | Peace River |
Fort Vermilion is ahamlet on thePeace River innorthern Alberta, Canada, withinMackenzie County.[4]
Established in 1788, Fort Vermilion shares the title of oldest European settlement in Alberta withFort Chipewyan.[5][6] Fort Vermilion contains many modern amenities to serve its inhabitants as well as the surrounding rural community. The municipal office of Mackenzie County, Alberta's largest municipality by land area, is located in Fort Vermilion.
The hamlet is located inCensus Division No. 17.
.JPG)
The area was inhabited byDane-zaa (Beaver),Dene and laterCreeFirst Nations long before the arrival of European traders and settlers.
Named for thevermilion coloured clays lining the river banks, Fort Vermilion started as a trading community for theNorth West Company, upstream of the impassibleVermilion Chutes.[7]The fort was established in 1788, following the expeditions ofAlexander MacKenzie. Winter residents would trade furs with the native trappers, then send the furs by river during the summer to exchange points to the east and then toMontreal. The fort was later transferred to theHudson's Bay Company after the 1821 merger. By 1830, it was a prosperousfur trading post.[8] The first Anglican church was built in 1877.[9]
The main access to the settlements was by means of the river, using river boats and then ferries to haul materials in the summer months, when the water was not frozen. In 1903 the first steam-powered vessel to serve Fort Vermilion was theSt. Charles built to navigate the 526 mi (847 km) to the upper reaches of the Peace River, fromHudson's Hope to Fort Vermilion.[7] In 1974, a bridge was built over the Peace River immediately west of Fort Vermilion, effectively ending the winter isolation of the community.
The original Old Bay House, home of the chieffactor, still exists and is now part of the Fort VermilionNational Historic Site. It was listed as such in 1968, for its importance as site of North West Company and Hudson's Bay Company posts.[10]
The visitor centre is hosted in a 1923dovetailedlog house. Built on the banks of the Peace River, it was moved to its current location in 1983. Another heritage building is the 1907Clark House, built for the Hudson's Bay clerk quarters, and moved in 1994 to the present location near the visitor centre. TheTrappers Shack, built in 1912, is another dovetailed log house. It was listed as aprovincial historic site.[5]
In 2018, the airport was named after CanadianWop May, formerbush pilot and WW1flying ace. It was to Fort Vermilion that May flew to in 1929 withlifesaving drugs.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | 292 | — |
| 1951 | 1,413 | +383.9% |
| 1956 | 631 | −55.3% |
| 1961 | 768 | +21.7% |
| 1966 | 971 | +26.4% |
| 1971 | 740 | −23.8% |
| 1976 | 729 | −1.5% |
| 1981 | 752 | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 823 | +9.4% |
| 1991 | 782 | −5.0% |
| 1991A | 802 | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 775 | −3.4% |
| 2001 | 818 | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 714 | −12.7% |
| 2011 | 727 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 639 | −12.1% |
| 2021 | 753 | +17.8% |
| Source:Statistics Canada [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][2] | ||
In the2021 Census of Population conducted byStatistics Canada, Fort Vermilion had a population of 753 living in 257 of its 292 total private dwellings, a change of17.8% from its 2016 population of 639. With a land area of 5.36 km2 (2.07 sq mi), it had a population density of140.5/km2 (363.9/sq mi) in 2021.[2]
The population of Fort Vermilion according to the2018 municipal census conducted by Mackenzie County is 763.[25]
As a designated place in the2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Fort Vermilion had a population of 639 living in 224 of its 294 total private dwellings, a change of-12.1% from its 2011 population of 727. With a land area of 5.8 km2 (2.2 sq mi), it had a population density of110.2/km2 (285.3/sq mi) in 2016.[24]
Two schools are located in Fort Vermilion, both administered by theFort Vermilion School Division No. 52.[26]
Fort Vermilion Public is part of thepublic school system and offers education from grade 6 to grade 12. Approximately 150 students attend this school. St. Mary's Elementary functions in theCatholic school system and is a kindergarten to grade 6 school. It has approximately 145 students.
TheNorthern Lakes College, established in 1999, has one of its 26 campuses in Fort Vermilion. It was previously known as Alberta Vocational Centre Grouard, and offered education toFirst Nations students.[27]
Fort Vermilion is located approximately 85 km (53 mi) southeast ofHigh Level and 661 km (411 mi) northwest ofEdmonton on theHighway 88 (Bicentennial Highway). The hamlet ofLa Crete is located approximately 47 km (29 mi) southwest of Fort Vermilion onHighway 697.
The hamlet is one of the northernmost communities in thePeace River Country. Peace Country, in theaspen parklandbiome, is Canada's northernmost land suitable foragriculture. The landscape is dominated byaspen,poplars andspruce, occasionally interspersed with areas ofgrasslands. Wildlife is abundant in the area, and includesbears,moose,deer,beavers,foxes,coyotes andCanada geese andSandhill cranes[8]
The hamlet is situated on the southern banks of thePeace River, with an elevation ranging from 255 to 282 m (837 to 925 ft) and theIndian reserve ofFort Vermilion 173B is about a kilometre east. TheNorth Vermilion Settlement lies on the opposite (northern) shore of the river, whileFort Vermilion (Wop May Memorial) Aerodrome is located directly beside the hamlet on the north east side.
Despite being so high in latitude, Fort Vermilion experiences ahumid continental climate (KöppenDfb), though bordering closely onsubarctic (Dfc), with long, frigid, exceedingly variable winters[28] and brief but fairly warm summers. Temperatures during the winter can drop to −40 °C (−40 °F) to −50 °C (−58 °F). Summer days benefit from long hours of daylight due to its northern location.[8]
Fort Vermilion holds the record for the coldest temperature in Alberta as well as any Canadian province, when on 11 January 1911, the temperature dropped down to −61.2 °C (−78.2 °F), which is the coldest official temperature recorded in Canada outside Yukon. However, an unofficial temperature of −61.7 °C or −79.1 °F was recorded inFort Good Hope, Northwest Territories less than two weeks previously on 31 December 1910.[29][30]
The highest temperature recorded was 39.4 °C (102.9 °F) on 15 May 1912.[30] This gives a temperature range of 100.6 °C (181.1 °F), one of only a handful locations in the world, and the only permanently inhabited place outsideSakha, to have a temperature amplitude of over 100 °C or 180 °F. Recorded temperature amplitudes for each winter month approach or exceed 75 °C or 135 °F, and are probably the largest monthly amplitudes anywhere in the world.[28]
| Climate data for Fort Vermilion (Fort Vermilion CDA) WMO ID / Climate ID:n/a; coordinates58°23′N116°02′W / 58.383°N 116.033°W /58.383; -116.033 (Fort Vermilion CDA); elevation: 279 m (915 ft); 1961-1990 normals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.1 (52.0) | 21.1 (70.0) | 16.7 (62.1) | 29.0 (84.2) | 39.4 (103.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 37.8 (100.0) | 38.3 (101.0) | 31.7 (89.1) | 27.2 (81.0) | 16.5 (61.7) | 18.3 (64.9) | 39.4 (103.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −18.2 (−0.8) | −12.0 (10.4) | −3.7 (25.3) | 7.8 (46.0) | 16.7 (62.1) | 21.6 (70.9) | 23.1 (73.6) | 21.3 (70.3) | 14.6 (58.3) | 6.7 (44.1) | −6.8 (19.8) | −15.7 (3.7) | 4.6 (40.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −22.7 (−8.9) | −17.3 (0.9) | −10.0 (14.0) | 1.8 (35.2) | 10.2 (50.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 16.9 (62.4) | 15.0 (59.0) | 8.9 (48.0) | 2.2 (36.0) | −10.5 (13.1) | −19.8 (−3.6) | −0.9 (30.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −27.3 (−17.1) | −22.8 (−9.0) | −16.2 (2.8) | −4.2 (24.4) | 3.7 (38.7) | 8.4 (47.1) | 10.6 (51.1) | 8.7 (47.7) | 3.2 (37.8) | −2.4 (27.7) | −14.4 (6.1) | −24.2 (−11.6) | −6.4 (20.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −61.2 (−78.2) | −57.2 (−71.0) | −47.2 (−53.0) | −38.9 (−38.0) | −14.4 (6.1) | −8.9 (16.0) | −6.7 (19.9) | −5.6 (21.9) | −15.0 (5.0) | −32.0 (−25.6) | −43.9 (−47.0) | −57.8 (−72.0) | −61.2 (−78.2) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 20.2 (0.80) | 17.5 (0.69) | 19.8 (0.78) | 18.8 (0.74) | 35.3 (1.39) | 47.1 (1.85) | 64.4 (2.54) | 54.7 (2.15) | 35.4 (1.39) | 28.1 (1.11) | 20.8 (0.82) | 19.7 (0.78) | 381.7 (15.03) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.9 (0.04) | 0.7 (0.03) | 0.8 (0.03) | 7.6 (0.30) | 32.9 (1.30) | 47.1 (1.85) | 64.4 (2.54) | 54.7 (2.15) | 34.5 (1.36) | 16.1 (0.63) | 1.3 (0.05) | 0.9 (0.04) | 261.9 (10.31) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 21.0 (8.3) | 17.5 (6.9) | 20.7 (8.1) | 11.7 (4.6) | 2.2 (0.9) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.8 (0.3) | 10.8 (4.3) | 20.9 (8.2) | 20.2 (8.0) | 125.8 (49.5) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.2 mm[a]) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 96 |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.2 mm[a]) | — | — | — | 2 | 8 | 10 | 11 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 55 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.2 cm[a]) | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 7 | 8 | 39.00 |
| Source:Environment and Climate Change Canada[30] | |||||||||||||
The Fort Vermilion Community and Cultural Complex includes a hockey rink and concession, community hall/dance hall/stage with commercial kitchen and a curling rink. The Fort Vermilion Heritage Centre manages 25 sites (listed as both provincial and national historic sites), including the old log houses, the Dominion Experimental Farm,First Nations and natural history exhibits.[31] Also located at the community complex is a RV waste dumping site and potable water refill location. The community complex also boasts workout facilities, a splash park, ball diamonds and playground - making it a great stop to relax and cool off on hot summer days.
St. Theresa General Hospital is a building built in 1983, offering 26 acute-care beds and 8 long-term-care beds, as well as an emergency department. It employs approximately 76 health workers, and is administered byAlberta Health Services.[32] TheProvincial Court of Alberta maintains acircuit court in Fort Vermilion,[33] with the base point located inHigh Level. The court used to reside in the old hospital building but now has a modern facility beside west of St. Henry's Roman Catholic Church. The old hospital building (aka old court house) has now been re-purposed and relocated as an office place for MARA (Mackenzie Applied Research Association) at the Fort Vermilion Experimental Farm.
The Fantasy North Golf & Country Club is a 9-holegolf course with a 150-year history. Additional facilities include a mini golf park, driving range and clubhouse. The course closed in spring 2020 following the flooding of the Peace River and remains inoperational due to extensive flood damage to clubhouse and course watering system.
The hamlet also has a public library[34] and four churches: St. Theresa Catholic Church, Church of God in Christ Mennonite, Faith Gospel Fellowship and St. Luke's Anglican Church. The St. Luke's Anglican Church Cemetery dates back to 1877.
Located east of the settlement is theFort Vermilion (Wop May Memorial) Aerodrome (TCLID:CEZ4), administered by Mackenzie County. It is an airport that serves the area with Provincial Air Ambulance services, as well asaerial firefighting. CanWest Air operates a base here with a charter andmedevac aircraft, mostly unitizing theCessna 206 for their charter work. There is also a small heliport,Fort Vermilion/Country Gardens B&B Heliport.
The Rodeo Grounds are located 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of the community, and hosts arodeo every year in July (check for dates). The event features cattle roping andbucking broncos along with other competition.
Other events and festivals held in Fort Vermilion includeCanada Day celebrations, Town and Country Fair, River Daze and Arts and Crafts Show. A Farmer's Market is organized periodically based on interest. The yearlyGet to Know You Night is held in mid September to promote services and organizations is popular with northern residents.
DA Thomas Park is a grassed day use area in Fort Vermilion that provides picnic tables with campfire spots overlooking the river with a boat launch and dock to access the river.
There are a number of beaches along the Peace River that are accessible only by boat (upstream and downstream). In North Vermilion (Buttertown) there is a beach accessible by road.[citation needed]
Fort Vermilion is in the federal riding ofPeace River—Westlock, represented by MPArnold Viersen. Prior to the2012 redistribution of federal electoral riding boundaries, the land was part of thePeace River electoral district.
Fred Brick, husband to Sarah Lendrum (formerly of the Strathcona area), was an early businessman, farmer and trader at Fort Vermilion. Sarah came to join Fred at Fort Vermilion in 1896.[35][36]
Fort Vermilion was home to cowboy Kenton Randle, known as "Rugged". Born 1960 and deceased 23 November 2003. Kenton was the bareback bronc rider who represented Canada at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. In November 2015 he was inducted into theCanadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame as a Legend of Rodeo.
Fort Vermilion was the childhood home of writers and brothersWill Ferguson andIan Ferguson. Will vividly describes his childhood there in his memoirsBeauty Tips from Moose Jaw. He mentions that the town was included in the 1976 version ofGhost Towns of Alberta, much to the chagrin of its residents at that time.
Dave Hancock, named 15th premier of Alberta on 23 March 2014 following the resignation of Alison Redford, grew up in Fort Vermilion.[37]
Gloria Chomiak Atamanenko, a social worker, writer, and translator, was born in Fort Vermilion.
The brothers built a fleet of small primitive steamers, extending by 1903 to the waters of the Peace above the Vermilion Chutes. In that year the pint—sized sternwheeler St. Charles began to work the 526 mile stretch from Fort Vermilion to Hudson's Hope, carrying lumber and supplies for the Mission at Fort St. John in British Columbia, as well as goods for the North-West Mounted Police.
Places adjacent to Fort Vermilion | |
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
