Chisholm, Alberta

Chisholm

Location of Chisholm Alberta

Chisholm, also known as Chisholm Mills, is a hamlet in Alberta, Canada within the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River No. 124.^[1] It is located 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east of the Athabasca River, approximately 56 kilometres (35 mi) southeast of the Town of Slave Lake. The hamlet is serviced by both road (approximately 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) west of Highway 44) and rail (Canadian National Railway).

History

However, during the 1930s, Chisholm was the site of an important sawmill and box factory. It took its name from the American mill owner. There were several lumber camps in the surrounding area. Logs harvested during the winter were floated down the Athabasca River in the spring. Lumber and boxes were shipped to locations throughout Canada and the United States by the Northern Alberta Railway (NAR). Today, the NAR is part of the Canadian National Railway (CNR).

During World War II, there was also a camp for German prisoners. Located across the river from the sawmill site, it was serviced by a cable ferry. The ferry survived the 2001 fire, but it is unknown what of the camp still remains. There is also a large gravel pit located near Chisholm and gravel from this pit was used as ballast for the railway. In the summer of 2001, a major forest fire destroyed several houses and thousands of acres of timber in the immediate vicinity of Chisholm. Later investigation determined that the fire was caused by a CNR train.

See also

• List of communities in Alberta
• List of hamlets in Alberta

References

1. ^ Alberta Municipal Affairs (2010-04-01). "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities". http://municipalaffairs.gov.ab.ca/documents/msb/2010-ruralmun.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-29. 

Coordinates: 54°54′34″N 114°10′08″W / 54.90944°N 114.16889°W / 54.90944; -114.16889 (Chisholm)