| Dead Man's Flats | |
| Other Name: | Pigeon Mountain |
| Settlement Type: | Neighbourhood |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Alberta#Canada |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Pigeon Mountain |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Canada |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Alberta |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Alberta's Rockies |
| Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
| Subdivision Name3: | 15 |
| Subdivision Type4: | Municipal district |
| Subdivision Name4: | Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8 |
| Leader Title: | Reeve |
| Leader Name: | Lisa Rosvold |
| Leader Title1: | Governing body |
| Leader Title2: | CAO |
| Leader Name2: | Shaina Tutt |
| Leader Title3: | MP |
| Leader Name3: | Blake Richards (CPC) |
| Leader Title4: | MLA |
| Leader Name4: | Sarah Elmeligi (NDP) |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Area Footnotes: | (2021) |
| Area Land Km2: | 1.23 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Total: | 377 |
| Population Density Km2: | 305.9 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −07:00 |
| Timezone Dst: | MDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −06:00 |
| Coordinates: | 51.04°N -115.2639°W |
| Postal Code Type: | Forward sortation area |
| Postal Code: | T1W |
| Area Code: | +1 403, +1 587, +1 825 |
| Blank Name: | Highways |
| Blank Info: | Trans-Canada Highway |
| Blank1 Name: | Waterways |
| Blank1 Info: | Bow River |
| Blank Emblem Type: | Logo |
Dead Man's Flats is a Hamlet within the Municipal District of Bighorn No. 8. Statistics Canada also recognizes it as a designated place under the name of Pigeon Mountain.[1] It is located within Alberta's Rockies at Highway 1 exit 98, approximately southeast of Canmore[2] and west of Calgary.
A variety of explanations account for the origin of the hamlet's name. One explanation associates it with a murder which took place in 1904 at a dairy farm situated on the flats of the Bow River. Francois Marret stood trial in Calgary for killing his brother Jean, whose body he had disposed of in the Bow River, but the jury acquitted him by reason of insanity.[3] Another account states that two or three First Nations people who were illegally trapping beaver noticed a warden approaching in the distance. Knowing that they did not have time to flee without being spotted, they smeared themselves with beaver blood and pretended to be dead. The warden, fooled by their deception, ran for help. Meanwhile, the trappers took their beaver pelts and escaped. This account is regarded as dubious; for example, no known description of this incident appears in the official wardens' reports.[3]
In 1954, the Calgary Herald wrote that it was "named only 10 to 12 years ago after a man was found shot in a cabin in the area."[4] However, the phrase "Dead Man's flat" (lower-case "f" without the plural "s" at the end) is used in the August 25th, 1924 edition of the Calgary Herald. In an article that describes some recent events in Canmore it is stated that "A party of Canmore boys...returned last week from a seven days' outing at Dead Man's flat." They went on the outing for the purpose of fishing.[5]
From 1974 to 1985 the hamlet was officially called Pigeon Mountain Service Centre, but it changed its name to Dead Man's Flats in 1985 to encourage tourism.[6] The new name had been unofficially used to designate the hamlet for several decades prior.[6]
Before the Trans-Canada highway was constructed through the area in the 1950s, it was sparsely populated Crown land; among the only structures in the area were a corral and a camper's cabin.[4] Proximity to the new national highway spurred the hamlet's development as a commercial service centre and rest stop for travelers and truck drivers. Businesses currently operating include motels, a Husky truck stop with a 24-hour diner, a Shell, gas station with a U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer, and the one98eight restaurant.[7] Recently the area has been the subject of proposed developments which would involve the construction of a new residential neighbourhood and a light industrial park.[8] [9]
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Dead Man’s Flats had a population of 377 living in 128 of its 162 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 125. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[10]
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Dead Man’s Flats (Pigeon Mountain) had a population of 125 living in 57 of its 96 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 121. With a land area of 1.07km2, it had a population density of in 2016.[11]