Travers, Alberta Explained

Official Name:Travers
Settlement Type:Hamlet
Pushpin Map:Canada Alberta
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Alberta
Subdivision Type2:Region
Subdivision Name2:Southern Alberta
Subdivision Type3:Census division
Subdivision Name3:5
Subdivision Type4:Municipal district
Subdivision Name4:County of Vulcan
Leader Title:Governing body
Leader Name:Vulcan County Council
Leader Title1:MP
Leader Title2:MLA
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1914
Population As Of:2007
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:0
Timezone:MST
Utc Offset:−7
Timezone Dst:MDT
Utc Offset Dst:−6
Coordinates:50.243°N -112.556°W
Postal Code Type:Postal code span
Postal Code:T0L 1G0
Area Code:+1-403
Blank Name:Highways
Blank1 Name:Waterways

Travers is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within Vulcan County. It is located approximately southwest of Highway 1 and southwest of Brooks.

History

Travers was once a booming community along the Canadian Pacific Railway between Medicine Hat and Aldersyde. Travers gets its name from one of the railway's surveyors in 1914.

The first settlers to the area were: Pete Brodie, William Dunlop, A. Keene, Tom Emelson, Fred VanHolm, J.W. Murphy and Sidney Thurlow.

Travers' first grain elevator was built by Home Elevator Co. in 1914, next to the new railway, followed by an Ogilvie and United Grain Growers elevator.

Settlers of the area at the time had to receive their mail at Sundial, 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Travers. George Shirley opened a post office 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Travers in 1909. Soon after, another was opened at a store in Rosemead, 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Travers.

When the railway came Rosemead post office and store was relocated to Travers. With the arrival of the railway, Travers had: a bank, barber shop, butcher shop, harness shop, two hardware and lumber yards, two blacksmiths, two livery barns, restaurants and boarding houses, garages and machine dealers, three grocery stores, pool room, men's clothing store, hotel and real estate office.[2]

Very little remains from the pioneer era of Travers; the last two grain elevators were demolished on January 29, 1989. Many foundations, including the old bank vault, can still be seen along the quiet main street. As of 2000, only one resident remains in Travers.[3]

Demographics

The population of Travers, according to the 2007 municipal census conducted by Vulcan County, is 0.[1]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alberta Population Summary: Alberta's Hamlets Alphabetically, 2010 . Alberta Population . September 25, 2021.
  2. Drybelt Pioneers, Second Edition: History of Circle Hill, Enchant, Retlaw, Sundial, Travers - Page 916-940
  3. Drybelt Pioneers, Second Edition: History of Circle Hill, Enchant, Retlaw, Sundial, Travers - Page 918