Vermilion, Alberta
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| Census Division | No. 10 |
| County | Vermilion River |
| Area: | 13.56 km² |
| Founded | 1902 |
| Incorporated | 1906 |
| Population:
Town Population |
4,435 (2001)[1] |
| Population density: | /km² |
| Time zone: | Mountain: UTC -7 |
| Postal code span: | |
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Latitude: |
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| Elevation: | 615 m MSL |
| Highways | Highway 16 Highway 41 |
| Waterways | Vermilion River |
| Mayor: | Taylor Swanson |
| Governing body: | Vermilion Town Council |
1(sc) According to the Canada 2001 Census.{{Canadian City/Extra references=Town of Vermilion website}}Template help Edit Template  |
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Vermilion is a town in Vermilion River County, Alberta along Highway 41 and Highway 16.
Population: 4,435 (2001)[1]
The economy is largely service industry to agriculture. The average age of the residents of the town was 36.2 in 2001 [1] The town has two public schools (one elementary and one junior/senior high) and one Catholic school. The town also attracts students to Lakeland College[2] (offering two year diploma programs) and training in emergency response.
Vermilion is located 192 km east of Edmonton, 38 km south of Clandonald, and 60 km west of Lloydminster.
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[edit] History of Vermilion
It was not until 1902 that a significant number of settlers arrived in this area of Alberta. In 1904, a post office was established at Breage approximately three miles east of the present townsite.
In 1905, the railway arrived and a station was built. The post office was relocated from Breage. Throughout the days of steam, the railway was important to Vermilion. Vermilion was used as a divisional point. It had a water tower to resupply engines, a large roundhouse, an extensive yard, a Y, a turntable, and a bunkhouse for engine crews. With the decline of steam power in the late 1950's and early 1960's, the railway became less important.
In early 1906, Vermilion was incorporated as a village and reincorporated as a town later in the same year. The name Vermilion comes from the red clay found in the river valley. In fact, one of the first businesses in Vermilion was the brick factory which operated from 1906 until 1914. Some Vermilion buildings built from brick from this factory are still standing.
The first newspaper to publish in the Vermilion area was The Signal. In 1909, S.R.P. Cooper established the Vermilion Standard which continues to publish to this day.
In 1911, the provincial government established three demonstration farms near Olds, Fairview, and near the Vermilion townsite. The Vermilion farm later became the Vermilion School of Agriculture, then Vermilion Agricultural and Vocational College and today is Lakeland College.
Like other towns built on the prairies in the early years of this century, Vermilion had an extensive fire on April 10, 1914 which destroyed 28 stores and businesses.[citation needed]
In the 1970's, an instructor at the college designed a grain dryer. He established a company, Vertec, to manufacture and market this dryer and eventually a large grain dryer factory was built in Vermilion. For a brief time, Vermilion billed itself as "The Grain Dryer Capital of Canada". However, Vertec did not enjoy lasting success and went bankrupt. Today the large former factory is a storage facility for agricultural products.[citation needed]
[edit] Vermilion today
For a small town, Vermilion is the hometown of several prominent Canadians, including cross-country skier Beckie Scott, hockey player Jeff Woywitka, cookbook author Jean Paré.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Town of Vermilion website
- Vermilion Standard website
| Census divisions | 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 |
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| Cities | Airdrie - Brooks - Calgary - Camrose - Cold Lake - Edmonton - Fort Saskatchewan - Grande Prairie - Leduc - Lethbridge - Lloydminster - Medicine Hat - Red Deer - Spruce Grove - St. Albert - Wetaskiwin |
| Communities | Counties and Municipal Districts of Alberta - Towns of Alberta - Villages of Alberta - Hamlets of Alberta - Indian Reserves in Alberta - Métis in Alberta |
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