Vulcan, Alberta
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| Motto: | |
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| Census division | No. 5 |
| County | Vulcan |
| Area: | km² |
| Founded | |
| Incorporated | |
| Population
Town Population |
1,762 (2001) |
| Population density | /km² |
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC -7 |
| Postal code span | |
| Latitude
Longitude |
50° 24' 24" N 113° 15' 18" W |
| Elevation | 1055 m MSL |
| Highways | Highway 23 Highway 534 |
| Waterways | |
| Mayor | |
| Governing body | Vulcan Town Council |
| 1(sc) According to the Canada 2001 Census. 2(gr) Geographic references.  |
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The town of Vulcan is located midway between the cities of Calgary and Lethbridge, in the southern part of Alberta, Canada. The population of the town is approximately 1,600, and the population of the county, which is also named Vulcan, is about 6,500. The area around Vulcan is used extensively for agricultural purposes, growing mostly wheat, canola and barley.
The town was named by a surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1915 after the Roman God of Fire - Vulcan. Originally all the streets of the new town of Vulcan were named after gods and goddesses of the classical world. In 1926 a major tornado destroyed many homes and the new curling rink of the town. At one time in the 1970s the town could also boast of having more grain elevators than any location west of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Sadly due to the changing economics of the agricultural industry one by one the original elevators were taken down. Today Vulcan has only one of the original "prairie skyscrapers" left that once could be seen miles away.
The town would ordinarily be an unremarkable little settlement, no different from the thousands of other small towns dotting the prairies, if it were not for its name. Its name has brought the town a notoriety that has helped it become a major tourist attraction. In Star Trek, it is the name of the fictional homeworld of the alien Vulcans.
Capitalizing on this coincidence, the town of Vulcan has built a Star Trek – themed tourist station, a giant replica of the original starship Enterprise, and hosts the annual Star Trek convention Galaxyfest (formerly VulCon), which attracts hundreds of Star Trek fans from around the world. Also held annually are the Spock Days Rodeo, named after the most famous Vulcan character from Star Trek. The town has tried for many years, without success, to arrange a visit from Leonard Nimoy — the man who made Mr. Spock and Vulcans famous.
An air force training base, RCAF Station Vulcan, was located near the town during World War II. Many of the old hangars still exist and the runways can still be seen.
[edit] External links
 Subdivisions of Alberta |
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| Census divisions | 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 |
| Regions | Calgary Region · Edmonton Capital Region · Calgary-Edmonton Corridor · Central Alberta · Northern Alberta · Southern Alberta |
| 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 · Towns · Villages · Hamlets · Indian reserves · Métis |
| Other | School districts · Regional Health Authorities |
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