Commerce is a former village in southern Alberta, Canada within Lethbridge County. It was located within township 9, range 22, west of the fourth meridian,[3] northwest of the City of Lethbridge between the Village of Nobleford and the Town of Picture Butte. It was known as the Village of Coalgate from 1912 to 1913.

Commerce
Coalgate (1912–1913)
Former village
Commerce is located in Alberta
Commerce
Commerce
Location of Commerce in Alberta
Coordinates: 49°55′01″N 112°56′20″W / 49.917°N 112.939°W / 49.917; -112.939
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
RegionSouthern Alberta
Census division2
Municipal districtLethbridge County
Founded[1]1912
Incorporated (village)[1]July 9, 1912
Name change[1]December 17, 1913
Dissolved[2]May 13, 1926
Government
 • Governing bodyCounty of Lethbridge Council
Time zoneUTC−7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)

History edit

The community was founded in 1912 as a residential area for the Chinook coal mine northwest of Lethbridge.[1] It was incorporated as the Village of Coalgate on July 9, 1912. The village was renamed to Commerce on December 17, 1913 to reflect the name of its post office.[1] Its population in 1913 was 294.[4]

The Chinook coal mine closed on January 25, 1924,[1] and its population declined to an estimated 100 in 1924[5] and an estimated 50 in 1925.[6] The village subsequently dissolved on May 13, 1926.[2]

Demographics edit

Population history
of Commerce
YearPop.±%
1916212—    
1921360+69.8%
192655−84.7%
Source: Statistics Canada[7]

In the 1921 Census, Commerce had a population of 360.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "County Connection – County History Corner" (PDF). County of Lethbridge. Spring 2011. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 16, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "The Alberta Gazette, 1926 (Volume 22) – Disorganization of the Village of Commerce". Government of Alberta. p. 348. Retrieved October 11, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Census of Canada, 1921. Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1921.
  4. ^ "Population Data 1913" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1913. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  5. ^ "Population Data 1924" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1924. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  6. ^ "Population Data 1925" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. 1925. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Table 6: Population by census subdivisions, 1901–1961". 1961 Census of Canada (PDF). Series 1.1: Historical, 1901–1961. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. March 8, 1963. Retrieved August 11, 2022.