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 Scarcely more than a century has passed since coal was discovered in the historic Crowsnest Pass. The community’s history is reflected on its main streets, which reveal the colourful days when whiskey smuggling, train robberies and shoot-outs were a way of life.
Through the Alberta Main Street Program, the community has preserved its past by refurbishing significant buildings. Standing on any street, you can see pieces of this vibrant past-from the Blairmore bandstand, which saw parades and demonstrations of labour unrest, to the Bellevue Cafe, where police and bandits died in a bloody exchange of gunfire. Underground passageways, once channels for illegal liquor, snake beneath your feet. Many historic houses still stand as a tribute to the hardworking miners and their families who emigrated from England, Italy and eastern Europe. These homes and other architectural relics of the past help transport visitors’ imaginations back to yesterday.
The Pass stands ready to surpass its boom town days as it capitalizes on new frontiers. While abandoned mines still wind through the mountains, the mine whistle and the steam locomotive are heard no more. Instead, people are coming to the Pass to enjoy life and to experience world-class trout fishing, unlimited camping, historic sites and the adventure of high-altitude winter sports.
Municipality of Crowsnest Pass office: weekdays 8:30-12, 1-4:30. 8502-19 Avenue, Coleman. .
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