Deadwood, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
within the County of Northern Lights. It is located on Highway 690, approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of the Mackenzie Highway
Mackenzie Highway
The Mackenzie Highway is a Canadian highway in northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. It begins as Alberta Highway 2 at Mile Zero in Grimshaw, Alberta...
(Highway 35), 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) north of Peace River
Peace River, Alberta
Peace River is a town in northwestern Alberta, Canada, situated along the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. It is located northwest of Edmonton, and northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. The Peace River townsite is nearly ...
and 34 kilometres (21.1 mi) southeast of Manning
Manning, Alberta
Manning is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is known as the "Land of the Mighty Moose". It is located on Highway 35 north of Peace River on the Notikewin River.Manning is a service centre for the local agriculture, forestry and gas industries...
.
History
John Chauncey Eggenberger was the first postmaster and proprieter of the first general store. He was from Deadwood, South DakotaDeadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...
. It seems that he named the hamlet after his home town. The original store, post office and community hall were located a few miles west of the present day hamlet.
On Saturday, August 19, 2006 in the evening (with a number of people gathered for the Deadwood Days ball tournament watching) a single-engine Cessna 177
Cessna 177
The Cessna 177 Cardinal is a light, high-wing general aviation aircraft that was intended to replace Cessna's 172 Skyhawk. First announced in 1967, it was produced from 1968 to 1978.-Development:...
piloted by Manning
Manning, Alberta
Manning is a town in northern Alberta, Canada. It is known as the "Land of the Mighty Moose". It is located on Highway 35 north of Peace River on the Notikewin River.Manning is a service centre for the local agriculture, forestry and gas industries...
businessman Nick Gudzinski, 49, crashed less than a kilometre south of the hamlet. The pilot and all three of the teenaged passengers were killed. All were residents of the Manning area some 55 kilometres northwest of Deadwood. One of the passengers was Mr. Gudzinski's son; another was his son's girlfriend, and the remaining was the girlfriend's brother.
Amenities
The hamlet consists of a community hall, baseball diamond, post office, small store, and several houses. The post office, store "School Daze" and pool room are all contained within the building that was the Deadwood School. The Deadwood United Church continues as an active preaching point of the Manning-Deadwood Shared Ministry. At one time there was a service station, blacksmith shop and at least one other church. Deadwood had a number of baseball teams in the 1950s and early 1960s and competed in the Mackenzie Highway Baseball League against a number of other teams in the area.Events
Annual community events have included:- "Deadwood Days" in the summer with a softball tournament, and sometimes a parade and a very small fair;
- "The Fall Supper" as in many rural communities in North America, is usually held in late October in the community hall; and
- "Deadwood Talent Night" in the spring, held in the community hall, showcasing an eclectic and sometimes astonishing range of talents from the Manning-Deadwood and Dixonville area.