Gleichen, Alberta
Encyclopedia
Gleichen is a hamlet
in southeast Alberta
, Canada
within Wheatland County
. It is located adjacent to the Siksika Nation
at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 547, approximately 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) southeast of Strathmore
.
on January 24, 1899 and then incorporated as a town
on May 6, 1910. After nearly 100 years as a municipality however, Gleichen dissolved to hamlet status under the jurisdiction of Wheatland County on March 31, 1998.
During the formation of the province, Gleichen was large enough to have its own seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
(see Gleichen provincial electoral district). Its population peaked at 668 according to the Canada 1921 Census.
Due to its proximity to the railroad, Gleichen was readily accessible to farmers and ranchers living in the area. Its mostly wooden structures however posed an increased risk of widespread fires. After the community burned a second time in 1912, many of its residents moved elsewhere, mostly to Calgary
.
BSk). Winters are long, dry and cold, while summers are short and warm. Precipitation is usually scant, with an annual mean of 336 millimetres (13.2 in).
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 southeast 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 Wheatland County
Wheatland County, Alberta
Wheatland County is a municipal district in south-central Alberta, Canada, east of Calgary.It is located in Census Division 5. The municipal seat is the Town of Strathmore.-Demographics:...
. It is located adjacent to the Siksika Nation
Siksika Nation
The Siksika Nation is a First Nation in southern Alberta, Canada. The name Siksiká comes from the Blackfoot words sik and iká , with a connector s between the two words. The plural form of Siksiká is Siksikáwa...
at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 547, approximately 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) southeast of Strathmore
Strathmore, Alberta
Strathmore is a town located along the Trans-Canada Highway in southern Alberta, Canada, east of the city of Calgary, within the boundaries of Wheatland County.- History :...
.
History
Gleichen was originally incorporated as a villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
on January 24, 1899 and then incorporated as a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
on May 6, 1910. After nearly 100 years as a municipality however, Gleichen dissolved to hamlet status under the jurisdiction of Wheatland County on March 31, 1998.
During the formation of the province, Gleichen was large enough to have its own seat in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
(see Gleichen provincial electoral district). Its population peaked at 668 according to the Canada 1921 Census.
Due to its proximity to the railroad, Gleichen was readily accessible to farmers and ranchers living in the area. Its mostly wooden structures however posed an increased risk of widespread fires. After the community burned a second time in 1912, many of its residents moved elsewhere, mostly to Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
.
Climate
Gleichen experiences a semi-arid climate (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk). Winters are long, dry and cold, while summers are short and warm. Precipitation is usually scant, with an annual mean of 336 millimetres (13.2 in).