NACMINE

NAME: Nacmine COUNTY: N/A ROADS: 4WD GRID: 2 CLIMATE: Mild summer,cold winter BEST TIME TO VISIT: Summer

COMMENTS: East Central Alberta REMAINS: Many abandoned buildings.

The original name of the town was Monarch. It was later renamed after it founders, North American Collieries (NAC and Mine) and was situated four miles west of Drumheller on what was then the main highway between Calgary and Saskatoon and was the deepest mine in the Valley. As pretentious as its mine appeared to be, the townsite was even more so. It was a company town. The houses were attractive and painted in various colors. The houses were spread well apart with generous lots of over 100 feet being allowed for each house. Nearly every house was surrounded by a garden. Old time bunkhouses were eliminated. A two story hotel afforded accommodations for 160 single men. Children’s education was also provided in an up to date school building. The teachers lived in bungalows equipped with furnace, water, and electric lights. The village was entirely self-supporting having a post office, bank, two general stores, butcher shop, billiard room and an ice cream parlor. The company laid aside grounds for baseball, football, golf links, a skating rink, and a gymnasium. Things did go well until the depression of the 1930s. The mine kept operating until 1961 when it finally closed after 40 years. Today there are numerous abandoned buildings in Nacmine but some people decided to stay. Some day it undoubtedly will become part of the city of Drumheller. H.B. Chenoweth

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