Back to cities
cities
Drumheller
Overview
Drumheller () is a town on the Red Deer River in the badlands of east-central Alberta, Canada. It is located 110 kilometres (68 mi) northeast of Calgary and 97 kilometres (60 mi) south of Stettler. The Drumheller portion of the Red Deer River valley, often referred to as Dinosaur Valley, has an approximate width of 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and an approximate length of 28 kilometres (17 mi). Drumheller was named after Samuel Drumheller, who, after purchasing the homestead of Thomas Patrick Greentree, had it surveyed into the original Drumheller townsite and put lots on the market in 1911. Also in 1911, Samuel Drumheller started coal mining operations near the townsite. Drumheller got a railway station in 1912. It was then incorporated as a village on May 15, 1913, a town on March 2, 1916, and a city on April 3, 1930. Over a 15-year period, Drumheller's population increased 857% from 312 in 1916 to 2,987 in 1931 shortly after becoming a city. Drumheller boomed until the end of the Second World War when coal lost most of its value. The City of Drumheller amalgamated with the Municipal District of Badlands No. 7 on January 1, 1998, to form the current Town of Drumheller. Some of the reasons the two municipalities amalgamated included Badlands No. 7 having more in common with Drumheller than other surrounding rural municipalities and both were experiencing similar planning and development issues due to their locations within the Red Deer River valley. The amalgamated municipality opted for town status rather than city status so that highways within would remain the responsibility of the Province of Alberta. As a result of the amalgamation, Drumheller became Alberta's largest town in terms of land area at 107.93 square kilometres (41.67 sq mi). The 1998 amalgamation resulted in Drumheller absorbing six hamlets that were previously under the jurisdiction of the Municipal District of Badlands No. 7—Cambria, East Coulee, Lehigh, Nacmine, Rosedale and Wayne. Drumheller also previously absorbed the hamlets of Bankview, Midlandvale (Midland), Newcastle and North Drumheller during annexations while under city status. Bankview and Midland were annexed in 1964 and 1972 respectively, while Newcastle and North Drumheller were both annexed in 1967. Other localities within Drumheller, either absorbed through past annexations or its eventual amalgamation with Badlands No. 7, include Aerial, Eladesor, Kneehill, Rosedale Station, Western Monarch (Atlas) and Willow Creek. In total, Drumheller has absorbed at least 13 other communities in its history, some of which are now recognized as neighbourhoods or districts within the town.
Facts
Rank
—
Coordinates
—
Source
WBP almanac
External sources
Media
From Wikipedia1,515 words
WBP editorial3
Museum‑town dynamics
Beyond the dinosaur displays, Drumheller's urban fabric tells a story of a community that grew around resource extraction and rail‑linked grain trade. Walk the main street and note the repurposed grain elevators turned into cafés and galleries; they illustrate how the town has pivoted from a purely industrial hub to a cultural waypoint for travellers exploring the Badlands. The municipal archives, housed in the former town hall, host rotating exhibitions of local photographers documenting the stark landscape and its seasonal moods. These low‑key venues give a sense of the town's resilience and its ability to weave tourism into a broader narrative of agricultural heritage.
Seasonal rhythms for the road‑tripper
The surrounding badlands are most striking in late summer, when the low‑lying ochre cliffs cast long shadows and the sky achieves its most intense blue. However, early autumn brings a cooler clarity that makes walking the hiking trails around the Horseshoe Canyon more comfortable, and the occasional frost on the riverbank adds a crisp contrast to the desert palette. Winter visitors who brave the sub‑zero temperatures are rewarded with a quiet landscape where the usual crowds thin, allowing for solitary sunrise photography. Each season reshapes the town's atmosphere, so plan your itinerary around the light you wish to capture rather than the typical peak‑season crowd.