Bankhead ? I know what your thinking... What the heck is that? Where the heck is that ? BANKHEAD?!? ... Well it’s a ghost town, literally, abandoned in 1922. I know what yur thinking HOW CAN A GHOST TOWN BE A LOVE STORY??? . Well bare with me, soon you will find out. Located in Banff, Alberta -Canada. Banff became a National Park in the year 1885, cover’s approximately 6500 square kilometres. Banff has so much beauty, people from across the world in there youth, come to work in Banff. People come from all over to visit Banff, so much to see and do ... One of my favourite hikes, an easy one to do, is Peyto lake. You’ve never heard of that either I’m sure but look at this pic from last winter. Un-edited. Blue. Gorgeous water. 👇🏻CHECK OUT BANFF!

When XRP moons on my list is travelling to Ghost towns, through out Canada and the USA. I find them very interesting, what happened, why did it end up a ghost town? Why weren’t they viably as a town? I find them so fascinating. Aside from the beautiful pictures of ruins, ruins of once glorious structures and buildings. Ghost towns tell a story, here’s one only a few hours south of me.

Well located in Banff a town that was but no more, The year was 1903 a small coal mining town in the early twentieth century in Banff National Park. The Mine was located at Cascade Mountain, which still gets many visitors to this day. While bank head sleeps hidden away, as people hike on by. My Girlfriend at the time, now my wife, found an old church on a hike one day and that’s where we got married but first a little Bankhead past....

The mine opened in 1903 and employed 200-300 people. The Canadian Pacific Railway ran the town, The town of Bank head was split into two areas, Mine site and residential area . The residential area was just like any other. It included an hotel, pool hall, of course saloons complete with a place to tie up your horse, a restaurant, stores and shops, a boarding house for single men, over 100 homes once existed and a cute little church. In 1922 the labor strikes were everywhere across the country and the mine closed, and never reopened. Notices were placed all over Bankhead, The notices made It clear that the staff of Bankhead “Mines would not be required and cease coal operations” Well there you have it, the fate of this 20 year town was sealed, 1930 and Banff National Park forbid mining and forestry... that was the final nail in an otherwise sealed shut coffin. I could find no concrete reasons why for the closure, although it was stated that mining there had not been profitable also the coal was very crumbly and not good for the CPR. The Mine produced 600 tons of coal a day. I think, my opinion, the real reason was there had been a strike at the mine just two short months before this announcement. Since the strike, the mines closed and remained closed forever. But the remainder of that town still exists nearly 100 years later.

A mound of coal still sits today, getting reclaimed by nature. Rhubarb grows everywhere in Bankhead, it can be seen all over your hikes, even growing in the coal.

Trains that would haul coal from the mines

The People of Bankhead, located in the middle of nowhere at the time, must have been panicked. A small town of a little over a 1000 people was erased from the map. Now a hidden ghost town, hidden amongst the spruce trees. Bankhead also had a church built in 1908, Bankhead holy trinity chrurch, this church when in use seen many weddings. It was the only church in Bankhead, after the town’s demise the church was sawn in half. Loaded onto railway flat cars and relocated to Calgary where it was reassembled and continued in operation until 1962.

NOW THE LOVE STORY PART

What remained after Bankhead church was dismantled was a foundation, a solid thick concrete foundation, it survived anything this world threw at it. Just like the foundation from this church still stands 117 year later, Lee and I have built a foundation over 4 decades of being in each other’s lives. A foundation that stood the test of time, just like ours. A foundation that recently formed into a marriage. Bankhead Holy Trinity Church would see one more wedding.....

❤️ MY OWN ❤️

The steps and foundation to the church, we got married at the top of the steps with 20 friends and family there

Had to put a goofy picture, Griffin every time we try and take a nice picture he does this 😂 ... he has my sense of humour I think. You’ll notice the picture in my hand, it’s of my mom. She was there in spirt. She knew Lee from being friends for years, she loved Lee. And would have been so happy.

Thanks for reading ❤️ Until the next one

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