Rosebud, Alberta is a

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

southern Alberta Southern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta. In 2004, the region's population was approximately 272,017.Wheatland County. Previously an incorporated municipality, Rosebud dissolved from village status on January 1, 1946, to become part of the Municipal District of Grasswold No. 248. Rosebud is located on Highway 840, approximately northeast of

Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...

and southwest of

Drumheller Drumheller is a town on the Red Deer River in the badlands of Central Alberta, east-central Alberta, Canada. It is northeast of Calgary and south of Stettler, Alberta, Stettler. The Drumheller portion of the Red Deer River valley, often ref ...

. It sits in a sheltered valley on the

Rosebud River The Rosebud River is a major tributary of the Red Deer River in Alberta, Canada. The Rosebud River passes through agricultural lands and ranchland for most of its course, and through badlands in its final reaches. It provides water for irri ...

near the edge of the Canadian Badlands. This area was called ''Akokiniskway'' by the

Blackfoot The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...

people, which translates roughly to "by the river of many roses".

History

The hamlet was founded in the 1885 by James Wishart. While following the ''Gleichen Trail'' to Montana with his family, they awoke to the river valley covered by wild roses,

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

's official flower. Wishart then reportedly said, "Here's the promised land, we go no further." The beauty of the valley has attracted many people throughout the years, from nature lovers to artists. Notable artists

A. Y. Jackson Alexander Young Jackson LL. D. (October 3, 1882April 5, 1974) was a Canadian painter and a founding member of the Group of Seven. Jackson made a significant contribution to the development of art in Canada, and was instrumental in bringing toget ...

and H. G. Glyde, members of the

Group of Seven The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental political forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States; additionally, the European Union (EU) is a "non-enumerated member". It is official ...

, spent a summer in 1944 painting in the area. Over the years, farming and coal mining have been the primary industries. In 1972 the Severn Creek School was shut down as part of an Alberta wide education consolidating process and local children were bused to

Standard Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object th ...

and Drumheller. This resulted in many of the local businesses being closed and the hamlet population dropped to under a dozen people. However, the farming community of around 400 still support a seed cleaning plant. Easter 1973, a group of young adults from Calgary brought about 40 teenagers out and camped in the then empty mercantile. This pilot event evolved into a summer camp initially funded by a grant from the

Alberta government The Executive Council of Alberta (the Cabinet) is a body of ministers of the Crown in right of Alberta, who along with the lieutenant governor, exercises the powers of the Government of Alberta. Ministers are selected by the premier and typicall ...

and then supported as Rosebud Camp of the Arts by Crescent Heights Baptist Church in Calgary. In 1977 a high school was founded using the old buildings of the town as classrooms and emphasizing practical, visual, music and the performing arts in its curriculum. In the 1980s, Rosebud School of the Arts began to run theatre, which eventually developed into Rosebud Theatre and the school shifted its emphasis to post-secondary education. Today Rosebud Theatre runs as a fully professional company that offers programming year round and is a tourist attraction drawing patrons from

and

Demographics

In the

2021 Census of Population The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, which is sli ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...

, Rosebud had a population of 112 living in 43 of its 54 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 87. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Rosebud had a population of 87 living in 29 of its 30 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 88. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.

Economy

Currently the primary industries within the hamlet are tourism and the arts, with the Rosebud Theatre drawing an estimated 40,000 visitors to the hamlet annually. The theatre grew out of church outreach programme for Calgary youth. Agriculture along with oil and gas production are significant industries in the surrounding area.

References

*Hymas, Kay: Akokiniskway, by the river of many roses, page 39. Rosebud Historical Society. 1983. *Akokiniskway, by the river of many roses, page 33. Rosebud Historical Society. 1983.

External links

Rosebud TheatreRosebud CommunityHistory Book on line (www.ourroots.ca)Rosebud School of the Arts
{{Authority control Designated places in Alberta Hamlets in Alberta Former villages in Alberta Wheatland County, Alberta

History

Demographics

Economy

See also

References

External links