Altorado is a
ghost town
A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
in the
County of Forty Mile No. 8,
Alberta
Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
, Canada.
The community was originally settled during the creation of a
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...
line from
Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Weyburn is the tenth-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. The city has a population of 11,019. It is on the Souris River southeast of the provincial capital of Regina and is north from the North Dakota border in the United States. The na ...
to
Stirling, Alberta
Stirling is a village in southern Alberta, Canada that is surrounded by the County of Warner No. 5. The village is located on Alberta Highway 4, Highway 4, approximately southeast of Lethbridge and northwest of the Canada–United States border ...
in an attempt to profit from railway trade. During 1912–1913, pioneers, mainly members of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
, settled at Altorado, located southeast of present-day
Foremost. By 1913, the community had a doctor, a post office, two general stores, and three blacksmiths.
However, in 1915,
Canadian Pacific Rail service would extend the line to
Bingham (nowadays Nemiskam), and most residents would relocate there. Even though Nemiskam caused the death of Altorado, eventually Nemiskam would receive ghost town status as
Foremost would take off with it being located next to Highway 879.
See also
*
List of ghost towns in Alberta
The province of Alberta has several ghost towns that have been completely or partially abandoned. Many of Alberta's ghost towns exist as a result of a number of failed coal mining operations in the area during the early 20th century.
Ghost t ...
*
Nemiskam, Alberta
*
Orion, Alberta
References
External links
*
County of Forty Mile No. 8
Ghost towns in Alberta
Populated places established in 1912
Latter-day Saint settlements in Canada
1912 establishments in Alberta
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