Wanham  | |
|---|---|
![]() Wanham Location of Wanham ![]() Wanham Wanham (Canada)  | |
| Coordinates: 55°44′N 118°24′W / 55.733°N 118.400°W | |
| Country | Canada | 
| Province | Alberta | 
| Region | Northern Alberta | 
| Census division | 17 | 
| Municipal district | Birch Hills County | 
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated | 
| • Governing body | Birch Hills County Council | 
| Area  (2021)[1]  | |
| • Land | 0.98 km2 (0.38 sq mi) | 
| Population  (2021)[1]  | |
| • Total | 141 | 
| • Density | 143.3/km2 (371/sq mi) | 
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) | 
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) | 
| Area code(s) | 780, 587, 825 | 
Wanham (/ˈwɑːnəm/) is a hamlet in northern Alberta, Canada within Birch Hills County.[2] It is located 29 km (18 mi) east of Rycroft along Highway 49 and approximately 106 km (66 mi) north of Grande Prairie, in the farmlands of Peace River Country. Saddle River, a tributary of Peace River, flows immediately north of the community. The origin of the name Wanham could have come from Wanham in England.[3]
The local economy is based on agriculture and ranching, the settlement being an agricultural service centre for the surrounding farms. A wood products plant, Newpro, was previously the largest employer in the settlement. It was announced it was closing in January 2006.
History
It was established in 1916 as a station on the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway.[4] The first post office was built in 1918.
It was incorporated as a village, but dissolved and merged with Birch Hills County in 1999 by Order in Council 458/99.[5] Birch Hills County's municipal office is in Wanham.
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wanham had a population of 141 living in 58 of its 76 total private dwellings, a change of 13.7% from its 2016 population of 124. With a land area of 0.98 km2 (0.38 sq mi), it had a population density of 143.9/km2 (372.6/sq mi) in 2021.[1]
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Wanham had a population of 124 living in 62 of its 78 total private dwellings, a change of -2.4% from its 2011 population of 127. With a land area of 0.99 km2 (0.38 sq mi), it had a population density of 125.3/km2 (324.4/sq mi) in 2016.[10]
Attractions
A yearly plowing competition takes place in Wanham since 1971. It is currently named Alberta Provincial and Canadian Plowing Match and includes a horse drawn antique parade, live music and fashion show.
The Grizzly Bear Prairie Museum is seasonally opened in Wanham. It was founded in 1979 by a group called the Community of Cooperating Organization (COCO for short). It was officially opened in 1981.
Climate
| Climate data for Wanham | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | 
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1)  | 
14.5 (58.1)  | 
17.2 (63.0)  | 
29.4 (84.9)  | 
32 (90)  | 
33.9 (93.0)  | 
33 (91)  | 
36 (97)  | 
31.5 (88.7)  | 
26.7 (80.1)  | 
18 (64)  | 
11 (52)  | 
33.9 (93.0)  | 
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −9.3 (15.3)  | 
−6 (21)  | 
0.9 (33.6)  | 
10.3 (50.5)  | 
17.3 (63.1)  | 
20.7 (69.3)  | 
22.4 (72.3)  | 
21 (70)  | 
16.1 (61.0)  | 
9.4 (48.9)  | 
−2 (28)  | 
−8 (18)  | 
7.7 (45.9)  | 
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −14.8 (5.4)  | 
−11.7 (10.9)  | 
−4.8 (23.4)  | 
4.2 (39.6)  | 
10.5 (50.9)  | 
14.5 (58.1)  | 
16.2 (61.2)  | 
14.8 (58.6)  | 
10 (50)  | 
3.9 (39.0)  | 
−6.8 (19.8)  | 
−13.3 (8.1)  | 
1.9 (35.4)  | 
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −20.3 (−4.5)  | 
−17.3 (0.9)  | 
−10.5 (13.1)  | 
−1.9 (28.6)  | 
3.8 (38.8)  | 
8.2 (46.8)  | 
10 (50)  | 
8.4 (47.1)  | 
3.8 (38.8)  | 
−1.5 (29.3)  | 
−11.5 (11.3)  | 
−18.7 (−1.7)  | 
−4 (25)  | 
| Record low °C (°F) | −48.3 (−54.9)  | 
−45 (−49)  | 
−37 (−35)  | 
−22.8 (−9.0)  | 
−7.2 (19.0)  | 
−3.9 (25.0)  | 
0 (32)  | 
−4.5 (23.9)  | 
−10.6 (12.9)  | 
−28 (−18)  | 
−41.1 (−42.0)  | 
−50 (−58)  | 
−50 (−58)  | 
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 29.1 (1.15)  | 
21.4 (0.84)  | 
18.6 (0.73)  | 
22.2 (0.87)  | 
40.6 (1.60)  | 
75.8 (2.98)  | 
72.4 (2.85)  | 
65.8 (2.59)  | 
42.2 (1.66)  | 
28 (1.1)  | 
24.2 (0.95)  | 
27.8 (1.09)  | 
468 (18.4)  | 
| Source: Environment Canada[11] | |||||||||||||
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "Population and dwelling counts: Canada and designated places". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
 - ↑ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
 - ↑ "Wanham Alberta".
 - ↑ Discover the Peace Country. "Wanham". Retrieved June 20, 2007.
 - ↑ Alberta Municipal Affairs (June 2007). "Birch Hills County". Retrieved June 20, 2007.
 - ↑ "Table 9: Population by census subdivisions, 1966 by sex, and 1961". 1966 Census of Canada. Western Provinces. Vol. Population: Divisions and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1967.
 - ↑ "Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Vol. Population: Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977.
 - ↑ "Table 2: Census Subdivisions in Alphabetical Order, Showing Population Rank, Canada, 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Vol. Census subdivisions in decreasing population order. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. ISBN 0-660-51563-6.
 - ↑ "Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN 0-660-57115-3.
 - 1 2 "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and designated places, 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
 - ↑ Environment Canada—. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
 

