Bankhead was established in 1903 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Lower Bankhead was the industrial portion and mine entrance while Upper Bankhead was the residential area. At the time, Bankhead had more amenities and people then nearby Banff.
Bankhead was established in 1903 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Lower Bankhead was the industrial portion and mine entrance while Upper Bankhead was the residential area. At the time, Bankhead had more amenities and people then nearby Banff. In 1922, a couple months after the coal miners went on strike, the mine was permanently shut down. Reports say that the mine was not very profitable and when production started to go down, the CPR pulled the plug on the mine.
These days you can get a overlook of the entire Lower Bankhead a few meters from where you would park. There are steps that lead you down into the valley where the town once stood. The trail is about 1.1km lon