A moment in history: June 19, 1912

On this day in 1912, an offer was under discussion to donate land around Whitemud Creek to the city.

Long before Edmonton existed, Whitemud Creek has been an important part of life for the people here. The creek, like the rest of the river valley, proved to be a vital transportation route for Indigenous people, including the Nehiyawak, Niitsitapi, Nakota Sioux, and Métis. Rich in fish and plant life, the tributary was also an important spot for resource-gathering.

The creek got the "Whitemud" name in 1858, due to the colour of the mix of silt and clay along its banks. The mud was used to whitewash buildings at Fort Edmonton.

By 1912, much of the land around the creek was owned by the L.L. Fuller real estate company, which donated 160 acres to the city. As a newspaper report mentioned at the time, the offer was made so Edmonton could turn the area into a park, an early example of river valley land becoming officially sanctioned public space.

But it wasn't as if Whitemud Creek was left completely undisturbed. Like much of the river valley, the creek hid a valuable resource: rich coal seams. In 1952, the Whitemud Creek Coal Mine (also known as Mine No. 1727) opened. The mine made for an odd neighbour, nestled as it was between the Snow Valley Ski Hill and the Rainbow Valley campground. It extended to both banks of the creek, covering more than 67 acres.

The banks of the creek contained significant amounts of coal, which made the miners' work a bit more comfortable. Since the deposits ran deep, workers could stand up while mining, instead of bending over as in mines with shallower seams.

As the oil-and-gas industry grew in the 1950s and '60s, Edmonton's coal industry started to decline, and mines shut down. But Mine No. 1727 outlasted the rest, continuing to pull coal from Whitemud Creek. It finally closed in 1970, the last operating mine from what was once a bustling coal industry.

Whitemud Creek remains a beloved natural space and popular walk in south Edmonton, visited by both humans and non-humans alike. In 2005, the striking Whitemud Creek Arch was constructed, combining a pedestrian path and wildlife pathway that run under the Anthony Henday.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist Rev Recluse of Vintage Edmonton.