East Coulee

Shortly before reaching Drumheller, we came upon the old mining site for the Atlas Coal Mines (historically, this part of Canada was a major coal-producing region). The Atlas Mines has been preserved, and is currently undergoing restoration. It contains the big coal sorting bin, the plant offices, hardware store, and typical houses of the period.

The grounds are covered with remnants of the old mining days, with railroad cars, transport for the miners, and many other pieces of equipment.

The guided tour was a lot of fun, and it even included a breath-taking trek up to the top of the sorting house.

The tour does not currently include going underground into the hillside mines, but we were told there are plans to re-open the old below-ground mines and include them in the tour, within the next decade (when enough funding is secured).

Frankly, in all honesty, this was one of the most interesting stops of our trip. Trying to imagine the ponies, working underground, that hauled the carts was pretty difficult (much less what the life of a miner or his family was like!).

After our mining tour, we stopped in the small hamlet of East Coulee to see what it was like; there we discovered the old School Museum (which I think was Tom's favorite stop on the tour). It was a 1930s schoolhouse, partially restored, with desks, books, rolling shades, leather straps, and photos of many classes and teachers.

The late-afternoon light shining through the tall windows in the old schoolroom was a reminder of my old country school in Georgia; even the dusty smell of warming wood brought back memories.

We then headed on to Dinosaur City!