![]() |
|||
![]() ![]() |
![]() |
||
![]() |
|||
Home>> People and Communities>> Geographical Communities>> Regional Profiles>> Crowsnest Pass>> Hillcrest |
|||
Hillcrest | |||
Hillcrest was born from the strength of the coalfields in the vicinity. In 1898, Charles Plummer ‘Chippy’ Hill of Port Hill, Idaho, came to the Crowsnest Pass and chanced upon a rich coal outcropping. Four years later, he staked out a claim on the land, purchased the mineral rights, and created the Hillcrest Coal and Coke Company.
The company chose its townsite well. Fresh water was drawn from nearby Drum Creek, the Chinook winds created a lovely climate, and the coal was of high quality. The Hillcrest Coal and Coke Company built one of the fastest growing towns in the Pass. By 1914, the population of Hillcrest had reached 1,000 people. Apart from the town, the mine was also well organized. When the town was first constructed, the Hillcrest Coal and Coke Company moved quickly to draw a population by building cottages and homes for its workers. Early on, the company aimed high, and believed that it was possible to draw 2,000 tonnes of coal per day. By 1914, the company built a mine considered one of the safest and best run in the Pass, could boast 344 men on the payroll, and were fast approaching their lofty goal.
Although rescuers acted quickly to find survivors, it became apparent that few lived through the explosion. In total, 48 men came out alive, while the rest remained buried 30 centimetres apart in a mass grave. Almost every family in the area lost a family member, leaving 400 children fatherless. Since the mine closed in 1939, the coal industry in the area
has since shut down. Today, Hillcrest is a quiet town marked
with three large gravesites surrounded by a picket fence. The
cemetery was designated a Provincial Historic Resource in
February 1985. |
|||
![]() |