Conquerville is an unincorporated community in Forty Mile County

Forty Mile County No. 8, Alberta

The County of Forty Mile No. 8 is a municipal district in south eastern Alberta, Canada.It is located in Census Division 1, east of Medicine Hat. The municipal seat is in Foremost.-Demographics:...

, Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. Located 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Highway 61, in southeast Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is one of many ghost towns along the historic Red Coat Trail

Red Coat Trail

The Red Coat Trail is a route that approximates the path taken in 1874 by the North-West Mounted Police in their quest to bring law and order to the Canadian West.-Travel route:...

 route.

History

Conquerville was first established in the early 20th century, the area previously having been used by ranchers along the McLeod Trail, en route to Fort McLeod. The route, which had been converted into a railway during the 1890s, brought many passengers and ranchers nearby Conquerville, including coal miners after coal was discovered in the area early in the 20th century. In 1909, Conquerville underwent an agricultural boom, which brought many farmers to the area. The First World War brought prosperity to Conquerville, with the 1915–16 harvest benefiting all; however, the post-war period saw the town fall on harsh times. Disease ravaged the local cattle population, and Spanish influenza destroyed many families. Grants to farmers, coupled with land grants to new residents supported by the government, led to a rebound for the prairie town. In 1945, a large Conquerville school opened, combining nine different school districts into one. In 1954, the town was electrified, and in 1965 the town celebrated its 50th anniversary of its founding, publishing a book, Conquerville: a growing community, to celebrate.

Ghost town

Starting in the 1980s, Conquerville began to fall into decline. During the 1980s, the local high school – the heart of the community – was closed down due to a lack of enrollment. A basketball court, a reminder of the high school that once stood, remains, but it is overgrown with weeds. Although a community hall remains nearby, only few residents remain. It is believed that the farming community of the area began its fall when the school closed.