Wanham is a hamlet

Hamlet (place)

A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...

 in northern Alberta

Northern Alberta

Northern Alberta is a region located in the Canadian province of Alberta.Its primary industry is oil and gas, with large heavy oil reserves being exploited at the Athabasca Oil Sands and Wabasca Area in the east of the region...

, 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...

 within Birch Hills County

Birch Hills County, Alberta

Birch Hills County is a municipal district in north-western Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 19, north-east of Grande Prairie.-Demographics:The population of Birch Hills County according to its 2008 municipal census is 1,610....

. It is located 29 km (18 mi) east of Rycroft

Rycroft, Alberta

Rycroft is a village in northern Alberta, Canada. It is located 68 km north of the city of Grande Prairie and 7 km east of Spirit River. Dunvegan Provincial Park is located 20 km north of the community.-Demographics:...

 along Highway 49 and approximately 106 km (65.9 mi) north of Grande Prairie

Grande Prairie, Alberta

Grande Prairie is a city in the northwestern part of the province of Alberta in Western Canada. It is located on the southern edge of the Peace River Country . The city is surrounded by the County of Grande Prairie No...

, in the farmlands of Peace River Country

Peace River Country

The Peace River Country is an aspen parkland region around the Peace River in Canada. It spans from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, where the region is also referred to as the Peace River Block.- Geography :The Peace River Country includes the...

. Saddle River, a tributary of Peace River

Peace River (Canada)

The Peace River is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River flows into the Slave River, a tributary of the Mackenzie River. The Mackenzie is the 12th longest river in the world,...

, flows immediately north of the settlement.

Economy is based on agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 and ranching, the settlement being an agricultural service centre for the surrounding farms. A wood products plant, Newpro, is the largest employer in the settlement.It was announced it was closing in January 2006.

History

It was established in 1916 as a station on the railway. The first post office was built in 1918.

It was incorporated as a village

Village

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...

, but dissolved and merged with the Birch Hills County in 1999 by Order in Council 458/99. The county seat is located in Wanham.

Attractions

A yearly plowing competition takes place in Wanham since 1971. It is currently named Alberta Provincial and Canadian Plowing Match and includes a horse drawn antique parade, live music and fashion show.

The Grizzly Bear Prairie Museum is seasonally opened in Wanham. It was founded in 1979 by a group called the Community of Cooperating Organization (COCO for short). It was officially opened in 1981.

Climate