Wayne
Ghost Towns of the Canadian Badlands
Deep in the heart of Alberta’s Badlands, ghostowners can
find the tiny village of Wayne, once a thriving coal-mining town of
more than 3,000. But now, the ghosts are knocking in Wayne, which
has witnessed its population dwindle to about 40 diehard souls.
Wayne is about 10 miles southeast of Drumheller, the main centre in
the Alberta Badlands, and area of the province which is considered
to hold the richest dinosaur fossil beds in the world. To get to
village, visitors must get off the main highway six miles east of
Drumheller and then drive four miles in a winding moon-like valley,
crossing 11 one lane bridges, each with a wooden plank bed. Along
the way, visitors will see countless coal mining relics of the
past, including abandon homes and machinery. Wayne was one
community of several that sprang up after the Red Deer Coal Company
introduced the area’s first mine in 1912. By 1932, the area,
including Wayne, was booming, holding a population of more than
10,000. But by 1957, the last mine closed, and each town in the
valley started declining. During its heyday, Wayne supported a
school, hospital, theatre and several stores but today, with its
Main Street barely visible, only the Rosedeer Hotel hangs on. The
hotel, built in 1913 is the only structure remaining of the mining
days. Inside the Saloon you will find the walls covered with old
black and white photographs of Wayne and the coal mines plus a
collection of mining gear.
This cache is part of the Legacy Trail produced by the Canadian
Badlands Geocaching Association for the Best of the Bad Mega
Event.
The Legacy Trail
The Legacy Trail is a collection of geocaches that circles its
way over 100 miles on country roads traversing some of the most
scenic and spectacular landscape in this part of the Canadian
Badlands. A large number of caches in a variety of types, sizes and
difficulty are placed on the Trail. Every town, village and hamlet
in the Canadian Badlands has its own cache. Some caches were named
after local historic events and people, as well as celebrities who
grew up in this area. Some caches were sponsored by geocachers who
attended the Best of the Bad Mega Event. The Legacy Trail was
produced by the Canadian Badlands Geocaching Association for the
Best of the Bad Mega Event.
The Canadian Badlands
The Canadian Badlands in Alberta are like no other place on
earth, home to the world's most extensive dinosaur bonebeds,
badlands and hoodoos, and a world-class museum that shelters a 75
million-year-old legacy. The region is rich in culturally and
historically significant sites that tell the story of the First
Nations people and early settlers, and of a complex and diverse
modern society that is still deeply rooted in the spirit of the
frontier.
