VULCAN, ALBERTA

'Vulcan' is located midway between the cities of Calgary and Lethbridge, in the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada. The population of the town was 1,940 in 2006, and the population of the county, which is also named Vulcan, was 3,718. The town's economy is mainly agriculture-based. Wheat, canola and barley are the main crops grown in the Vulcan area.

Contents

History

Tourism

Demographics

See also

References

External links

History

The town was named by a surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1915 after the Roman God of Fire - Vulcan. Originally all the streets of the new town of Vulcan were named after gods and goddesses of the classical world. In 1926 a major tornado destroyed many homes and the new curling rink of the town. At one time in the 1970s the town could also boast of having more grain elevators than any location west of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Due to the changing economics of the agricultural industry one by one the original elevators were taken down. Today Vulcan has only one of the original "prairie skyscrapers" left that once could be seen miles away.
An air force training base, RCAF Station Vulcan, was located a few kilometers southwest of the town during the Second World War. Many of the old hangars still exist and the runways can still be seen.

Tourism

The town's name has brought some notoriety that has helped it become a tourist attraction. In the ''Star Trek'' television and feature film series it is the name of the fictional homeworld of the alien Vulcans.
Capitalizing on this coincidence, the town has built a ''Star Trek''-themed tourist station, a replica of the original starship ''Enterprise'', has created space-themed murals and signage, and hosts the annual ''Star Trek'' convention known as Galaxyfest/Spock Days (formerly VulCon). This convention attracts hundreds of ''Star Trek'' fans from around the world.
In the spring of 2007 Vulcan added another "Star Trek" inspired attraction: The Vulcan Space Adventure virtual reality game. The “Vulcan Space Adventure” uses GestureTek’s patented “multi-camera” technology which, combined with holographic images, light and sound effects and even a transporter, creates a virtual reality experience that puts visitors into the boots of a starship officer. In the game, up to 3 Trekkers at a time can step through a set of swishing doors and onto the bridge of a Starship. Using the “point & click” gesture-based computer interface, players face a large holographic screen on which they receive instructions from command, and fight off alien invaders by moving their hand through thin air to point and shoot their weapons.

Demographics

In 2006, Vulcan had a population of 1,940 living in 814 dwellings, a 10.1% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of and a population density of .

See also

★ Towns of Alberta

References

External links

★ The Town of Vulcan

★ Vulcan Tourism Website

★ Vulcan Business Development Society Website

★ Big Sky Astronomical Society