Three Hills

For the historic house in the United States, see Three Hills (Warm Springs, Virginia).

Three Hills
Town
Town of Three Hills
Three Hills Location of Three Hills in Alberta
Coordinates:
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Central Alberta
Census division	5
Municipal district	Kneehill County
Incorporated	1912 (village)
Government
• Mayor	Timothy J. Shearlaw
• Governing body	Three Hills Town Council
Area (2011)
• Total	5.63 km2 (2.17 sq mi)
Elevation	896 m (2,940 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	3,198
• Density	567.8/km2 (1,471/sq mi)
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
Highways	Highway 21 Highway 583
Waterway	Threehills Creek
Website	Official website

Three Hills is a town located in the southern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It takes its name from the three highly visible hills that are situated to its north.

History

Three Hills was incorporated as a village in 1912, the year it was moved to its current location on the Canadian Northern Railway. With ranchers and farmers constituting its first residents, it soon became a centre for the surrounding wheat-growing area.

In 1922, the Prairie Bible Institute was established in Three Hills with L.E. Maxwell as its founding principal. This occurrence helped to increase the population of the town proper and its adjacent settlements. By the mid 1980s, the 130-acre (0.53 km²) Bible College campus and the nearby hamlets of Grantville and Ruarkville were annexed to the town.

Although a relatively small community, Three Hills had the distinction of hosting the Alberta Seniors Games in the summer of 1998. The town was chosen to host this event because of its ability to utilize large and well equipped facilities at the college. This included the opening and closing ceremonies which took place in the 4,300 seat Maxwell Memorial Tabernacle, located on the Bible College campus.

The Maxwell Tabernacle was Canada's largest religious auditorium before it was demolished in 2005. It operated from 1954 to 2005 as a local church, concert hall, and graduation auditorium for Prairie Bible Institute and Three Hills School high school classes.

Because of development regarding the nearby methane fields, the food and lodging industries in Three Hills have grown considerably over the past few years.

Demographics

The Town of Three Hills' 2012 municipal census counted a population of 3,230, a 2.8% decrease from its 2008 municipal census population of 3,322.

In the 2011 Census, the Town of Three Hills had a population of 3,198 living in 1,178 of its 1,257 total dwellings, a 3.5% change from its 2006 population of 3,089. With a land area of 5.63 km² (2.17 sq mi), it had a population density of 568.0/km² (1,471.2/sq mi) in 2011.

In 2006, Three Hills had a population of 3,089 living in 1,184 dwellings, a 6.4% increase from 2001. The town has a land area of 5.63 km² (2.17 sq mi) and a population density of 548.4/km² (1,420/sq mi).

Media

• The Capital – weekly newspaper

Notable people

• Phil Callaway, author and humorist
• Willie DeWitt, silver medalist Olympian boxer
• Erica Durance, actress
• Paul Janz, singer

See also

• Three Hills Airport
• List of communities in Alberta
• List of towns in Alberta