Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site

Atlas No. 3 Mine

Useful Information

Location:	110 Century Dr. East Coulee, Alberta, Canada T0J 1B0. At Drumheller. From Drumheller, Hwy 10 East. (51.3295459, -112.4813428)
Open:	Mid-MAY to mid-OCT daily. Online bookíng mandatory. [2026]
Fee:	Site Admission: Adults CAD 16.95, Children (6-17) CAD 13.50, Children (3-5) CAD 9.50, Children (0-2) free, Seniors CAD 13.50. Train Ride CAD 9.25, Processing Plant Tour CAD 16.95, Mine Portal Hike CAD 19.25. [2026]
Classification:	Coal Mine
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	Site Admission: self guided. Train Ride: D=25 min. Processing Plant Tour: D=45 min. Mine Portal Hike: D=95 min.
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site, Drumheller Valley, Box 521 East Coulee, Alberta, Canada T0J 1B0, Tel: +1-403-822-2220. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1903	first coal lease taken by James E. Trumble, a local rancher.
1907	American entrepreneur Samuel Drumheller bought the farm of Thomas Greentree.
1911	Drumheller founded.
1912	first mine in the valley, Newcastle Mine, started.
07-MAR-1907	first mine opened by the Atlas Coal Co. Ltd.
05-MAY-1928	Atlas Coal Mine opened.
1937	wooden coal tipple built.
1947	peak year with a production of two million tons of coal.
1956	Atlas #3 closed.
1979	Atlas Mine closed.
1984	Atlas #4 closed.
2002	named a National Historic Site.
2008	Atlas Coal Mine Historical Society received a fund of $500,000 to develop an underground tour.
MAY-2009	underground tour scheduled to open.

Description

Atlas Coal Mine is one of the most complete mining museums in Canada, preserved as a historic site after the mines were closed. The mines were sealed up by the mine company when abandoned, as required by law, so there is no underground tour. Some sights are the Miner’s Wash House, the new Lamp House, and Mine Offices. There is also an original miner’s shack, built of straw, mud, and manure. It is possible to view the mine area self-guided on various trails.

The history of the mines is fascinating, some stories sound like the plot of a western movie. The American entrepreneur Colonel Samuel Drumheller came to the area in 1907. He knew that a railway would soon be built through the district, so he tried to get rich. He bought the ranch owned by Thomas Greentree, which had a seam of coal. The coal was obviously needed by the railroad. He also set out a town site on the land in 1910, which was named Drumheller by the Canadian Northern Railway Company in 1911.

In the 1911, the coal mining started at the Newcastle Mine, but subsequently eight other mines opened in the same year. Production increased steadily until the Depression of the 1930s. In 1921, after only 10 years, there were 27 operating mines. The two mines of Midland Coal Company were producing 1.5 million tons of coal annually, employing about 2,000 men. No. 2 Mine was the most modern mine of the area.

The Atlas Coal Co. Ltd was owned by James McCulloch, James O.E. Holden, and Dr. Omer H. Patrick. James O.E. Holden was the first president, then Dr. Omer H. Patrick was president until he died in 1947. They opened their first mine named Atlas Coal Mine in 1917. The Atlas Coal Mine described on this page was their second mine with the same name, founded in 1928. Nearby a second mine was opened, called Murray mine, and the town of East Coulee established.

The end of steam powered trains and the discovery of oil and gas deposits, ended the era of the coal mines. The mines shut down one after the other, today there is no operating mine in the area any more.

The site is a huge open air museum and there is a site admission which includes the self guided visit of the surface houses and machinery Then there are three tours which cost additionally. The first is called Train Ride and is a coal car ride also called Mantrip Ride. Two ton coal cars are pulled by a 90-year-old battery powered mine locomotive. The train may be a bit noisy, and if the tracks are wet due to heavy rain, train rides will be cancelled. The second tour is called Processing Plant Tour and shows the interior of the highlight of the site, the last 8-storey high wooden tipple in Canada. It demonstrates how coal was sorted, stored, and shipped. This hike includes heights and some stairs, sturdy, fully enclosed shoes are mandatory. And the third tour named Mine Portal Hike is partly a hike up the valley to outlook and partly an underground tour. Due to the length, the number of stairs and the rugged terrain this hike requires a littly physical fitness, and hiking shoes.

The site offers different tours and so it’s your choice if you spend 1.5 h visiting the grounds, the museum and seeing the movie. Or spend a full day including underground tour and train ride. They do not publish their open hours any more, available tours are published two weeks ahead in their online booking system, and online booking is mandatory. This is most likely a new development after Corona, see Explain Post-pandemic Aftermath.