Gem, Alberta
Gem | |
|---|---|
Gem Location of Gem Gem Gem (Canada) | |
| Coordinates: 50°57′02″N 112°11′20″W / 50.95056°N 112.18889°W | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Southern Alberta |
| Census division | 2 |
| Municipal district | County of Newell |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated |
| • Governing body | County of Newell Council |
| Population (2020)[1] | |
• Total | 29 |
| Time zone | UTC– 07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC– 06:00 (MDT) |
| Area codes | 403, 587, 825 |
Gem is a hamlet in southern Alberta, Canada within the County of Newell.[2] It is located approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of Highway 1 and 66 kilometres (41 mi) northwest of Brooks.[3]
Toponymy
Gem was named by local residents, who believed the name reflected the land's agricultural potential.[4][5]
Environment
Gem lies upon a buried preglacial valley, now filled in with sand and gravel.[6] Populations of semipalmated sandpipers, northern pintails, and gadwalls live around Gem.[7][8]
History
Founding: 1900–1920
Gem received its first settlers in the early 20th century, most of whom were farmers from Colorado responding to advertisements by the Eastern Irrigation District corporation.[9] Shortly after their arrival, Gem's farmers became among the first to benefit from water provided through the corporation's irrigation measures.[5]
A post office operating under the name Gem opened in August 1914,[10] and a cemetery opened for the settlement around the same time.[11] Gem's expansion further benefited from 1915 producing one of the most successful wheat yields in Alberta's history.[12] Gem School opened in 1919.[13]
Development: 1921–1989
Gem received railway services in 1927, connecting the hamlet to nearby settlements including Scandia and Rainier.[9] In November 1928, 25 Mennonite families from Ukraine and Russia settled in Gem.[14] The Mennonite community built a church in 1932, and opened Bethesda Bible School in November 1933.[14] A section for Mennonites was introduced to Gem Cemetery shortly after their arrival.[11]
In the 1950s Gem's Mennonite congregation began to transition from worshipping in Plautdietsch to English.[15] A new Mennonite church was built in 1952, as the previous building had reached a state of disrepair.[14] Gem's Bethesda Bible School ceased operations in 1957.[14]
A Lehrerleut Hutterite colony, Spring View, was founded in Gem in 1979.[16][17]
Recent developments: 1990–present
Gem's post office closed permanently in 1992.[5] On May 23, 2004, Gem's Mennonite community celebrated its 75th anniversary.[14]
Amenities and services
As of 2026, Gem contains an active Mennonite Brethren Church,[14][15] community hall,[3][18] and school.[19] The school announced a kindergarten]program in early 2026.[19] A public library also operates in the hamlet.[20] Recycling services are provided by the Newell Recycling Association.[3]
Gem Cemetery, maintained by the Alberta Genealogical Society, is open to the public.[11]
Transport
Newell County provides a minibus service that transports residents of Gem to Brooks for appointments, shopping, or social events.[21] This service operates every Wednesday as of 2026.[21]
Climate
| Climate data for Gem, Alberta | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) |
21.0 (69.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
27.5 (81.5) |
31.5 (88.7) |
36.6 (97.9) |
37.5 (99.5) |
37.0 (98.6) |
34.5 (94.1) |
29.0 (84.2) |
21.0 (69.8) |
15.5 (59.9) |
37.5 (99.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −5.5 (22.1) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
4.7 (40.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
18.6 (65.5) |
22.1 (71.8) |
26.2 (79.2) |
25.6 (78.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
12.6 (54.7) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
11.3 (52.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −11.2 (11.8) |
−7.4 (18.7) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
5.8 (42.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
15.3 (59.5) |
18.5 (65.3) |
17.6 (63.7) |
12.3 (54.1) |
5.5 (41.9) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−8.7 (16.3) |
4.5 (40.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −16.9 (1.6) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.7 (51.3) |
9.6 (49.3) |
4.5 (40.1) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−9 (16) |
−14.4 (6.1) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −43.5 (−46.3) |
−41.5 (−42.7) |
−34.5 (−30.1) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−10 (14) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
2.5 (36.5) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−25.5 (−13.9) |
−34.0 (−29.2) |
−43.0 (−45.4) |
−43.5 (−46.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 11.4 (0.45) |
8.9 (0.35) |
13.8 (0.54) |
22.1 (0.87) |
42.8 (1.69) |
68.0 (2.68) |
34.4 (1.35) |
41.8 (1.65) |
25.3 (1.00) |
13.0 (0.51) |
13.0 (0.51) |
9.5 (0.37) |
303.9 (11.96) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.7 (0.03) |
0.1 (0.00) |
2.6 (0.10) |
18.6 (0.73) |
39.9 (1.57) |
68.0 (2.68) |
34.4 (1.35) |
41.8 (1.65) |
24.7 (0.97) |
10.8 (0.43) |
1.6 (0.06) |
0.3 (0.01) |
243.6 (9.59) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 10.6 (4.2) |
8.8 (3.5) |
11.2 (4.4) |
3.5 (1.4) |
2.8 (1.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (0.2) |
2.2 (0.9) |
11.4 (4.5) |
9.2 (3.6) |
60.3 (23.7) |
| Source: Environment Canada[22] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
The population of Gem according to the 2020 municipal census conducted by the County of Newell is 29.[1]
Notable people
- Arno Doerksen – member of the Alberta Legislature for the Strathmore-Brooks district from 2008 to 2012, raised in Gem[23][24]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Municipal Census Report 2020". County of Newell. p. 3. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
- ^ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c Grasslands Regional FCSS (2023). QUALITY OF LIFE #3 BROOKS-NEWELL REGION 2023 (PDF). Grasslands Regional Family and Community Support Services. pp. 31, 130, 138.
- ^ Alberta Culture (2025). "Gem". Alberta Geographical Names Web Map. Text visible upon selecting the yellow circle.
Early settlers believed that the name "Gem" was appropriately descriptive of the general area. The post office opened under the name 1 August 1914.
- ^ a b c Speirs, Dale, ed. (June 1, 2022). "Gem" (PDF). Journal of Alberta Postal History. 1 (25): 30 – via Postal History Society of Canada (PHSC).
- ^ Earth Sciences Report (December 31, 1968). "A Gravel and Sand Aquifer in the Bassano-Gem Region, Alberta". Alberta Geological Survey. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ Canadian Journal of Zoology. National Research Council. 1990. p. 2549.
- ^ Sugden, Lawson G. (1973). Feeding Ecology of Pintail, Gadwall, American Widgeon and Lesser Scaup Ducklings in Southern Alberta. Information Canada. pp. 21–22.
- ^ a b Eastern Irrigation District, Board of Trustees (1960). The History of the Eastern Irrigation District (PDF). Eastern Irrigation District. pp. 27–37.
- ^ Canada, Library and Archives (November 25, 2016). "Gem Archives / Post Offices and Postmasters". recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ a b c Alberta Family Histories Society. "Gem Cemetery (Newell County) Archives". Alberta Ancestors. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ Nielson, Kris; Prociuk, John (1998). From Start to Finish: An Illustrated History of Cattle Feeding in Alberta (PDF). Alberta Cattle Feeders' Association. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-9683271-0-4.
- ^ "School at Gem, Alberta" – via University of Calgary.
School district number 3843, established in 1919. Located 23-16-W4.
- ^ a b c d e f Siemens, H. H.; Epp, Marlene (January 2025). "Gem Mennonite Brethren Church (Gem, Alberta, Canada)". GAMEO. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.
- ^ a b Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. "Gem Mennonite Brethren Church – Gem, AB". CMBS. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ Friesen, Bert (October 2024). "Spring View Hutterite Colony (Gem, Alberta, Canada)". GAMEO – via Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.
- ^ Hutterite Marketplace. "Spring View Colony". Hutterite Marketplace. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ "Gem Community Hall in Brooks, Alberta". SouthernAlberta.com. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ a b "New Kindergarten Program at Gem School". gem.grasslands.ab.ca. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ "Location & Hours – Gem Jubilee Library". gem.shortgrass.ca. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ a b "Mini Bus". countyofnewell.ab.ca. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ "Gem, Alberta". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 (in English and French). Environment Canada. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
- ^ "Former Progressive Conservative MLA acclaimed as councillor in County of Newell". Medicine Hat News. October 6, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ^ Wiseman, Richelle (November 25, 2016). "Get your cattle genetics right, and the rest falls into place". Canadian Cattlemen. Retrieved March 26, 2026.