Sexsmith

Sexsmith, Alta, incorporated as a village in 1929 and as a town in 1979, population 2418 (2011c), 1969 (2006c). The Town of Sexsmith is 43 km north of GRANDE PRAIRIE on Highway 2. The district was first settled in 1911, with a post office called Sexsmith established in 1912. It was named after David Sexsmith, a local homesteader who had first visited the area in 1898. When the railway arrived in 1916, a townsite called Benville (after settler Benhard Foster) was subdivided, but when the Sexsmith post office was moved in, the community officially became Sexsmith. The community centers a rich farming district, and in the 1940s it became known as the "Grain Capital of the British Empire," leading all other inland terminals for the export of grain. In the 1950s it had 9 elevators. More recently, natural gas discoveries in the area have added to the economy.

Sexsmith has been the home of the Peace River Bible Institute since 1935. In recent years, it has become famous for the 1920s-30s historic buildings it has preserved, including the blacksmith shop, train station, lumberyard, and several stores and churches. Three of its historic elevators also remain standing.