Three Hills

Three Hills, Alta, incorporated as a town in 1929, population 3198 (2011c), 3089 (2006c). The Town of Three Hills is located 128 km northeast of Calgary. Three Hills takes its name from 3 prominent hills to the north of the town. Settlement began in the area in the early 20th century and a post office was established there in 1904. In 1912 the original town site was moved to its present location on the Canadian National Railway line and Three Hills was incorporated as a village.

Three Hills remains a commercial service centre for a large wheat-growing area. However it was the discovery of coal that got the community going. The coal mined in the area until 1949, supplied mainly the railway. More recently the discovery of oil and natural gas has resulted in another economic base for the area. In 1922 the Prairie Bible Institute was established just north of the town to provide a Christian education to local youth. Through the efforts of one of its founders and its first teacher, Leslie Maxwell, the institute has become one of the largest Bible Schools in North America.