Bankhead

For years I've ridden by Bankhead, curious as to what it was but not curious enough to stop. When I heard it was a mining town, it was hard to imagine something like that happening inside a park, so I decided to check it out. Old foundations and remnants of industrial buildings told the tale of a major mining operation here, but it was the slack heaps that had the biggest impact. Climbing around them was exhausting, and their extent was large. Not only do they represent what went on here, but now they are part of the landscape. I lingered amidst the coal realizing that This is Banff.

Later on, I was exploring the top of the hill between upper and lower Bankhead and explored the foundation of the Holy Trinity Church. It's here where this coal mining town bears witness to its soul. Real people who worshipped God lived here. Babies were born and baptized, families were raised, and coal was mined.

The Holy Trinity Church in Bankhead

Bankhead page