Lethbridge's economy was founded on its coal mining industry.

Index to the 1891 Dominion Census
Lethbridge Sub-District, Alberta, Northwest Territories

Enumerator W.S. Heron started a list of people in the Lethbridge area on April 10, 1891, and completed it on July 1.

The census for the Lethbridge sub-district includes 2,842 names on 114 sheets. The area covered -- basically, from Lethbridge south to the United States border -- was huge, measuring at least 50 miles north to south, and includes the Lee's Creek Mormon settlement, now known as Cardston.

The census itself is available on FHLC microfilm 1465850 or National Archives of Canada microfilm T-6425. It includes much more information than is found on this index, including marital status and birthplace of parents.

Spellings are as they appeared in handwriting. In some cases, this means three different spellings for one family name.

One other thing: This index was compiled before the dawn of time, almost, on a Commodore 64. That's why there are only four columns of information. In any event, I took my printout, scanned it, OCRed it, and HTMLed it. I hope it helps.