Kelsey is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Camrose County. It is located off Highway 850, approximately southeast of Edmonton and southeast of Camrose, Kelsey's closest major trading centre. Despite a small population, Kelsey is home to several local businesses, a community hall, and a post office. Both school and fire services are provided by the nearby villages of Rosalind and Bawlf. The mayor of Kelsey is Chester C Blatz with Shane G Thompson acting as the assistant mayor in charge.
History
In 1902, Mr. and Mrs. Moses Kelsey and their son Earl, arrived in the area from Milbank, South Dakota, and filed on the S.E. 4-45-18. The southeast corner of this quarter of land was later chosen as the site for the community. Milton Zimmerman settled in the area in the same year and suggested the community be named after Kelsey. In 1915, the Canadian National Railway began laying steel in a south-easterly direction from Camrose. It passed through what a few weeks later became the town of Kelsey. This stretch of railroad is noted for being the longest stretch of straight railway in North America... "if not in the world," some people add. In 1916, a station house was built in Kelsey and Charlie Cooper, with his wife Anne and family, took up residence in it. The first grain elevator, and two stores were also constructed in the growing town. By 1920 telephone service had been installed in the Kelsey district and the next few years saw the Kelsey Union Church, a dance hall, and a one room school. The first power line to reach Kelsey was constructed in 1951.
Demographics
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kelsey recorded a population of 15 living in 7 of its 7 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 15. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016. As a designated place in the 2011 Census, Kelsey had a population of 15 living in 7 of its 7 total dwellings, a 50% change from its 2006 population of 10. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011. The population of Kelsey according to Camrose County's 2008 municipal census is 14.
