Located where the east and west lines diverged, it was home to the railroad construction camp and became a transport hub with a roundhouse and repair shops.

[3] The original Yellowhead Mine near Coalspur employed 70 men, produced 500 tons of coal per day, and sustained the small community.

In 1924 Imperial Oil sank a test well near the community, and discovered a significant flow of natural gas that was used to heat boilers in the mining camp.

No commercial quantity of petroleum was found however, and drilling ceased near Coalspur,[6] although several natural gas fields were later discovered in the Coal Branch area.

[2] The population throughout the Coal Branch area declined during the 1950s as the railroads replaced steam locomotives with diesel, and the mines closed due to lack of markets.