In 1928, Alberta was officially designated as an incorporated town. During that period, it was characterized by a vibrant array of hotels, boarding houses, and various enterprises catering to railroad workers and their support staff. The community was equipped with healthcare facilities, which included a physician’s office, a dental office, and a pharmacy. Educational institutions, ranging from elementary to high school. At the town’s center, one could find a supply store for farmers, a hardware establishment, and even a funeral home, all of which contributed to its dynamic and self-sufficient environment.
In the late 1920s, the old Boydton Plank Road was upgraded and paved to create U.S. Highway 1, a major route from Maine to Florida. Restaurants, service stations, motels, and general stores popped up along the highway, making it a vibrant stop for travelers until the mid-1970s when the new interstate system rerouted much of the traffic away from the aging highway. By then, family farming was also declining, reducing the demand for local services. In the mid-1980s, the railroads pulled up their tracks, and the dress factories, a key part of the local economy, started closing as businesses moved south of the border.
Between 1970 and 2000, Alberta’s population declined significantly, from its peak of 466 to under 300. The next generation of Albertans left for college and rarely returned, lured away by the fast-paced lifestyle of the cities. Consequently, interest in the town diminished, leading to the retention of only memories of its once vibrant community past.
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