The town was founded as Heatherwood, but the name was changed around 1911 in honour of Edson Joseph Chamberlin, vice-president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. When Edson was declared the local rail centre, smaller communities such as Rosevear, Wolf Creek, Carrot Creek and Niton Junction fell into a decline that continues today. In the 1950s, upgrading of Highway 16 caused a dramatic increase in private, commercial and industrial traffic. Today, the Yellowhead Highway carries some of the heaviest traffic flow in Alberta and has been declared the second Trans-Canada Highway. In the 1970s, a revitalized coal industry launched the Cardinal River Coal and Luscar Sterco mines in the area. In the 1980s Pelican Spruce Mills and Sundance Forest Industries became two of Edson's major employers. The former hamlets of Glenwood and Grande Prairie Trail were annexed from Yellowhead County by the Town of Edson on 1 January 1984.
Demographics
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Edson recorded a population of 8,414 living in 3,359 of its 3,762 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 8,475. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016. The Town of Edson's 2012 municipal census counted a population of 8,646. In the 2011 Census, the Town of Edson had a population of 8,475 living in 3,386 of its 3,701 total dwellings, a 4.7% change from its 2006 population of 8,098. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2011.
Geography
Edson lies in the McLeod River valley, immediately east of the Canadian Rockies foothills. The surrounding landscape consists of primarily taiga forest with sand hills and muskeg. The town is located at an altitude of. Two provincial parks are located west of Edson: Sundance Provincial Park along Sundance Creek and Obed Lake Provincial Park surrounding the three Obed Lakes.
Climate
Due to Edson's high elevation, the community experiences a subarctic climate. The highest temperature ever recorded in Edson was on 2 July 1924. The coldest temperature ever recorded was on 22 January 1943, and 14 January 1950.
Economy
The main industries that drive the local economy are resource based – coal, oil, natural gas and forestry products.
Sports
Edson was home to Canada's largest slo-pitch tournament until 2017.
Infrastructure
Edson is connected to the Yellowhead Highway from east to west and to Coal Valley via Highway 47 to the south. Via Rail's The Canadian calls at the Edson railway station three times per week in each direction as a flag stop.
;Newspapers Edson has one weekly paper, The Weekly Anchor, published every Monday. A second paper, Edson Leader, was established in 1911 before ceasing publication in 2020. ;Radio stations
George VanderBurg, Canadian politician, Progressive Conservative MLA
In popular culture
In the 2020 Netflix Original series Into the Night'', a plane flying west in an attempt to survive a catastrophic solar event that kills all living organisms during daylight hours, lands in Edson during Episode 2.
