To Geoffrey Ironside for providing the impetus to start on the project, and to his successors as Chairman of the Department of Geography at the University of Alberta—Ian Campbell, John Hodgson, and John Shaw—I thank them for their continued support. My thanks also to P.J. Smith who as Chairman, hired me and the late Janusz Klawe, my mentor. To my colleagues who worked closely on the project—Ron Whistance-Smith, fellow Faculty Service Officer, Map Curator, friend and consultant; Michael Fisher for his dedication from start to finish; Rod Dunphy; Stephanie Kucharyshyn and Inge Wilson, who worked on the Atlas with me before their retirement; Jack Chesterman and Randy Pakan, assisted by David Epp, whose expertise in photography was indispensable—I express my appreciation of the varied talents they brought to the Atlas. Finally, thanks to Lynette Hussain and her predecessors whose keen eyes were able to decipher the author’s writings and put them into legible copy.
The late Omer Lavallée, Corporate Historian and Archivist, Canadian Pacific, who I approached on a cold October day in 1981, offered his encouragement and help. And J. Norman Lowe, History officer of Canadian National provided access to the library over which he presided and for his patience in answering the many questions directed at him.
Colin Hatcher, John Gilpin, Donald Bain and Les Kozma responded enthusiastically to my calls for help and whose acquiaintantship has grown into long lasting friendship.
Monika McNabb, Grants Officer, and Mark Rasmussen, Coordinating Director, whose strong recommendation to Clarach Mackintosh, Chairman of the Board of the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation led to a grant of $8500 for the completion of the remaining maps.
Norma Gutteridge, retired Director of the University of Alberta Press, decided the Atlas merited publication and Glenn Rollans, her successor, confirmed her assessment. My appreciation to members of the University of Alberta Press Committee who approved the project. And finally, my thanks to Mary Mahoney-Robson, editor, for her graciousness toward this amateur and in making the Atlas worthy.
To everyone who offered their time and expertise to me in the research over the years, I express my thanks and appreciation:
R.F.P. Bowan, Canadian Pacific Railway Charles Anderson, Alberta Resources Railway Corporation J.D. Starko, Canadian National Railways D.B. Kotin, Metropolitan Toronto Library Board Pat Marshall, Sir Alexander Galt Museum and Archives Brian Hallett, National Archives Canada Merrily Aubrey, Provincial Archives of Alberta B.M. Cameron, Canadian Transport Commission Irene Kerr, Lethbridge, Alberta Hugo Stibbe, National Archives of Canada Marjorie Spicer, Cochrane, Alberta Kenneth MacKenzie, Canadian National Gladys Cunningham, Crowsnest Historical Society Donna Dahms, Nordegg Historical Heritage Interest Group Edo Nyland, Sidney, B.C. Vern Decoux, Blairmore, Alberta Greg Ellis, Sir Alexander Galt Museum Susan Custock, Canadian National Exploration Incorporated Douglas Phillips, Canadian Pacific Railway Eileen Hendy, Athabasca Municipal Library Archives Kathy Dirk, Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery Cliff Dacre, Redcliff Museum and Historical Society Edward Atkinson, National Archives of Canada Rob Gardner, City of Medicine Hat Richard Brown, National Archives of Canada Anne Belliveau, Calgary, Alberta Norman Keyes, Jr., Great Northern Railway Historical Society Lynette Walton, Glenbow museum and Archives Dean Ogle, Surrey, B.C. Charles Bohi, White River Junction, Vermont Carol Marley, McGill University, Montreal Tom Nesmith, National Archives of Canada Glen Curnoe, London Public Archives, Ontario June Honey, City of Edmonton Archives, Alberta Pat McIntyre, National Archives of Canada Wendy de candole, Jasper-Yellowhead Historical Society Cleophas Belvin, National Archives of Canada S.I. Smith, Stettler Robert Beghin, Canadian National Marie Reidke, Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, Manitoba Florence Armagost, Officer of the Secretary of State, Montana R. Jakubowski, Canadian Grain Commission, Winnipeg Ena Schneider, Vancouver, B.C. Lee Godby, Ste. Cecile-de-Masham, P.Q. John Pollock, Stony Plain, Alberta Nicolas Landry, National Archives of Canada Connie Romani, Canadian National Railways Dorothy Van Dyke, National Archives Canada Ole Hermanson, Athabasca, Alberta Barry Stewart, Energy Resources Conservation Board Garry Gnam, Manalta Coal Limited Roy McBride, Halkirk, Alberta Keith Haddock, Forestburg Collieries Anne Spatuk, Crowsnest Historical Society Marcia Eymann, The Oakland Museum, California Brenda Harrison, Glenbow Museum and Archives Burlington Northern Railroad, Ft. Worth Texas Harold Hall, Great Northern Railway Historical Society Julianne Ruby, Cascade Country Historical Society, Montana James Mattson, Seattle, Washington Robert Rice, Canadian Pacific Jean Pelletier, Pincher Creek, Alberta Michele Jackson, National Archives Canada Nancy Williatte-Battet, Canadian Pacific Railway Bert Link, Pincher Creek, Alberta Susan Bridgman, Vancouver Public Library Micheline Robert, National Archives of Canada Stephen Lyons, Canadian Pacific Railway Floyd Yeats, Canadian Pacific Railway Marion Babyn, Office of the Attourney General: Land Titles D.E. Brown, Calgary, Alberta Bo Jensen, Canadian National Railways Tony Cashman, Edmonton, Alberta Don Garen, Centennial Museum Society of Canmore Royal McKeller, Centennial Museum Society of Canmore Alberta Cole, Edmonton, Alberta J.G. Cote, Edmonton, Alberta M. Green, Richmond, B.C. Keith Gladwin, Energy Resources Conservation Board Jamie Higam, Edmonton, Alberta Hans Huizinga, Musee Heritage Museum, St. Alberta Dave Henderson, Energy Resources Consercation Board Daryl Kariou, City of Edmonton Planning Department Anne Holtz, Edmonton, Alberta Georgeen Klassen, Glenbow Museum and Archives Aphrodite Karamitsansis, Alberta Culture Helen La Rose, City of Edmonton Archives Al Love, Calgary, Alberta Al Maydonik, Luscar-Sterco Norman Lukes, Calgary, Alberta Michael MacCagno, Edmonton, Alberta Gertrude McLaren, University of Alberta Lorraine Sept, Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery Otto Michetti, Edmonton, Alberta Lindsay Moir, Glenbow Museum and Archives Joe Periera, Edmonton, Alberta Earl Pollock, Onoway, Alberta Alan Shulha, Canadian National Railways Union Pacific Historical Museum, Omaha, Nebraska Gordon Basra, Canadian National Railways Brien Brothman, National Archives of Canada Don MacKay, Montreal, Quebec Alice Pignall, Canadian Institute of Guided Ground Transport Steve Paproski, M.P. Ottawa J.L. Fortin, Canadian Pacific Donny White, Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery David Mattison, Provincial Archives of British Columbia Fred Angus, Canadian Railraod Historical Association Robert Tannas, Athabasca Historical Society Andrea Garnier, Glenbow Museum and Archives Douglas Cass, Glenbow Museum and Archives Courtney Palsson, Provincial Archives of British Columbia Curtis Brinker, Luscar-Sterco M. Tredwell, Provincial Archives of British Columbia Keith Gibbons, Canadian Nationa Railways Roger La Fleche, Alberta Forest Service Torrey McCall, Victoria, B.C. And not forgotten—the clerks who retrieved and reshelved boxes of archival files used in my research, with grace and humour.