21 June 2010

CPR Heritage Maps Dedicated at Museum

Three spectacular new wall maps illustrating the
historic role of the CPR in Cranbrook's development
were dedicated Friday in the large entrance hall of the
Canadian Museum of Rail Travel. Museum Executive
Director Garry Anderson (far left), Carrie Schafer of
the CBT (near left), Museum Board Chair Bob Bennison,
and Cranbrook Mayor Scott Manjak took part in the
ceremony.

Cranbrook British Columbia - Cranbrook was once a key hub for the Canadian Pacific Railway and nowhere can this be better appreciated than at the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, which now has three spectacular railroad maps on display in its entrance hall.
 
The three 12 feet by 7 feet framed maps (a fourth is on its way) were dedicated Friday in a ceremony attended by Museum Executive Director Garry Anderson, Board Chair Bob Bennison, Cranbrook Mayor Scott Manjak, and Carrie Schafer of the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT).
 
"There's a lot of history associated with Cranbrook," Anderson told invited guests and officials in the museum's entrance hall. "It's not just based on one industry."
 
As he viewed the giant maps showing Cranbrook's strategic location on CP's historic "Imperial Highway" of trains and ships between Britain and the Orient, Mayor Manjak reflected on just how important the rail museum is to the city. "We love this place, it's truly a jewel for the community."
 
Schafer said the CBT was also glad to be part of the historic project. "We're pleased to be associated with this and glad that it will be on display for generations to come."
 
The historic maps show the prominent location of Cranbrook on the entire Canadian Pacific Railway Ships-Hotels-Railway system. There's also a fourth large map relating to the historic trains on tours that will be colour coordinated with the large maps, as well as other railway heritage in the region. The map is not yet complete, but is expected in late June or early July.
 
The maps, which are blow-ups of smaller maps in the museum's collection, were designed to increase appreciation of the significance of the historic trains that are on display at the Museum. The two upper maps are titled "Canadian Pacific Spans the World", and "Canadian Pacific Spans North America", both of which give context to the railway in terms of ships, hotels, and railways.
 
The CPR was once the largest transportation system in the world with fleets of Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific ships linked by trains and hotels to provide a complete service under one company. The railway also provided the fastest transcontinental service across North America because the trains were managed by one company with no need to change trains like other railway companies that did not own trackage rights across the continent.
 
The CPR has two transcontinental routes with all the tracks located in Canada and used by such trains as the "Pacific Express" (1897) and the "Trans-Canada Limited" (1929), both of which are in the collection in Cranbrook. This route ran north of Cranbrook through Kamloops, Revelstoke, Golden, Banff, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw, Regina, Winnipeg, and points east.
 
There was also the international transcontinental service called the CPR-Soo Route, on which Cranbrook was located. This route was completed in 1906 and connected Minneapolis and Spokane through Canada via the Crowsnest Pass with connections east and west linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This route was used by the fast and beautiful "Soo-Spokane Train Deluxe" of 1907, another train set that is in the collection in Cranbrook.
 
Also on display Friday was the fast-growing Cranbrook History Gallery, a 90-foot display of archival pictures downstairs culled from the museum's vast collection. The gallery is intended to help develop an appreciation of Cranbrook's history for both residents of the City, schools, and visitors.
 
Entitled "A visual glimpse into the origins of Cranbrook and its diverse background, the framed pictures give a fascinating insight into Cranbrook's past when the small frontier city was a rapidly developing centre for several industries including mining, forestry, transportation, ranching, and other activities.
 
Although this gallery is not yet complete, it does show a remarkable early history, much of which has been forgotten or misinterpreted over the years.
 
Gerry Warner.