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Canadian Pacific Railway

Colton Map of British North America or Canada
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
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Related Guides

Donald Alexander Smith driving the last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The building of a railway linking eastern Canada and the westernmost province, B.C., was the biggest issue of its time. Work began in 1875 in Fort William, and was completed in 1885 in Craigellachie, B.C. This section will help you find resources about the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in the Vancouver Public Library. Material on this subject can be found throughout the Central Library. Please ask the Information staff if you need help.

Useful Websites

Full text of noted Canadian historian Harold Innis's book (1923).

Non-profit historical association dedicated to sharing information about the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Paper from geography students at University of Victoria examines the difficulties involved in building this part of the CPR.

Includes rare and unique items that document the Chinese experience in B.C., as well as the history of the CPR.

Digital Library Resources
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Brief biographies of notable Canadians from the years 1000 to 1930.

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NOTE: this online resource will be discontinued as of December 31, 2024. A print copy is available at the Central library.

Online version of the 1999 resource that describes the nation’s 119 different ethnic groups: their process of migration, arrival and settlement, community life, intergroup relations, language and culture.

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Access the full image of the Globe and Mail newspaper from 1844 to 2018.

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Includes the complete text of the Canadian Encyclopedia in English and French, interactive resources and timelines of Canadian and world events.

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Recommended Titles

Building the Canadian Pacific Railway

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Northwest History Index

This card index in Special Collection provides access to the Northwest History Collection, a heritage collection covering the early history and exploration of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.

The collection includes:

  • magazine and newspaper articles
  • pamphlets
  • books
  • chapters in books
  • many other resources

As of August 1998, no new material has been added to the Northwest History Index. It is continued by the British Columbia Index.