Calgary historian wins at Alberta Literary Awards
![Calgary historian wins at Alberta Literary Awards David Laurence Jones has won an Alberta Literary Award for his new book about the history of the CPR. (Supplied/Heritage House)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/6/11/calgary-historian-wins-at-alberta-literary-awards-1-6922027-1718123387290.jpg)
Calgary historian David Laurence Jones won the Wilfrid Eggleston award for non-fiction during the 42nd annual Alberta Literary Awards.
The recognition is for Jones’ latest book, New World Dreams: Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and the Golden Northwest.
Jones has a lengthy history with the CPR, serving as the former manager of internal communications. He also spent 14 years working in the railway’s corporate archives and studied history at Concordia University.
The book "is an in-depth exploration of how a transportation company created a vision for a burgeoning nation and played a leading role driving immigration to the Canadian West," states Heritage House in a news release.
"Illustrated with more than 400 archival photos and colour advertisements, New World Dreams is the most extensive history of (CPR) ever published."
The railway company is, as described by Heritage House, best known for its monumental achievements in transportation technology.
"In addition to building the railroad that connected the country from coast to coast, CPR was also highly effective at selling the idea of a vast and rich land of opportunity," it said.
"Triggering a massive wave of immigration to what was dubbed the 'Golden Northwest' (later the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta), often at the expense of Indigenous populations and their traditional territories."
David Laurence Jones in an undated photo. (Supplied/Heritage House)
Jones is also the author of Railway Nation: Tales of Canadian Pacific - The World's Greatest Travel System and The Railway Beat, Tales of the CPR and Famous Name Trains.
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