Quote:
Originally Posted by Claeren
I guess there was the Klondike Gold Rush influence as well eh? What did the population swell by for it? I know it was a secondary route compared to the Alaska route but if they have(/had) Klondike Days in Edmonton it must have had some sort of significant influence on population... ?
Was the RR decision poltical? I can see the national security angle but am unfamiliar with any other political reasons... ? Incidently, the entire city of Calgary was originally located in Ingelwood but was moved to its current downtown location to accomodate the wishes of the railway. There are archive photos of them pushing homes and buildings across the frozen Elbow River towards the new core.
Claeren.
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yes, the southern route was to send a statement to the US that Canada had full intention of not lettimng the US expand north.
The connection the Klondike is vastly over estimated.
I would imagine that Edmonton being thge larger center up until the arrival of the RR was due to trading. The surrounding forest could support a much higher denisty of trapping thus you needed more support services. As a new settler from Europe given a plot of land it would make more sense to go to an area where more services existed, thus continueing the cycle. ....Just my theory.