Fonds - Northern Alberta Railway fonds

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Northern Alberta Railway fonds

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  • Textual record
  • Architectural drawing
  • Object

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  • Source of title proper: The title is based on contents of fonds.

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Physical description

11 cm of textual records. -- 24 photographs : colour and b&w. -- 2 architectural drawings : blueline print

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1929-1981)

Administrative history

The Northern Alberta Railway served northern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia from 1929 to 1981. Incorporated on 14 June, 1929 as an independent company under joint ownership of the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian National Railways, the N. A. R. was created from a number of privately owned railways built after 1911. The Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway, the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway and the Central Canada Railway were originally built and operated by the J.D. McArthur company of Winnipeg and remained in private control until 1920, when J.D. McArthur experienced postwar financial difficulties. In an operation agreement to last five years, the Provincial Government assumed control of the Alberta and Great Waterways Railways while the C.P.R. operated both the Edmonton, Dunvegan, and British Columbia Railway and Central Canada Railway. The Provincial Government took over the operation on 11 November, 1926. In 1928 the C.P.R. and the C.N.R. bid to jointly purchase the railway. The proposal was accepted by the Government and resulted in the creation of the Northern Alberta Railways (N.A.R.) in 1929. In its half century of service, the N.A.R. played a significant role in oil and tar sands development, in the Alaska Highway and Canol projects, and in the overall development of Northern Alberta. In 1981, the Northern Alberta Railways was sold to Canadian National Railways and ceased to exist as an independent company. (From Northern Alberta Railway fonds at Provincial Archives of Alberta)

Custodial history

The records belonged to the Northern Alberta Railways Company. One item belonged to the CN Rail Company.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of Timetables, Seniority Lists, correspondence and blank forms used by the Northern Alberta Railways. There are also 24 pictures of employees and trains of the NAR.

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Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Accession 74.599 donated to the Museum by Katherine Hoskin, it is unknown how she acquired it. Accession 76.721 was acquired directly from the Northern Alberta Railways headquarters. It is unknown where accessions x87.1514 and AR89.23 were acquired from. Accession AR88.27 was acquired through the Historical Society of Fort McMurray. They were unaware of how they acquired it. Accession AR90.27 was donated to the Museum by Ena Schneider, author of “Ribbons of Steel” on the NAR. Accessions AR90.30 and 2008.111 were donated by Gordon Waite and Herb Bennett respectively, former employees of the NAR. Accession AR90.32 was donated by John Gamble, it is unknown how he acquired it. Accession AR90.42 was donated by Helen Schofield, it is unknown how she acquired it. Accession AR91.3 was donated by Helen Radford. It belonged to her mother, Edith May Radford. Accession 99.39 was left by an unknown donor at the Peace River Northern Alberta Railways station after it closed. Accession 00.19 was donated by Fred Napier, it is unknown how he acquired it.

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Restrictions on access

There are no restrictions.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Please contact the Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre

Finding aids

An inventory is available onsite.

Associated materials

The Provincial Archives of Alberta holds the bulk of the records for the Northern Alberta Railways.

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Accruals

No further accruals are expected.

Alpha-numeric designations

This fonds includes the following accessions: 74.599; 76.721; x87.1514; AR88.27; AR89.23; AR90.27; AR90.30; AR90.32; AR90.42; AR91.3; 99.39; 00.19; 2008.111

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