William Cornelius Van Horne and the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. For armchair railroaders, historians, students - anyone fascinated by Canadian history - Van Horne's Road is a pictorial history of the railroad that forged a nation. Widely hailed as one of the most informative and important histories of the construction and first years of operation of the Canadian Pacific Transcontinental Railway, this vibrant new edition of Van Horne's Road has been reformatted and redesigned for a new generation of readers as a permanent tribute to the people responsible for the building of what has been called Canada's National Highway. Containing more than 450 photographs, illustrations, and historic documents - supplemented by 40 maps and diagrams designed by the author - the book presents a coast-to-coast recreation of what indisputably stands as one of the most important and historic undertakings in the history of this nation.

After the Civil War, the building of the transcontinental railroad was the nineteenth century's most transformative event. Beginning in 1842 with a visionary's dream to span the continent with twin bands of iron, Empire Express captures three dramatic decades in which the United States effectively doubled in size, fought three wars, and began to discover a new national identity. From self--made entrepreneurs such as the Union Pacific's Thomas Durant and era--defining figures such as President Lincoln to the thousands of laborers whose backbreaking work made the railroad possible, this extraordinary narrative summons an astonishing array of voices to give new dimension not only to this epic endeavor but also to the culture, political struggles, and social conflicts of an unforgettable period in American history.

Guangdong -- Gold Mountain -- Central Pacific -- Foothills -- The High Sierra -- The Summit -- The Strike -- Truckee -- The Golden Spike -- Beyond Promontory.

The story of the men who build the transcontinental railroad in the 1860's.

An unprecedented look at Canada's history presented in a spectacular, colorful book The history of Canada is inseparable from the history of Canadian Pacific. The company's advertising and publicity strategies and their influence on the country's perception can be regarded as a very early example of the concept of nation branding. The deep interdependence between a private company's economic and strategic interests and a newly formed nation's identity makes this arrangement unique. Canadian Pacific not only built the nation's first transcontinental railway, a prerequisite for Canada's political unification in the 19th century; it quickly expanded to become the world's largest transportation conglomerate that for many decades formed the backbone for Canada's economic development. Efficient railroad and global shipping services were complemented by numerous activities that attracted immigrants and tourists to Canada, including the famous landmark hotels designed in what is now referred to as Canadian Chateaux Style: Chateaux Frontenac, The Banff Springs Hotel, Chateaux Lake Louise, and many others. A distinct Canadian national identity was still in its infancy in the 19th century, and various stereotypes linked with Canada today are the direct result of decisions made by the designers and artists whose work is portrayed in the book and by Canadian Pacific's executives. In the context of these identity building processes the book showcases the significance of commercial art and advertising pointing far beyond their trivial function as promoters of a commodity or service.Professor Marc H. Choko's concise and compelling narrative is brought to life by more than 600 carefully selected historic photos, illustrations and documents that mirror Canadian Pacific's widespread activities and unusually diverse clientele, ranging from the adventurous travelers of the late 19th century to immigrants in search of a better future, from wealthy cruise passengers to big game hunters, from outdoor enthusiasts to airline customers starting in the 1940s.No expense has been spared to reproduce this critical part of Canadian history: the publisher sent their production manager to Canadian Pacific's corporate archives in Montreal to supervise digitalization and record the properties of the originals reproduced in this book, taking note of any special colours or other significant characteristics. Similarly, many museums and private collectors cooperated to allow for a book that reproduces all commercial art with unparalleled accuracy and vivacity. Conceived by internationally recognized art book publisher Callisto and designed by distinguished Berlin-based designer Yvonne Quirmbach, Canadian Pacific: Creating a Brand, Building a Nation was produced in a renowned printing facility in northern Italy on deluxe 200g Fedrigoni paper. The Premium Edition is also available as a Collector's Edition, limited to 999 copies and presented in a grand clamshell case hand-crafted in Berlin, Germany and designed by Yvonne Quirmbach, with a wood veneer cover symbolizing the natural beauty of Canada. (See ISBN 9783981655032.)

Our Documents is a collection of 100 documents that the staff of the National Archives has judged most important to the development of the United States. The entry for each document includes a short introduction, a facsimile, and a transcript of the document. Backmatter includes further reading, credits, and index. The book is part of the much larger Our Documents initiative sponsored by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), National History Day, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the USA Freedom Corps.

In the four years between 1881 and 1885, Canada was forged into one nation by the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Last Spike reconstructs the incredible story of how some 2,000 miles of steel crossed the continent in just five years — exactly half the time stipulated in the contract. Pierre Berton recreates the adventures that were part of this vast undertaking: the railway on the brink of bankruptcy, with one hour between it and ruin; the extraordinary land boom of Winnipeg in 1881–1882; and the epic tale of how William Van Horne rushed 3,000 soldiers over a half-finished railway to quell the Riel Rebellion. Dominating the whole saga are the men who made it all possible — a host of astonishing characters: Van Horne, the powerhouse behind the vision of a transcontinental railroad; Rogers, the eccentric surveyor; Onderdonk, the cool New Yorker; Stephen, the most emotional of businessmen; Father Lacombe, the black-robed voyageur; Sam Steele, of the North West Mounted Police; Gabriel Dumont, the Prince of the Prairies; more than 7,000 Chinese workers, toiling and dying in the canyons of the Fraser Valley; and many more — land sharks, construction geniuses, politicians, and entrepreneurs — all of whom played a role in the founding of the new Canada west of Ontario.