The Last Spike

I've launched a new podcast called Canada: A Yearly Journey, which will look at every year in Canada's history, beginning with 1867.The first episode dropped last week, with 1868 coming Thursday.Episodes release every Thursday. Find it on all your podcast platforms.

On Nov 7, 1885 at 9:22 a.m., the official last spike was hammered in at a spot in the Eagle Pass by Sir Donald Smith. With that, the 14 year odyssey of the construction of the transcontinental railway had come to an end. What is the story behind that famous photo though? What happened before, and what happened after? Today, the last episode of Coast to Coast Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

From extreme loneliness, to the ever present danger of injury or death, the lives of workers was not an easy one. Alcohol was always around, medical care was barebones at best and living conditions were filthy and cramped.  It was not an easy life but for many, it was the means towards a better life. Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

Today on Coast to Coast, I am looking at the Canadian Pacific Railway's building through the Prairies, from Winnipeg to Calgary, a distance of 1,300 km. While the Canadian Prairies section was the same length as the British Columbian and Canadian Shield sections combined, building was quick and efficient through the flat landscape, taking just over a year. Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

Today on Coast to Coast, I am taking a jump forward to look at the grand railway hotels built, primarily, by the Canadian Pacific Railway.  While there are many grand railway hotels across Canada, today I am only covering seven of them, from British Columbia to Quebec City. They have served as places to stay for presidents, prime ministers and Royalty and even played a role in creating the NHL itself. Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

In the Prairies, it was possible to build hundreds of kilometres of the railroad in one year. In British Columbia, that same length of track would take over five years. From avalanches, the need to build bridges over gorges and blasting through granite mountains, the construction of the CPR through British Columbia was no small matter, nor a quick process. Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

Chinese immigrants were hired in mass numbers, with some estimates saying as high as 17,000, to build the hardest parts of the railroad through British Columbia. Of those hired, its estimated 25% would die. Their role in completing the railway was immense, but they were ignored and pushed to the side of history for a century. Today, I look at the Chinese workers of the CPR. Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

I have been awarded a grant from the government to spend August travelling around Alberta visiting rural historical sites. I will be making podcast episodes and YouTube videos about the sites.  As a result, with being on the road all month, I can't make new episodes of the show. So, instead I am going to release best of episodes of Canadian History Ehx.  New episodes will be back at the end of August! Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

I have been awarded a grant from the government to spend August travelling around Alberta visiting rural historical sites. I will be making podcast episodes and YouTube videos about the sites.  As a result, with being on the road all month, I can't make new episodes of the show. So, instead I am going to release best of episodes of Canadian History Ehx.  New episodes will be back at the end of August! Support: www.patreon.com/canadaehx Donate: www.canadaehx.com E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/craigbaird Instagram: @Bairdo37 YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/canadianhistoryehx

On my other podcast From John To Justin, I am releasing 36 straight days of podcast episodes about every election in Canadian history in honour of the new election. For the subsequent episodes in that series, make sure to subscribe to From John to Justin.  The first three elections in Canadian history were interesting affairs. Corruption, intimidation and shady tactics were par for the course as Canada found its footing as a new country. E-mail: [email protected]