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TitleHistorical trails research project , Wood Buffalo Regional municipality, final report
Publication TypeReport
Year of Publication2004
AuthorsPrager, G.
Publication Languageen
KeywordsHistoric Trails
Abstract

The objective of this study was to inventory major trails and travel routes in Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, predating 1940; to provide historic summaries of uses for, and map the route of, each trail; and to compile an annotated bibliography of historical sources. Trails within the national park were not included in the study. The authors did an extensive search of historical documents including fur trade journals (1791-1911); explorer and surveyor journals, such as that of Samuel Hearne, (1770-1820; early adventurers and travellers' journals (1870s-1920s); missionary histories (1847-1890s); church records (1900-1940); geographical and topographical surveyors' journals and reports (1880s-1920s); Dominion land surveyors' field notes and journals (1880s-1920s); regional histories; and the maps of the Provincial Archives of Alberta (1780s-1940s). The results of the study were limited because most of the region has never been surveyed. Often trails identified in a particular area were not pursued, the dating of trails was difficult, and many trails were simply left unrecorded in existing surveys. Furthermore, historic accounts of trails were often written many years after the initial visit of the author; place names have changed over time; consultation with First Nations was beyond the scope of this study; and finally, there were numerous missing or incomplete maps. The report provides a general history of travel in the region including a discussion of the seasonal variation in the modes of travel. The larger portion of the report is dedicated to the depiction of the trails and possible avenues for future research on this topic. Aboriginal trails are included in so far as they were identified in the literature review and discussions with key contacts.

Notes

Consultant commissioned by CEMA

Locational Keywords

Wood Buffalo Regional Municipality

Group

CEMA

Citation Key25025

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