Donald Alexander Smith "Perseverance" - Calgary, Alberta
Posted by: 
wildwoodke
N 51° 00.802 W 114° 07.017
11U E 702226 N 5655267
This is a statue of Donald Alexander Smith who drove in the last spike. This original statue is called "Perseverance" is located on the legislative grounds in Edmonton, Alberta. This replica is located at the Millitary Museums in Calgary, Alberta.
Waymark Code: WM2A0P
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 09/30/2007
Views: 47
Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal was born on August 6, 1820. He emigrated to Lower Canada in 1838 to work for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC).
In 1869, Smith was sent to the Red River Settlement in present day Manitoba by the Canadian government to negotiate with Louis Riel, leader of the Red River Rebellion.
Smith returned to Ottawa in early 1870, and was appointed President of the HBC's Council of the Northern Department (effectively becoming administrator of the Northwest Territories, including Manitoba). In 1872 Smith was appointed in the first group of members of the Temporary North-West Council the first governing assembly of Northwest Territories. In Canadian history, he was one of only a few persons who served on two provincial / territorial legislatures and the federal parliament at the same time.
Through his investments, Smith became extremely wealthy and was involved in a myriad of Canadian and American corporations in the later part of the 19th century. He was appointed to the board of the Bank of Montreal in 1872, became its Vice-President in 1882, and was promoted to the Presidency in 1887.
He was created Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, of Glencoe in the County of Argyll and of Mount Royal in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, in 1897.
In 1910, Sir Donald Alexander Smith deposited in trust with the Dominion Government the sum of $500,000, bearing annual interest of 4%, to develop citizenship and patriotism in the Royal Canadian Army Cadets movement through physical training, rifle shooting, and military drill. He is remembered today with the Lord Strathcona Medal.
Smith's photo is a well known Canadian photo where he is driving the Last Spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway on 7 November 1885, at Craigellachie, British Columbia.
Where is original located?: Legislative Grounds - Edmonton, Alberta
Where is this replica located?: Millitary Museums - Calgary, Alberta
Who created the original?: Don Begg
Year Original was Created (approx. ok): 2000
Internet Link about Original: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Post at least one photo of the replica.