[Edmonton] Gateway City : Stories From Edmonton's Past

Alex Mair (1926-2001) was an author, historian, and frequent CBC radio guest who lived in Edmonton, Alberta. In this volume, Mair presents Edmonton’s past through 60 brief historical vignettes describing significant figures, buildings, and events. Most stories recounted begin in the late 1800s or early 1900s, although Mair traces their legacy or ongoing relevance to contemporary times. From the Incline Railway’s construction to Edward A. Braithwaite’s appointment as the city’s first medical officer (and coroner) to the first movie shown in a theatre, Mair’s congenial tone and detailed accounts bridge past and present in Alberta’s capital.