A piece of Calgary's history available for purchase @ Hodgins Art Auctions Ltd. in Calgary, AB

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"THE N.W.M.P. ESTABLISH FORT CALGARY", oil on board, 24"x35",
© 1958 Ernest Tonk /Click on image to Enlarge/
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This genuine oil on board by the American painter Ernest Tonk [1889-1968] is going to be auctioned on Tuesday (November 30th, 2010 at 7 PM) at HODGINS Art Auctions Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta; Lot #272 (click HERE).
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Auction Estimate: $2,500 / $3,500 (Price finalized: $5,000)
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On View: Saturday, November 27, 2010 - Noon to 4 PM
Sunday, November 28, 2010 - Noon to 4 PM.

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HISTORY BEHIND THE IMAGE:

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Fort Calgary is the birthplace of the city of Calgary, and the original location of the North West Mounted Police fort built at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers in 1875.

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The Canadian government created the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) in 1873 as a paramilitary police force that would establish Canadian sovereignty, put a stop to the devastating whiskey trade, and befriend the First Nations people in preparation for the treaties that would open the land for settlement. The Force marched west across the prairie from Dufferin Manitoba in the summer of 1874 and established Fort Macleod. The following year they built Fort Calgary.

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Between 1875 and 1914, the Fort grew into Calgary Barracks and became the centre of a flourishing community. Fort Calgary was a police administration centre, a community symbol of law, order and prosperity, a hospital, a refuge, a social centre, and a focal point for settlers, ranchers and business.

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In 1914, Fort Calgary was sold to the Grand Trunk Railway who later sold the site to the Canadian National Railway. For the next 61 years, Calgary’s origins were hidden under a railway yard and storage area. In 1974, thanks largely to the efforts of Alderman John Ayer, The City of Calgary bought the site and returned the city’s birthplace to the public domain. Work started on an Interpretive Centre in 1975, the site was cleaned up and capped, and the palisade of the original Fort was outlined with short logs.

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Over the years, the Fort has regained its position as a centre for Calgarians to celebrate our past and plan for the future. Fort Calgary is owned by The City of Calgary and is operated by the Fort Calgary Preservation Society.

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Source: www.fortcalgary.com
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