by Henry C. Klassen

About the Book

Calgary and the Bow Valley's business climates were lively, competitive, and capitalistic in the late 1800s. Eye on the Future sheds light on the challenges of building and maintaining business in this area during this time of vast growth by providing insight into how entrepreneurs, retailers, manufacturers, bankers, farmers, and ranchers pioneered a booming business world. This dynamic and readable study examines the challenges that faced business and civic leaders: how to promote the economic growth of the city; how to create demand for goods and services; how to finance transportation improvements such as streets, bridges, roads and railways; and how to assimilate substantial social and political change. Weaving together a strong cast of determined Albertans with a climate that supported growth and change, Klassen discusses the successes and failures of businesses in this region. He ultimately shows how business people in this region helped to create the conditions in which Calgary emerged as a city and the Bow Valley an important agricultural centre. Eye on the Future considers the connections between urban and rural business enterprises and combines business history with political and cultural history. It is about how the people of this region such as Isaac G. Baker, Agnes K. Bedingfeld, and James A. Lougheed endured, and ultimately prevailed, in the face of adversity.

About the Author

Henry C. Klassen is a professor emeritus in the history department at the University of Calgary. He has authored two other books, Luther H. Holton and A Business History of Alberta, which was shortlisted for the Scholarly Book of the Year Award, Alberta BookAwards, 2000.

Contents

1
The Meeting Place

2
I. G. Baker & Co.

3
Hudson’s Bay Company

4
Rails and Marketing

5
The Emergence of the Town of Calgary 93

6
Creating Banking Services

7
Building the Ranching Community

8
Maintaining the Family Farm

9
From Town to City

10
Department Stores and Mass Distribution

11
Women in Business

12
Financing the Canadian Dream

Conclusion

Chronology
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Orders

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