Thunder Bay: From Rivalry to Unity

Description

The city of Thunder Bay was only created in 1970. Yet for over 9,000 years settlements have existed on the sheltered bay that bears the same name. Europeans arrived and established permanent buildings there as early as 1683 and the site achieved significance far beyond its borders almost 200 years ago! Even as an urban centre, the community (formerly Fort William and Port Arthur) is well into its second century.

This co-operative history utilizes the expertise of historians, archaeologists, geographers, sociologists, and urban planners to provide a well-rounded description and analysis of the communities on the shores of Thunder Bay. It explores the site’s changing terrain, the story of its first peoples, and the fascinating era of the fur trade. It recounts with verve the boom years of the early 20th century when progress knew no bounds, and reveals the deadly impact of two World Wars and the Great Depression. The community’s cultural spirit, its sporting heroes, and its political and economic life emerge with fullness and richness in these pages.

But the book is not just the history of a city. It endeavours to extend the boundaries of local history by placing Thunder Bay in a Broader regional and national context.It tries to understand the community’s place in Canadian history.

• Editors: A. Ernie Epp, Thorold J. Tronrud
• Published by: Thunder Bay Museum Historical Society
• Pages:284
• Binding: Softcover