While researching for the past two days, I managed to find a few spectacular things that we plan to do while making our trek across the country. Surely we will be taken off course somewhere along the way (we like to be easily distracted), and will visit additional sites.
Admittedly, I was disappointed to find that the majority of historical Ukrainian and Doukhobor sites are far from the Trans-Canada, usually way north.
I did make a tour of Ukrainian history in northern Alberta which included visiting some amazing, tiny, isolated churches – and the giant sausage I mentioned in my previous post.
I will do a ‘Ukrainian History’ write up when I (finally) go through my photo files.
Here is our partial cross-Canada tour list:
ONTARIO
A WWII secret training site. Ian Fleming, the agent that created James Bond, was trained here.
Camp 30
A WWII P.O.W camp that once housed Nazi criminals. It was the only one in the world in 1941.
Serpent Mounds
The only known effigy mound in Canada. A sacred place estimated to have been built up between 50 BCE and 300 CE.
MANITOBA
The Riel family, along with Louis, lived here for a few years. After his execution, visitation was held here. Due to some heavy cuts to the Parks Canada budget, the Riel House has faced closure. It will be interesting to see what is there when we arrive.
Fort Garry
Established in 1822 by the Hudson Bay Company, Fort Garry served as a WWI internment site for Austro-Hungarians (primarily of Ukrainian decent). Nearby are Fort Rouge (1738) and Fort Gibraltar (1807).
Camp Hughes
Used for training in both world wars, Camp Hughes features one of the only WWI era trench systems remaining in the world.
Fort La Reine
Located in Portage La Prairie, Fort La Reine (1738) was an important centre for Canadian exploration. Many expeditions that would later lead to the development and formation of what is now known as Canada, started here.
SASKATCHEWAN
Ghost Town Trail
Also known as the ‘Red Coat Trail‘, along this forgotten southern Saskatchewan highway sit 32 different decaying, abandoned ghost towns.
Great Sandhills
One of two desert like regions in Saskatchewan, the Great Sandhills are the largest set of active sand dunes in Canada.
Gray Burial Site
Archaeological studies have shown that this place was used as a traditional burial ground by a small band of bison hunters who inhabited the region between 3500 and 1000 BC.
ALBERTA
Lougheed House
A sandstone prairie mansion build by one of Calgary’s most influential families, the Lougheeds, in 1891. Many Royals were entertained behind the mansion gates.
Castle Mountain
Castle Mountain Internment Camp was known to be the harshest of its time. Ukrainian interns of WWI were placed here in 1914, by the hundreds, and put to work building what is now known as Banff National Park.
These are just ideas of course – we are likely to be taken way off track at some point!
You can follow along on our tour via Twitter, either from the links to the right, or by joining me @habitualrunaway. I plan to make the occasional post or two when the opportunity arises, but I like to get caught up in the moment, as you know, so who knows what will happen!
Canada, here we come!
Wow, what an itinerary – I am now enthused to work out how to engineer a visit to the Saskatchewan ghost towns…..
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So interesting! Your trip will be a great one indeed.
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Sounds like a great trip! Can;t wait to see pics and read the posts! I’m in the planning / packing stage for my annual trip, too. I leave in 8 days!!
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Lougheed house is right behind my work. didnt you already do a transcanada trip not so long back.
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How cool! Yes, we did just cross Canada last year at this time. twice in two years is a bit much, I think!! 😛
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