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Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta — Canada’s Prairie Region (North America)
MISSING
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Defining the Boundary of the Great Divide

Délimitation de la Ligne de Partage des Eaux

 
 
Defining the Boundry of the Great Divide Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Amy Harr, July 18, 2013
1. Defining the Boundry of the Great Divide Marker
Inscription.
Prior to 1913 the Alberta-British Columbia boundary was defined by the divide or watershed of the Rocky Mountains. The discovery of valuable coal deposits and the availability of marketable timber and the incursion of railroads and roads required a more precise demarcation.

In 1913 provincial and federal Orders-in-Council approved a boundary survey between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia and the appointment of Commissioners. In June of that year Edward Deville, Surveyor General of Canada, issued instructions to the three Boundary Commissioners to survey the boundary.

La ligne de faite de Rocheuses ou la ligne de partage des eaux constituait la limite entre l’Alberta et la Colombie-Britannique avant 1913. La découverte de précieux gisements de houille, la présence de bois de charpente de valeur marchande et le percement des routes en des voies ferroviaires réclamaient une délimitation plus poussée.

En 1913, l’arpentage de cette limite et la nomination de Commissaires furent autorises par décrets émanant du gouvernement fédéral et des deux provinces. En juin de la même année, l’Arpenteur général du Canada, M. Édouard Deville émiettait les instructions aux trois Commissaires de Frontière à cet effet.


Kicking Horse Pass was selected as the first pass to be surveyed due
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to its easy access by rail. The map on the left is a copy of the mapsheet of the Kicking Horse Pass area prepared by the Boundary Commissioners.

The Boundary Monument at this location is a larger copy of the original Monument 1A placed on the Alberta-British Columbia boundary in 1913.

Il fut convenu que la première passe à arpenter serait Kicking Horse Pass en raison de sa facilité d’accès par voie ferrée. La carte apparaissant a la gauche est une copie du feuillet de la région prépare par les Commissaires.

La borne qui s’y trouve aujourd’hui est une réplique agrandie de la borne originale 1A marquant la limite en 1913.


J. N. Wallace, Dominion Land Surveyor, represented the government of Canada. He was to visit each pass surveyed to enable him to satisfy himself as to the correctness of the work.

A. O. Wheeler, British Columbia Land Surveyor, was the Boundary Commissioner for British Columbia. He was in charge of the topographic part of the survey and the establishment of monuments on the peaks adjacent to the passes.

R. W. Cautley, Alberta Land Surveyor, was the Boundary Commissioner for Alberta. He was in charge of the survey party required to take levels, make preliminary survey of the boundary in the various passes and erect permanent boundary markers.

J. N. Wallace, D.L.S. représentait
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le gouvernement du Canada. Il devait inspecter chaque passé dument arpentée pour s’assurer de la rectitude du travail.

Le Commissaire de la Frontière pour la Colombie-Britannique était A. O. Wheeler, B.C.L.S. Il dirigeait les opérations de topographie et la pose des bornes sur les sommets des montagnes voisines des passes.

Le Commissaire de la Frontière pour l’Alberta était R. W. Cautley A.L.S. Il dirigeait les équipes d’arpentage commises au nivellement, a la reconnaissance des limites en rapport avec les passes et à la pose des bornes définitives.

 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Natural FeaturesNotable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.
 
Location. Marker is missing. It was located near 51° 25.441′ N, 116° 10.748′ W. Marker was in Lake Louise, Alberta, in Banff National Park. Marker could be reached from Lake Louise Drive just north of Sentinel Road. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Lake Louise AB T0L 1E0, Canada. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 8 kilometers of this location, measured as the crow flies. Lake Louise-Welcome (about 240 meters away, measured in a direct line); Chateau Lake Louise (approx. 2.7 kilometers away); Parting of the Waters (approx. 3 kilometers away); Kicking Horse Pass (approx. 8.2 kilometers away in British Columbia).
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2013, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland. This page has been viewed 640 times since then and 5 times this year. Photo   1. submitted on November 27, 2013, by Tom Fuchs of Greenbelt, Maryland.

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Mar. 19, 2024