Jessica C.

Windsor, Nova Scotia

Avalon Regional Heritage Fair

Withrow The Trains Go

My project is about my Great-Grandfather, Harold Merle Withrow, and his job working as an Engineer on the CN Railroad.

 

 

 

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

I found it really interesting to learn how CN changed and evolved over the years to keep up with the newest technology being introduced. I also thought it was fascinating how important CN was and is to the shaping of our country, by linking cities and towns all over Canada

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

One of the most important things that I learned is that history isn't found in a textbook. This project taught me that history is questioning things about the past and going out and finding the answers to those questions.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

Railroads were a huge mode of transportation for goods and the public 100 years ago, but now they are a lot less common and are being replaced with air travel and highways. I think that my life today is a lot more fast-paced than it would have been during the era of railroads, what takes hours today would have taken days back then.