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ArtsCultureBooks17TuesdayNovember262013YoucanpickupyourticketsfromanyminorhockeyplayeroratanyoftheseFortSmithbusinessesFortSmithMinorHockeyNeedsYouWINBIGBYPARTICIPATINGINOURBI-MONTHLY5050DRAW.AllfundsgotosupportFortSmithminorhockeyplayerdevelopmentandyouthathletics.TICKETSAREONLY2.TouchofHeavenNWALLousSmallEnginesGiGisBakeryRustyRavenTDCPhoenixAutoNorthernJournalPelicanRapidsInnDrawdatesareDecember115and29January12and26February9and23March29and23.NewbookdocumentshistoryofFortFitzgeraldByMEAGANWOHLBERGWithjustafewscatteredhousespeekingoutofthetreesandundergrowthrst-timegoerstoFitzgeraldAlta.todaymayhaveahardtimepictur-ingitasitoncewasoneofthemostbusiestpostsintheNorth.ButforcenturiestheplaceabovetherapidsontheSlaveRiverwasastart-and-stophubofactivityusedbyFirstNa-tionsMtisandEuropeansbe-forebeingclaimedasreservelandinrecenttimes.Thatactivityandthepeo-plewhotraveledtradedandlivedatthesmalltownsitearethesubjectofanewhistoricalbookwrittenbyFortSmithauthorSandraDolan.TitledOneofthemostbusi-estpostsintheNorthaHis-toryofFortFitzgeraldAlbertathebookdocumentstraditionallandusebytherstpeoplesoftheNorthmostspecicallytheChipewyanDeneorcariboueatersthroughthetradingyearstothebustlingeraofthe1940sand50swhen1000peoplelivedtherelivestockandall.MygoalwastoshowitwasavaluableplacenotonlyFitzgeraldbutthewholeareathatwasclaimedwasvaluableinthehistoryoftherstpeoplesandtheMtisandevenEuro-peans-itwasveryvaluabletoallofthemDolansaid.DolanwhoalsoauthoredWoodenBoatsandIronPeo-pletheHistoryofFortSmithNWTwascommissionedtotakeontheprojectbySmithsLandingFirstNationSLFNwhichnowholdsFitzgeraldaspartofitsreservelands.ShesaidtheFirstNationsetoutontheprojectin2010whenitwasonceagainconfrontedwiththepressuresofhydrodevelopmentontheSlavewhichwouldhaveseentheareaoodedtocreateareservoir.Theywantedahistorywrit-tensothatpeoplewouldknowthesignicanceoftheircom-munity...sotheywouldknowthatitwasntjustnothingthatwasindangerofbeingoodedDolansaid.ThebookbeginswhentheworldwasnewbeforetherstAboriginalpeoplesmadetheirwayintotheareamanythousandsofyearsagoandinthelateryearswhowarrantabookoftheirown.ThebiggestchallengewasnotwantingtoleaveanythingoutbutIknowIdidshesaid.TherearepeoplethatIthinkarestilllivingandhavemorestoriestotelloftheirerawhichisthe40sandthe50sandIthinksomebodyelseshoulddothatbecauseIonlytouchedthatera.informationwereofimmea-surablehelpDolansaid.Havinglearnedalother-selfasshedidtheresearchDolanexpectsthebookwillbeinterestingformanyinFortSmithwhocanlikelytracetheirroutesbacktoFitz.Ithinkitwillbeveryinterestingtoallkindsofpeopleintownwhosegrand-parentslivedtherewhodontknowanythingaboutthehistoryofFitzgerald.Therearewholefamiliesstillintownthatcamefromthereshesaid.CopiesofthebookareavailableattheRustyRavenandtheSLFNofce.MygoalwastoshowitwasavaluableplacenotonlyFitzgeraldbutthewholeareathatwasclaimedwasvaluableinthehistoryoftherstpeoplesandtheMetisandevenEuropeans.SandraDolandocumentsthearrivalofEuro-peanstherstsettlementsthesigningofthetreatythecre-ationofWoodBuffaloNationalParkandthehomesteaderlifethatfollowedfromthe30stothe50stothelandclaimthatsawitestablishedasareserve.Whileacknowledgingland-markhistoricaleventsthebookmaintainsitsstrongestfocusonthepeoplebothinstoriesandinphotoswholivedtherewheretheycamefromandhowtheylived.Itriedtoemphasizethepeoplethathadlivedtheretheirhistory-moreaboutthecariboueatersbecausetheyretheonesthateventuallygotitthroughthelandclaimbutalsotheMtiswholivedthereandtheEuropeansDolansaid.Consideringthatroughly1000peoplelivedinFitzduringthemid-1900sandthathertaskwastoprovideanoverviewofthecompletehistoryofFitzger-aldincludingeveryonethathadeverlivedtherewasimpossi-bleshesaid-especiallythoseBesideslimitedtimetodointerviewsDolansaidtherewereanumberofotherobsta-clesthatnearlypreventedthebookfromreachingcomple-tion.Dolansufferedaminorstrokeinearly2012andeventhoughshemanagedtonishthebookontimealaterchangeinleadershipattheFirstNationdelayeditspublicationbyayear.DolanwasalsochallengedbythedeathofherfriendandelderMaryHeronwhomshesoughtregularlyasahis-toricalreferenceassomeonewhosemotherhadgrownupinFitzgerald.Marywaslikemylittleen-cyclopediaDolansaid.YoucouldruninthereandaskwhatyearwasthisandwhowasthisbutIdidnthavemyencyclopediathereanymore.ShewaslikemyresourcesoitwasharderwithoutMaryIhavetosay.JeriMiltenbergerwhodidthephotosandmapsinthebookandMarieSwansonwhoprovidedgenealogicalAnarchivalphotofromthebookshowsSmithsLandingin1901.SandraDolansnewbookdocumentsthehistoryoftheonce-bustlingFortFitzgerald.PhotosCascadeGraphics