History with Harry Sanders

You’re invited to join Calgary’s Historian Laureate Harry Sanders as he shares tales of Union Cemetery and some of the historic figures buried there. Known as “Harry the Historian”, his lively presence and encyclopedic knowledge of local history offer a fascinating step back in time.

Harry Sanders was born in 1966 in Drumheller, Alberta, where his father owned and operated the Whitehouse Hotel. Spending his early youth in and around this old hotel gave Harry a lifelong appreciation for heritage buildings, and this influenced his decision to study history and to follow a career as a local historian.

Harry was educated at the Calgary Hebrew School and Bishop Carroll High School. In 1988, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in History at the University of Calgary. His honours thesis dealt with the social role of hotels in early Calgary. During his university years, Harry spent his summers working as an interpreter at Heritage Park Historical Village.

Harry has worked at the Calgary Public Library, the City of Calgary Archives, the Jewish Historical Society of Southern Alberta, and the Glenbow Library and Archives. Since 1995, Harry has also been a self-employed historical consultant, contract researcher, and freelance writer. From 2006-09, he appeared on CBC Radio as “Harry the Historian,” and he served as the Calgary Heritage Authority 2012 Historian Laureate. Harry has written several books on local history, including Calgary’s Historic Union Cemetery (Fifth House, 2002). He lives in Calgary with his wife, Kirsten Olson, and their two children.