Calgary historian, author Harry Sanders dies

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeLocal News Calgary historian, author Harry Sanders dies "He was a force of good" Author of the article: By Bill Kaufmann Published Sep 08, 2026 3 minute read Join the conversation Harry Sanders sits in Bill Herron's 1966 Pontiac Bonneville during the unveiling of a historic plaque marking the original site of the Smithbilt Hat company at Hotel Arts during Historic Calgary Week on July 30, 2012. Christina Ryan/Calgary Herald Article content Harry Sanders, whose passion was Calgary’s history and preserving it, has died. Article content Sanders, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, died Sunday at the age of 59 but not before he left a rich legacy of heritage-chronicling. Article content Article content His beginnings inspired his later love of chasing the local past. Article content When he was born in Drumheller in 1966, his parents were operating the Whitehouse Hotel that was built in 1912 and catered to the area’s coal mining boom. Article content Article content After the family moved to Calgary, Harry ultimately graduated from the University of Calgary with a bachelor of arts with a first-class honours in history. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content From there, he’d go on to share his passion with Calgary and Alberta history through a wide variety of means, which included a regular column in the Calgary Sun and on CBC Radio as Harry the Historian. Article content The historical consultant and author penned a number of books, including one exploring how Alberta’s places got their names and another on Calgary’s Fairmont Palliser Hotel. Article content “His enthusiasm was infectious, not just for history but also for anything that interested him: politics, movies, old television shows, comic books, science fiction stories, and weird, off-the-beaten-track roadside attractions and travel destinations,” states his obituary. Article content “Harry formed connections with people everywhere he went and held those connections dear by reminiscing and keeping in contact. He could converse with anyone, and during outings he invariably ran into someone he knew.” Article…