Eric J. Holmgren (–1988)

Eric Joseph Holmgren, 1923-1988, was born in Kaslo, British Columbia. He attended the University of British Columbia, the University of Toronto, and the University of Alberta. As a student at the University of Alberta, he wrote his thesis on the history of the Barr Colony. Trained as a librarian, he worked at Cambridge University in England before taking up the position of Provincial Librarian of Alberta in 1959. Holmgren served in that position until 1974 when he moved to the Provincial Archives of Alberta to work as an historian. He retired in 1979. Eric Holmgren served on the board of the Geographic Board of Alberta, the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names and was a Canadian delegate to the first United Nations Conference on the standardization of geographical names. He was also a member of the Historical Society of Alberta, Men's Canadian Club, Edmonton Historical Board and the Fort Edmonton Historical Foundation. He and wife, Patricia had one son, Dr. David Holmgren. . Together, Patricia and Eric wrote a book: Over 2000 Place Names of Alberta, Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1976. . Eric also authored the following books: : Writing Local History: Edmonton: Alberta Culture, Historical Resources Division, 1982. Isaac M. Barr and the Britannia Colony, Edmonton, 1964. Alberta at the turn of the Century, Edmonton: Provincial Archives of Alberta, 1975. Steam power in Alberta, 1870-1955, Edmonton: Alberta Culture, Reynolds-Alberta Museum,1985.