Journey Back in Time: B.C. Highway Reels from the 1960s

While time travel remains a fantasy, the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation offers a fascinating glimpse into the past with their “BC Road Trip Time Machine.” This unique online experience features over 30 road trip reels from the province, filmed in 1966. These visual records allow us to explore what B.C. highways looked like six decades ago, showcasing more than just road conditions.

The Art of Photologs

The recordings aren’t traditional films; rather, they are photologs created by taking a series of still images from a camera fixed to a car’s dashboard. This ingenious setup captured a photo approximately every 80 feet during the drive, and these images were later combined to produce an illusion of continuous motion. The photologs served not just as quaint memories but were valuable tools for highway engineers to assess road conditions across over 8,000 kilometers of highway without needing to travel there physically.

Historically, the B.C. Highways Department was a pioneer in Canada for employing this method of documentation. The resulting visuals form a detailed historical record, presenting a slice of life and infrastructure from an era that is often romanticized.

A Trip Through Highway 3

One captivating photolog features a journey along Highway 3, stretching from Princeton to the Alberta border. The Ministry of Transportation notes that this route has underwent significant changes, including enhanced safety measures such as widened roadways, better signage, and installed barriers to aid drivers. These improvements have transformed travel between communities, which were once marked by small villages like Cascade and Kinnaird.

In 1966, the highway’s path illustrated a more bustling array of smaller communities that have since lost prominence, though some still exist. Traffic at that time needed to navigate through Salmo on the now-less-frequented Airport Road to head to Burnt Flat and Kootenay Pass. Interestingly, the mountainous stretch between Salmo and Creston, initially dubbed the Salmo-Creston Cut-off, was relatively new, having only been opened two years before the photologs were shot.

A Glimpse of Life and Landscape

The photos illustrate not just road conditions but also captivated viewers with scenes from daily life. During the drive through the Selkirk Mountains, for example, several vehicles can be seen pulled over—victims of overheating on the steep climbs of Kootenay Pass, the highest point of Highway 3 at 1,774 meters. Back then, the highway was more commonly known as the Southern Trans-Provincial Highway, serving as a key route across the south of the province before it officially adopted the moniker “Crowsnest Highway” in 1977.

As the journey continues into West Creston, it feels as though time has stood still. The farmlands remain vibrant and lush, showcasing the region’s agricultural richness. The iconic grain elevators loom large in the towns’ skyline, reminding viewers of their historical significance. Unfortunately, one of the original white elevators has succumbed to decay, but the red elevator—one of the few remaining wooden structures in the province—stands testament to the region’s heritage.

Nostalgia on Main Street

The video showcases vintage cars lining the streets of downtown, encapsulating the charm and character of a bygone era. Today, Main Street retains much of its historical feel, an inviting snapshot of life that remains largely unchanged, save for the absence of traffic lights.

As the journey resumes toward Yahk, the landscape transitions into sprawling orchards that fill the horizon, continuing through Cranbrook and Fernie before arriving at Crowsnest Pass. The photologs capture the small towns, rivers, mountains, valleys, and lakes that define the Kootenays, making it an extraordinary visual archive of the region’s beauty.

Discover More Vintage Ventures

For those interested in this nostalgic exploration, a collection of photologs can be found online, inviting viewers to embark on a virtual adventure. Each trip posted on the TranBC website includes highway highlights and interesting historical facts. Additionally, all 37 photologs have been digitized and are accessible on the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit’s YouTube channel.

Other notable routes from 1966 include journeys covering Nelson to Balfour on Highway 3A, the path from the U.S. border to Vernon on Highway 97, and even a captivating drive from Horseshoe Bay to downtown Vancouver, showcasing the evolving landscape and community life frozen in time.

This digital time capsule serves not only to inform but also to evoke a sense of nostalgia and curiosity about the vibrant history of British Columbia’s highways.