Paths to the Past: How British Columbians Learned History by the Road, 1920-1970

Early popular enthusiasm for BC history was driven largely by mass automobile ownership and modern highways, as cultural and environmental historian Ben Bradley explains in this illustrated talk.New roads such as the Cariboo Highway seemed to beckon as paths into the province’s past, with monuments, markers, and museums that evoked an atmosphere of yesteryear. Initially, “history by the road” was cultivated mainly by private interests and local historical societies; subsequently, the provincial government played a major role in fostering public history with Stops of Interest markers and other projects. Dr. Bradley’s presentation is based on his new book, British Columbia by the Road: Car Culture and the Making of a Modern Landscape (UBC Press, 2017). Copies will be available to purchase at this event.