Seriously Moving Images

This video clip shows an East Kootenay road trip road in the mid-1940s. It comprises excerpts from Kootenay East, a BC Government Travel Bureau travelogue, which was filmed in 1944-45 and copyrighted in 1948.

Starting from Kootenay Prairie, the clip highlights:

• local guest ranches;
• the Sullivan Mine (silver-lead-zinc) at Kimberley;
• the coal industry at Fernie and Michel (as well as Fernie’s unique golf course);
• the history of Fort Steele;
• Cranbrook’s municipal swimming pool (!); and
• a customs stop at Kingsgate crossing on the Canada-US border.

The source film is BC Archives AAAA1074 at the Royal BC Museum. These excerpts were also featured in the Royal BC Museum DVD Evergreen Playland: A Road Trip through British Columbia (2008).