VIDEO: What a drive through the Okanagan looked like in 1966
OKANAGAN – The drive from the U.S. border in the south Okanagan to Vernon is one of the most scenic in the province, but has it changed much in the last 49 years?
A three part series released by the Ministry of Transportation this week shows footage taken from the dash of a car driving along Okanagan Highway in 1966. According to Sonia Lowe of Transportation B.C., a single, 16-millimetre, colour exposure was taken every 85 feet. Also included at the bottom of the frame is instrumentation used to identify location and measure distance.
“The instrumentation gives approximate measurements of some of the roadway features, but the major advantage of the photographs is that they present the viewer with sufficient scope and accuracy to often substitute for a visit to the site,” a release from the ministry says. “There are many occasions when Department personnel can save time and have a better understanding of problems described in correspondence, including for example, examination of accident sites, traffic control features, alignments and general conditions.”
The footage shows south Okanagan orchards, wooden bridges, vineyards, scenic lookouts over Skaha and Okanagan Lake. Many of the roads we still use today but are nonetheless largely unrecognizable.
The first video, which starts north of the U.S. border in Osoyoos, is around six minutes long. It goes through Kaleden before arriving in the south Okanagan’s biggest city.
%%Embed1%%
The second video, from Penticton to Kelowna, continues along Okanagan Highway, across the original, two-lane floating bridge and into the heart of the Okanagan.
%%Embed2%%
Part three in the series starts just before the Kelowna International Airport on Highway 97. You will see Wood and Duck Lake’s before passing through the tiny town of Winfield on your way to Vernon.
%%Embed3%%
The three videos are part of a Ministry of Transportation series that were used by road engineers to study major transportation corridors around the province. Other videos cover the Fraser Valley and parts of Vancouver Island.
What do you recognize in these videos? What has changed most in your mind? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
11 responses
-
-
Really interesting archived footage. A couple of things come to mind watching this, the segment Osoyoos Penticton.First how few road signs there were, the highway looks almost naked.I did see one sign posting the speed limit at 60 mph ( 100 km/hr), but the traffic appears to travel much slower than that . The film car catches up to, and passes 14 cars between Osoyoos andPenticton. Most of them were travelling around 45 mph and there was no line up of traffic behind them. Imagine driving at 45 mph ( 70 km/hr) today how much traffic you would have quickly backed up behind you. There appear many places to pass, so much of this stretch of highway today is double solid line, in fact today it is double solid line from top OK Falls hill ( Watermans Hill) all the way though to Penticton.Gas stations, they were everywhereRailroad track crossings 4 or 5 of themThat black strip in the middle of the lane, from engine oil leaks. Cars and trucks leaking oil was common place then, if you had a paved or concrete driveway you most likely placed cardboard down to catch the dripping oil. Happy that cars have improved in that respect.How busy the stretch of beach in front of the Penticton airport was then ….the fence along the beach has made it a rarely used strip of sand now…..Just a few few observations
-
wow what a difference 49 years makes we did this entire trip back in April and so much has changed glad I got to watch what it used to look like.
-
-
Spectacular job! Thank you to whoever was responsible for compilation! Obviously took a lot of time and effort. Wonderful memories of when I was 9!
-
-
It is a shame thevideoistoofast.i do remember driving that road many times. Seeing the old route and where ther were orchards is now vine yards, what a change
-
Exactly the year I remember driving through this area from Victoria with my parents. Dad was inLands, Forests and water resources for BC government.
-
-
Interesting to see Pyramid Park when it still had a pyramid. I’ve only lived here ten years and often wonder what it looked like.
-
I would have loved for the film speed to be reduced so we could make out signs and towns.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.