The Way We Were: BC's Amazing Journey to the Millennium

Ann Turner is the financial and budget manager of the University of
British Columbia Library.

In late 1999, as the millennium approached, the Vancouver Province
newspaper delved into its archives and photo files to produce an 11-part
series celebrating British Columbia’s history from the first arrival
of European explorers up to the dawn of the millennium. Readers took a
personal interest in the project and contributed their own historical
photographs to the “community photo album.” A team of writers
researched the province’s history and compiled timelines to set the
events and photographs into their historical sequence and worldwide
context. The resulting series was extremely popular with readers, so
much so that The Province received many requests for its reproduction in
more permanent book form.

This publication is the result, and it is a worthy tribute to the
occasion. The 11 parts are arranged chronologically, one for each decade
from pre-1900 to the 1990s. Each part is introduced by a short essay
summarizing the notable developments of the decade. The annotated
timelines and historical photographs are enhanced by articles on
contemporary events and trends along with a selection of Letters to the
Editor typical of the period. This is a well-researched and very
approachable contribution to the record of British Columbia’s history.