Here’s a Then & Now look at the former Tri-Way Motel, now Kootenay Country Inn, out in Cranbrook British Columbia. Presenting two photos separated by about half a century and we’re going to chat a little about what’s seen. The business, and the whole scene for that matter, is timeless. The only noticeable change is not in the building itself but the automobiles being driven. Lots of big old boats back then, but mostly pickups and SUVs today.
The Then photo comes thanks to motel postcard collector and seller Dee. Thanks! They sent in a bunch of others we’ll (hopefully) be using as T&N fodder in the future and look forward to the challenge. In the old days, motels would gave away postcards as advertising premiums, so these are quite common and now a wonderful window into another time.
Tri-Way/Kootenay Country Inn Cranbrook: many years apart, yet little changed. With Chris Doering & Connie Biggart (BIGDoer/Synd)
Thanks goes out to “K&G La” for making this and many other Kootenay articles at BIGDoer.com possible. Do the same…
It was hoped a motel patron would use the postcard to send a note to friends or family and get the word out. It’d be like their personal endorsement. Most we’ve seen were never used, however, so it begs the question if they had much of an effect on business. Still every motel did it, so it must have to some degree, and now these are sought out by collectors.
Scroll down for photos and to comment.
This postcard dates back to circa 1970. All the cars seen were pretty common rides for the time, save for a couple more interesting examples. This was back when the big Three auto makers ruled the road and everything huge, heavy and gas economy not a concern.
The pink Mustang is perhaps the biggest standout and this due to the colour mostly. This was never a popular choice and it’s possible this one might even be the legendary “Playmate Pink”, in cooperation with Playboy Magazine. We compared the two shades and they’re not far apart. Note the colour of the old photo could have shifted with time, so we could be way off too, but it is pink and that’s rare.
There appears to be a boat in the mix and something that looks like a (rare) Chevrolet Corvair Van beside it. Hard to tell with the latter as it’s rather obscured. In addition to many cars parked out front, people can be seen milling about, so business appeared good that day.
Of particular interest to us is that little trailer and it’s a Shasta model. These are easily spotted due to those iconic wings and were quite popular at the time.
A cool little story sidebar comes next. We actually scoured local campgrounds prior to shooting this piece in hopes of finding a Shasta trailer (they’re still out there) or something similarly small (Bolers and their kin included). What-why? We had hopes of convincing an owner to pose their camper out front in our photo and just like in the original. For fun and games. We like to go all in and were certain we could talk someone into it, or at least we’d try. We’ll throw in a coffee too…and you get bragging rights…just saying…
In the end all we found was big fifth wheels and other land yachts, which wouldn’t work. This hunt wasted a lot of time but even so, we may try again when in the area, given we really like the idea.
The first mention of the Tri-Way we could find was from 1963 and we think the building was pretty new about that time. A photo from its earliest days shows it about half the size compared to the ca1970 image, so sometimes between the two captures they expanded the number of rooms.
We’re assuming Tri was in reference to the three major highways in the Cranbrook area (#3 & #93 for east/west travel and #95 to go north). Combined #3 and #93 pass right by the motel and this no has doubt always has brought in much business.
We’re pulling info from old phone directories and there was many missing years in the collections searched. Best we can tell, the business operated with the Tri-Way name into the 1990s, but it’s not completely clear when it changed to the current Kootenay Country Inn. Something in the back of our minds says it was recent and the business perhaps named some different in the interim. We’re regular visitors to the area and have passed it by countless times, but never really paid much attention till now.
If our readers know more, please speak up and help fill the holes.
The building is little changed as you can see and the only addition to the property since our Then photo was an office structures, with laundromat. It doesn’t show in the postcard, but does in others from later in the 1970s.
They had a restaurant on the property in the early days and it makes mentions on the back of the postcard. The reverse reads: “Tri-Way Motel and Licensed Restaurant. 1111 Cranbrook Street, Cranbrook, BC, Canada. Top rated units along Highway 3 and 95. Color TV. Automatic Phones. Published by RL Donaldson, Cranbrook BC and printed by Dexter Color, Cornwall Ontario.”
Highway #95 referenced is now #95A whereas #93 at the time had not yet been combined with #3 along this stretch.
RL Donaldson owned a photo shop in Cranbrook and seems to have produced a number of postcards for local businesses. We searched him out and his work covers many decades.
Many of the Then photos used in this series are supplied by readers. If you have a picture you think we should use, send it our way and we’ll see if we can make it work. Broad street scenes or landscape shots work best, but let’s chat first. These can be public domain photos (and most postcards are for example) or ones with your personal copyright. So old family photos and stuff like that.
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Date of adventure: Circa 1970 and July, 2022. Location: Cranbrook, British Columbia. Article references and thanks: Old BC Telephone Directories, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, plus Dee for the Then image.
I thought it looked familiar! We usually park behind the hotel and photograph trains!
On a side note, the old CPR Cranbrook subdivision track into Cranbrook ran directly on Ridgeview Road right behind the motel until CPR rerouted the line in the early 1970s to the current route.
(A long read) After twelve years it's time to put a face to the name and come clean on something. That's rarely-seen Chris in the photo, one half of Team BIGDoer, my best friend for almost thirty years and orchestrator of everything you see here. For his entire adult life, he's battled a deep depression.
Mostly it's manageable, but there are extended bouts where it's crippling and his life comes to a grinding halt. Sometimes there are days or weeks where he's lost. Sleep does not come easy at this time and further aggravates the issue. As he ages, it's worsening and seems intent on destroying him from the inside.
If you see a lack of posts here, or ones poorly worded, confusing or simply off, it's from one of these periods.
Through all this, he remains as kind, thoughtful and loving as ever, but is somewhere else. To the family, it's just Chris and accepted as it should be. The kids and grandkids adore him no less. Until today, however, this has been hidden from the outside world, although closer friends and some readers were probably already suspect of his condition. I hope admitting this does not break the site.
He finds clarity when we're out and doing things, hiking or documenting something historic and it's only THE reason this page and our website exists. It's therapy. Then he's a new and passionate person, but the monster as he calls it always returns. The Beer Parlour Project has brought out a side I've never seen and when out in the field he's never been so on point and confident.
This post is not for sympathy but to inform. Just so you know where he is and here's what you can do to help (a last ditch request)...
If you see a missed comma or oddly worded sentence in a post, please be kind. You'll probably see his uncertainty when he's off and be nice there too. But if you like what you see, even if the write up could be presented better, post your encouragement. Say something and say it loud...it's important and will keep him sharing. Help Chris get better by cheering him on.
Other than some photos that are mine, everything else comes from him. All the tiring research and the writing (he admits he's NOT a writer), are his.
Chris puts every dollar he makes into this "project of a lifetime", and it's supplemented by donations from readers who enjoy the content. If you want to help...
Admittedly he was not thrilled with the idea of posting this but agrees it probably should be said, even if it makes him uneasy. He doesn't like appearing in photos either. He's so shy, thinks he looks goofy and hates his husky eyes. I love them and they're windows into a wonderful, complex and quiet, but tortured soul. It breaks my heart when he's in a bad space.
This image comes thanks to photographer Arturo Pianzola and was captured while exploring the historic Riverview Mental Hospital in Coquitlam BC. Chris thought since he was in the area last year, he'd stop by to visit with a grandfather he never really knew, who spent his last years at the facility and is buried on the grounds.
Thanks for listening and your understanding. Hopefully we'll see you next week. Johanna (Connie).
Journey of Natty Gann (Disney 1985) and the same location in the Crowsnest Pass 2014. We're visiting the Pass over the new year, as we often do, and this time we'll be staying at a house that appears (briefly) in the film. How cool, eh? Chris has decided it's time on this visit to reshoot this and other Natty Gann comparison shots we did from ten years ago. Stay tuned!
This scene was shot in historic downtown Coleman and shows the former Holyk's Grocery. It was built in the early 1900s and the store closed in the '60s. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Johanna (Connie).
From 2015. Rob Pohl and his strange old-style view camera joined us in documenting the Laing House (with permission). Head down to the comments to see an amazing coincidence with something I found inside.
From the Crossley slides, it's an undated view of Towers School, out near Cluny Alberta. It was originally called Swastika School but that's before the word and symbol were ruined by negative connotations. Built 1922. Gone? _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
The same alley in downtown Calgary's west end, in the 1970s & today. You have to look hard to see the connection! The area was quite run down back then and is in stark contrast to all the shiny condo towers seen present day. Calgary Place West, an apartment block, appears in both images although it's barely a sliver in ours. Check the comments for more info.
Photo credit: James Tworow collection. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
Lost highways (2022): a section of old #93 in Southeastern BC. That BIGDoer-mobile is gone now but quite famous and had a following of its own. Old mine roads, cow paths, 4x4ing across fields - no problem and people would recognize us out in remote areas just by this car. _______
Exploring history with Chris & Connie from Off the Beaten Path. Thanks, Chris.
I thought it looked familiar! We usually park behind the hotel and photograph trains!
On a side note, the old CPR Cranbrook subdivision track into Cranbrook ran directly on Ridgeview Road right behind the motel until CPR rerouted the line in the early 1970s to the current route.
In the 1980s there was still track to the edge of town on that old line and the railway used it as a storage spur.
Wow neat!