"I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list"

14 March - 30 April 2014

Ground Floor and Room 301, Murray Library

Curators: Cheryl Avery, Patrick Hayes, Stevie Horn

An exhibition of planes, trains, automobiles, and boats

flying

Travel is a great way to open up your mind and view the world--and your place in it--from an entirely new perspective. As new methods of transportation develop, new doors are opened onto broader horizons, not only in the personal realm, but also politically and economically. Although in the present era we tend to take travel for granted, there was a time when a flight, a cruise, or even a simple road-trip were viewed as glamorous.


This  exhibit attempts to capture some of the excitement of the early days of travel by plane, train, automobile, and boat--in Saskatchewan, Canada, and worldwide. Colorful travel brochures and maps; complimentary overnight packages and flight menus offering a range of luxury items; bright baggage tags and berthing passes; bon voyage cards paying homage to the Journey -- all paint a picture of the romance associated with travel in the fifties and sixties.


The exhibit also goes further back in time,  showcasing in a variety of ways the impact various modes of transportation have had on our lives -- from the role of aviation in the Second World War, to the significance of train transport as a backbone of Canada's economy, to the early days of paddle boats and automobiles in our province. RCAF materials are represented, as is a pin from Germany, quoting Goering "The German People Must Become A People of Flyers". An image of the train used to transport the King and Queen across Canada during their 1939 royal visit is on display, as is information on the Crow rate which provided reduced freight rates to Prairie farmers.
autos

Occupying four cases on two floors, this exhibition highlights only a modest portion of the transportation-related ephemera the University of Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections carries. Travel enthusiasts are invited to come view not only what we have on display, but to explore our collection at large -- to take a mini historical journey as the seasons shift, and the true season of travel and vacationing finally arrives.

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