Hidden History: Columbia River Highway

Hidden History is a monthly lecture series at The History Museum. We’ll delve into the less obvious aspects of historical topics, investigate unexpected stories, and discover the myriad ways that we can learn about the past.
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Sam Hill biographer John E. Tuhy wrote in the preface of his book “The Prince of Castle Nowhere” that “If Sam Hill had never existed, it would not have been necessary to invent him: in fact, it would have been next to impossible.”
Sam Hill was more than the driving force of the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH), he was (in his own words) “a dreamer and a visionary.” There is so much more to his story than the highway… he was a world traveler, a political force, and a businessman who failed as often as he succeeded.
E. Michael Friend and John Hardham spent years researching and writing, then making a documentary about Sam Hill and his involvement in the HCRH. But there are plenty of stories about Sam that didn’t make it into their movie and book “King of Roads”. Friend and Hardham have been making movies for over 50 years separately and together for over a decade. They’ve been storytellers all that time. Sam Hill’s story is full of hidden gems.
Tuhy also wrote: Sam Hill was “plagued not by doubt but by venturing too much.”
Jump on board for a pretty interesting ride through the story of the other Sam Hill.
FREE – $10 Donation appreciated