July 15, 1915 ~ The Bellingham Herald headline read,
“A Centennial of Peace Treaty Between England and United States (1814 - 1914) Observed At Boundary Near Blaine—England, Canada, Japan and United States Represented—4,000 Attend Ceremonies Americans and CanadiansAsked to Raise a Marble Arch.”

Committee members include: U.S. & Canadian Government Officials, Regional & Local officials, Members of the Academic Community and Community Members.

July 25, 1920 ~ The Vancouver Sunday newspaper headline reads: "Construction Work of Peace Arch at the Boder Now Proceeding Apace."

 

September 6th, 1921 ~ Peace Arch Dedication ceremony was attended
by over ten-thousand men, women and children, nobles, dignitaries and common folk.





Samuel Hill's dedication speech began, "War satisfies neither the victor nor the vanquished. Perfect Peace alone Satisfies"

September 6th, 1921 ~ The Peace Arch Dedication Ceremonies marked the beginning of an era of a tourism economy in downtown Blaine that would thrive into the early 1960’s.



1922 ~ U.S. Customs Officials reported that a record 81,662 cars had crossed the Blaine border. The Pacific Highway was paved in 1925. New customs facilities were built on the U.S. side in 1929.

 

1930 ~ U.S. & Canadian park
expand with the help of school
children from Washington State
and British Columbia.

 

 

 

 

 

“Lasting Peace Can Only Be Established by First Writing it in the Hearts of Childhood and Youth” N.D. Showater.

 

 

 

1940 ~ Originally, 470 lights were "artistically set" up and down the massive pilasters and along the interior frieze of the Arch. 

Because of maintenance problems the lights were replaced with floodlights in the mid 1940’s. 

The lights were removed and their holes filled with cement in the summer of 1956 (postcard).

 

 

 

June 15th, 1946 ~ United States-Canada Boundary Treaty Centennial 1846- 1946. A marker was placed on the boundary to commemorate the anniversary.

 

June 16th, 1946 ~ Below you can view a two and a half minute "News Real" featuring world events as reported in a June 16th, 1946.

The "News Real" features the following news coverage:

1) Bevin, Molotov, Jimmy Byrnes, France's George Bidaut meet for a peace conference.

2) 100 Years of Peace - Centennial Celebration at the Peace Arch honoring the treaty between U.S. Canada estalishing boundary.

3) Peron Takes Office - in Argentina, reviews army and navy.

1948 ~ The Samuel Hill Memorial Park featured a kitchen and picnic areas. The Canadian side of the park was completed in 1948, with the addition of kitchen facilities.

May 18, 1952 ~ Paul Robeson stood on the back of a flat bed truck and sang songs of defiance and solidarity to 40,000 people on the US-Canadian border when the U.S. government refused him permission to cross the border.

Accompanied by Lawrence Brown on piano, Robeson sang and spoke for
45 minutes. He introduced his first song stating "I stand here today under great stress because I dare, as do you -- all of you, to fight for peace and for a decent life for all men, women and children".

He proceeded to sing spirituals, folk songs, labor songs, and a passionate version of Old Man River, written for him in the 20's, slowly enunciating "show a little grit and you land in jail", underlining the fact that his government had turned the entire country into a prison for Robeson and many others.

Video courtesy Mickey Clark & You tube. Paul Robeson text courtesy Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility -- Chicago Chapter.
Click here to learn more about Paul Robeson.

 

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