‘A Great Yarn of Old East Kootenay’

“Mr. President: It is with much diffidence that after repeated urging on your part I undertook to contribute a paper to this society...”

So began, modestly, George Hope Johnston’s address to the Calgary Historical Society in February 1920.

But he wasn’t there to reminisce about Prairie history. He was there to talk about, in the words of a Calgary Herald reporter, the “wild old days” of 1880s East Kootenay, B.C.

Johnston’s recollections, repeated verbatim in the newspaper, the reporter assured readers, would interest and amuse all who read them.

As I’m sure they will interest and amuse readers of next week’s BC Chronicles.

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PHOTO: George Hope Johnston’s headstone. —findagrave.com