Historic Prints

"Maryhill Museum of Art founder Sam Hill was one of the Pacific Northwest’s foremost early advocates for modern roads. In his zeal, he traveled around Washington giving slide-illustrated lectures about the value of good roads. Hill lobbied the state legislature and was instrumental in prompting the creation of the Washington State Highways Department (1905). He convinced the University of Washington to fund a Department of Highway Engineering (1909). He promoted good roads at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle (1909). He also founded the Washington Good Roads Association (1899), helped organize the First Congress of American Road Builders (1909), and co-founded the Pacific Highway Association (1910)."

Excerpt from "Sam Hill and the Columbia River Highway", by Steven L. Grafe, Ph.D. Curator of Arts.  

These prints are copies of the historic photos and negatives in our permanent collection. They have found temporary homes for themselves on the walls of our exhibition spaces to tell the story of the first roads built along the Columbia River. These beautiful images can bring that artfully historic touch to any space with little effort as each will come ready to hang in its frame.