Maptour Page 5
Maptour: The Impact of the Great Depression, 1928-1940
Nelson Thibault’s Story


Click to enlarge

Map: Trek in Search of Work, 1928-1939

Try This:

  • Open the interactive map "Trek in Search of Work, 1928-1939."
  • Under LAYER CONTROLS, turn off "General movement of transients" and turn on "Railways in 1929."

Notice ...

  • Throughout six years Nelson Thibault was constantly trekking across Canada, coast to coast, unable to secure steady work. The numbers indicate his stops along the way.

Try This:

  • On the DATA SELECT toolbar, click on the Identify tool and then click on one of the green circles on the map to pop up the itinerary for Nelson Thibault.
  • Under LAYER CONTROLS, turn off all the checkboxes for "NELSON THIBAULT", then turn on 1934, 1935, 1936, etc., one at at time, to see where he went each year.
  • If you Zoom in farther, to Southern BC for example, Thibault's stops are annotated on the map. Use the Pan tool to follow him around the country. Another time, do the same for the other trekkers shown on the map.

Notice ...

  • Thibault gradually drifted further and further from his Saskatchewan home.
  • He chose southern BC or California for the winters.

Consider!

  • Thibault’s experience should be seen as a lifestyle common to thousands.
  • Home was both a refuge and a practical destination for an unemployed man.
  • Thibault managed all this travelling on virtually no money.
  • People have the urge to record their stories, even under difficult circumstances.
  • Letters and diaries of Canadian experiences gather dust in grandparents' attics.