Television came to the Lakehead in 1956, bringing Beatlemania, Cold War tensions, and 1960’s counterculture movements directly into the homes of Fort William and Port Arthur. The hippie movement influenced local youth to embrace travel and non‑conformity, and brought both idealism and danger, including protests, drug use, and violent clashes with authorities. Canadian musicians like Anne Murray, Bobby Curtola, and Crosby-Stills-Nash and Young were welcomed to the Lakehead.

The Vietnam War’s televised brutality fueled anti‑war activism, and Canada became a haven for American draft dodgers. Jane Fonda’s visit to Lakehead University highlighted feminist issues and critiques of capitalism. The civil rights movement in the U.S. inspired Lakehead residents to stage solidarity protests. Local activism addressed Indigenous land rights, housing, education, and systemic discrimination. Although the counterculture promised an “Age of Aquarius,” its ideals ultimately faded, replaced by disco and materialism.

The View From Up Here is a six‑part satirical “found‑footage” documentary series about twentieth‑century history in the Thunder Bay region, hosted by local historian Tom Peotto and built from CKPR TV news clips, regional archival footage, and artifacts from the Thunder Bay Museum.