a lot for open material. on march ninth one thousand nine hundred forty two the first soldiers arrived at dawson creek. thousands of men with bulldozers advanced into the frozen wilderness. it was to become the biggest u.s. construction project in world war two and the largest since the panama canal. there's little to be mined today's tourists of the vast effort needed to create their original highway. it has long since been tarred and extended and the region around dawson creek thrives off agriculture and natural gas production. the development of the highway has brought prosperity.