HeritageBC Stops

Passage by Sail

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:24:52 +0000

This sign near Campbell River is missing from the list. N49.95647 W125.20579

Passage by Sail

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:23:41 +0000

This sign near Campbell River is missing from the list. N49.95647 W125.20579

More Photos

Mon, 14 May 2012 03:38:40 +0000

Yes, the coordinates are correct and that is my photo. I used to drive the road on a bi-weekly basis starting in 1973 so the sign is part of my past. The photo does not show much of the background so we decided to take some pictures showing more of the background to illustrate how the sign is situated on the road skirting the lake. The trees in the photos would have been smaller 40 years ago so at the time it would have been possible to photograph the sign with the lake in the background.

New Sign Location at Echo Lake

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:20:07 +0000

Thanks! I've adjusted the location of this sign. It looks pretty darn neglected in your photo!

Heritage Connections

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:16:23 +0000

Mackie Lake House has its roots in the Coldstream Ranch which was subdivided in the early 1900’s and planted with apple and pear trees. Ronald Buchanan, a businessman from Montreal commissioned architect Robert Findlay to build the House in 1910 and subsequently sold it to Gordon Shakespeare Layton and his family in 1925. Hugh and Grace Mackie, along with the Reverend Augustine Mackie had established the Vernon Preparatory School for boys in Coldstream in 1913. It was a boarding school entrenched in British custom and culture greatly appreciated by the English pioneers who came to the area. The Mackie Family became friends of the Laytons, visiting the House often, and in 1945, they purchased the House. Tours of the Mackie Lake House tell the story of the Mackie family and showcase the extraordinary and eclectic furnishings and collections preserved by Patrick F. Mackie who had the auspicious foresight to bequeath the property to the Mackie Lake House Foundation.

The First Premier

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:16 +0000

The coordinates listed on your site for "The First Premier" sign are incorrect. They give a location at Echo Lake, not McCreight Lake. The correct coordinates are: 50.287317, -125.645973

Point of Interest Sign Request - Kicking Horse Pass on the Trans Canada Highway - AB / BC Border

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:25:33 +0000

Sept 27, 2011 Dear Madam / Sir; Upon recently driving from BC back to AB on the TransCanada Highway, I noticed the GPS elevation of the Kicking Horse Pass (East of Field, BC) at the provincial border was approximately 1650 m above sea level. Upon further research, it appears this is the highest elevation on the entire TransCanada Highway (ie. higher than the Roger's Pass at 1330 m above sea level, and higher than Scott Lake Hill West of Calgary at 1426 m). Therefore, I would like to recommend the Government commemorate this unique geographic point of interest with a sign on the highway indicating the name of the pass and it’s elevation, as I believe many Canadians and tourists alike would enjoy knowing about this fascinating location. Thank you kindly! Leigh Muir / Calgary, AB

Kootney Relatives

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:43:00 +0000

My great grandfather Smith was one the general manager of West Kootney Power and Light. He lived in the company house across from the curling rink.

Huble Homestead Historic Site

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 10:29:40 +0000

The Huble Homestead is a living historic site that offers tours of heritage buildings such as the Huble House, Salmon Valley Post Office, and the Animal Shelter. Visit replicas of the original General Store, Trapper's Cabin, Barns, Blacksmith Shop and the First Nations Fish Camp; all aspects of the site represent a time in our history that the Huble Homestead/Giscome Portage Heritage Society has proudly preserved on behalf of our community, our heritage, and our history. Come by, bring a picnic, enjoy a breathtaking walk of the countryside, or walk the historic Giscome Portage. Visit our blacksmith to see demonstrations of the craft of making nails and period implements. Find the perfect gift at our General Store, stock up on Huble Berry Jam, have lunch, say hello to our livestock or just lie down in the grass and enjoy the sunshine.

Ladysmith's Heritage Route

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:10:19 +0000

The Ladysmith Heritage Route highlights Ladysmith’s history of coal mining, forestry, rail and marine industry. The Route provides a link from our living heritage downtown to the working waterfront and Transfer Beach Park.

Tahltan and Telegraph Creek

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:19:09 +0000

Driving the The Telegraph Creek Road (Highway 51) is quite the experience. The road is narrow with many corners but the scenery is spectacular with views of the Stikine River Canyon and lava formations from near by Mt . Edziza. The end of the road is the historic community of Telegraph Creek which was a booming community for trade and transport in the first part of the 20th century. The Stikine River Valley is the traditional home of the Tahltan people who today still rely on the Stikine to supply their annual salmon needs. A relatively new Heritage tourism info sign is located near the mouth of the Tahltan River where the Tahltan people have an seasonal camp and smokeshouse. If you drive the Telegraph Creek road in July or August you will see them catching and preparing the salmon at the Tahltan River.

Yukon Telegraph

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 10:46:16 +0000

If you live in northwest BC you have probably heard stories about the Yukon Telegraph Trail/Line. It was an important communication and transportation link for the region and the world from 1900-1936. There are still locations where you can see the telegraph wire and cabins where men spent there lives working and living along the route. The telegraph line grew out of the need for Yukon territory to have communication to the outside world because of the Klondike gold rush and the associated trail became a route to the Klondike for many a gold rush stampeder. A Heritage tourist info sign describing this is located on Highway 37 about 300 km north of Kitwanga (jct of Hwy 37 & 16) near Bob Quinn Lake. In the area of the info sign the highway follows close to telegraph line and trail route.

Powell River : July 2009

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:37:18 +0000

This sign is north of Powell River near the mill on Hwy 101, on Marine Avenue at the corner of Ash Avenue, kittycorner from the Patricia Theatre. A plot of colourful flowers blooms at its base - nice touch.

Tske-tem-stu-weekh-tin

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:17:44 +0000

I visited this Stop of Interest on October 2nd, 2008. It is at the junction of Highway 97 with Campbell Road, in West Kelowna. (49.878594, -119.522962)

Ghost Of Walhachin

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:05:12 +0000

I most recently visited this Stop of Interest on March 26th, 2009. It has been removed -- temporarily, i hope. I have seen it many times at an eastbound pullout on the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1 / Hwy 97), 16 km east of Cache Creek, and 6 km west of the highway's intersection with Walhachin Road. All that remained of the marker at this time were the metal post supports in the ground, as shown in this photo. (50.79736, -121.10927)

Yale Convention

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:45:24 +0000

I visited this Stop of Interest on April 23rd, 2009. It is on Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), at a pullout immediately south of Victoria Street, in Yale. (49.562883, -121.434267) [Note to Ed.: if the photo uploads this time, please feel free to remove my earlier post.]

Father Pandosy O.M.I.

Fri, 29 May 2009 11:23:34 +0000

I visited this Stop of Interest on April 24th, 2009. It is at the Pandosy Mission at 3685 Benvoulin Road, near Casorso Road, in Kelowna. (49.84991, -119.468052)

Illustrated History of British Columbia

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:24:00 +0000

By Terry Reksten:

For anyone who enjoys their history told with lots of pictures, this is a wonderful coffee-table book about the history of BC – a visual treat and fascinating read too.

Published by Douglas & McIntyre 2005.

BC Stop-of-Interest Plaques Guide

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:41:00 +0000

This official guide, published in the early 1980's by the Heritage Conservation Branch, Province of British Columbia, features the text for 133 plaques. It seems to be the brochure that most people are familiar with – though out of date, it may still turn up from time to time. The introduction included below captures some of the thinking behind the provincial Stop of Interest program:

"British Columbia is a province with a rich and vibrant history. The prehistory of the province dates back 10,000 years and archaeological site examination is our only means of recovering the distant past. Our historical period, dating from the mid-1800s, is represented in unique heritage building that display older architectural styles. The result of rapdi urban growth and a constantly changing society has often been the destruction of heritage building. A growing appreciation of our cultural past and awareness of the need to preserve this past has come from many groups of people.

The purpose of the Heritage Conservation Act, passed by the government of British Columbia in 1977, is "to encourage and facilitate the protections and conservation of heritage propery in the province". The Heritage Conservation Branch is charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating government activities in heritage conservation. It administers the Heritage Conservation Act, and also seeks to enhance the public's awareness of heritage through programs of public access, education, and information. One of these is the Stop-of-Interest plaquing program which, as one of the fundamental objectives of historic commemoration, gives everyone an opportunity to reflect on the people and events which have helped mould the heritage shared by citizens of Canada.

We hope that this booklet, showing the texts of Stop-of-Interest laques, will stimulate people further to research into the history of the people and places that have helped fashion this province. By joining and lending advice and support to heritage programs through your municipal heritage advisory committee, you can become involved in British Columbia's unique heritage."

To find out more about the current issues and changes in heritage today, please visit Heritage BC, the 'parent' organization of this website:

126 Stops of Interest in Beautiful BC

Wed, 20 May 2009 13:29:00 +0000

By David E. McGill:

You may have seen copies of this out-of-print book that was published by Frontier Publishing Co. Ltd. in 1979. We gratefully acknowledge the research done by McGill, some of which has been incorporated into the background content of this website as edited by historian John Adams.

Haida Heritage Centre in Skidegate

Fri, 08 May 2009 15:31:27 +0000

Haida Heritage Centre at Kaay Llnagaay is a magnificent 53,000 square foot cedar multi-complex consisting of five contemporary monumental timber longhouses. The Centre houses the expanded Haida Gwaii Museum, additional temporary exhibition space, two meeting rooms/classrooms, the Performing House, Canoe House, Bill Reid Teaching Centre, the Carving Shed, a gift shop and a small restaurant/cafe.

University of Northern BC

Fri, 08 May 2009 12:40:00 +0000

'En Cha Hunà is the motto for UNVC. From the Dakelh/Carrier Elders, it is used to remind us that all people have a voice and a viewpoint. Directly translated as "respecting all forms of life," ‘En Cha Hunà encapsulates the spirit of academic freedom, respect for others, and willingness to recognize different perspectives.

Cottonwood House Historic Site

Fri, 08 May 2009 12:14:00 +0000

Cottonwood House Historic Site is located 26 kilometres east of Quesnel. It is a preserved road house on the Gold Rush Trail to Barkerville Historic Town. Visit this website for more about visiting these historic buildings, theatre and events, animals, group outings, accommodation and tent sites.

Cottonwood House Historic Site and Heritage Wood Products are operated by School District 28 Career Programs and Partnerships Division as an innovative national award winning youth employment and work experience project. This project won the 2002 Conference Board of Canada Award Business and Education Partnerships.

Bralorne Gold Mines Ltd.

Fri, 08 May 2009 11:48:17 +0000

Bralorne Gold Mines is developing the unexplored gaps between the historic Bralorne, King and Pioneer gold mines of southwest British Columbia. Together, these three historic mines represent the largest historic gold producer in the Canadian Cordillera producing 4.1 million ounces of gold. (2009)

Bralorne Pioneer Museum

Fri, 08 May 2009 09:06:00 +0000

The Bralorne Pioneer Museum Society was formed in 1977 to preserve the history of the Bridge River Valley. Some of the historical buildings still standing are the Bralorne Mine, Bralorne Hospital, Boultbe Memorial Church (recently restored by the Bridge River Valley Community Church Society), Jail House, the Model Bakery, the Bralorne-Pioneer Office Building (now a motel) and the Bralorne Community Hall. The Museum itself is in the old high-school industrial education building located. Other sites include the graveyard in Gold Bridge, Standard Cabin, Green Mountain Lookout Cabin and the Will Haylmore Property.

Open seasonally.
400 Hawkes Avenue, Bralorne
Email: bralornepioneermuseum@telus.net

The Trail of 1858

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:24:56 +0000

British Columbia's Gold Rush Past : BC Almanac host Mark Forsythe and coauthor Greg Dickson augment their historical research with contributions from CBC listeners that give the gold rush story a personal, folksy feel. Making liberal use of historic photos, the authors celebrate memorable personalities from this epic time: the stern but sensible Judge Matthew Begbie; the peacemaking Chief Spintlum; Nam Sing, the first Chinese miner in the Cariboo; overlander Catherine Schubert; high-rolling miners Billy Barker and Cariboo Cameron; and a host of others. The Trail of 1858 is a combination of fact and memory of the colourful characters who helped form this province; it is a book from which history truly jumps. Available from Harbour Publishing

British Columbia - Spirit of the People

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:17:22 +0000

A coffee-table book filled with British Columbia's history, culture and stunning natural beauty. In 2008, BC celebrates the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia and 150 years of cultural diversity, community and achievement. British Columbia: Spirit of the People celebrates this milestone, capturing the province's history, beauty and complex character in a lavish coffee-table book. The text, by respected historian Jean Barman, delves into the region's history, from the first humans to arrive in British Columbia twenty thousand years ago to the promises and hopes of the twenty-first century, including the first contact between Indigenous peoples and newcomers; the legacy of the fur trade and gold rush; the contributions of immigrant cultures; the development of communities and urban centres and the flourishing of the arts. The book is full of archive images and photographs by some of the province's most talented photographers, including David Nunuk, Chris Cheadle and Vance Hannah. Available from Harbour Publishing

Visit the Mascot Gold Mine

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:46:37 +0000

Take a tour of the incredible Mascot Gold Mine, perched on a cliff face overlooking the spectacular Similkameen Valley. Experience what life was like as a hard rock gold miner, explore the mine buildings and step back in time with our mine tunnel sound and light production. The Upper Similkameen Indian Band at the Snaza'ist Discovery Centre, invites you to explore the incredible history of mining.

Myra Canyon Trestle Restoration Society

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:08:52 +0000

In all, 12 wooden trestles were totally destroyed, and the decks of the two steel trestles were burned, plus damage to the trail itself and the amenities that had been built up over the last 10 years. Check out this website to see how successful preservation efforts have been!

S.S. Sicamous

Wed, 06 May 2009 10:53:27 +0000

Okanagan Inland Marine Heritage Park When in Penticton you can see the largest remaining steel-hulled sternwheeler S.S. Sicamous. See photos and read more about the preservation project:

Irrigating the Okanagan 1860-1920

Wed, 06 May 2009 10:40:25 +0000

You'll find an article on irrigation by Kenneth Wayne Wilson on this website as well as many other resources about fruit growing. Living Landscapes is part of the Royal BC Museum family of websites. Photo : BC Archives H-06812

Okanagan Basin Waterscape

Wed, 06 May 2009 10:20:37 +0000

Here is a good resource link from National Resources Canada : Geoscape about the environment, water usage and irrigation.

Fort Steele Heritage Town

Tue, 05 May 2009 17:21:32 +0000

"The past lives and breathes at Fort Steele Heritage Town. Perched on the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains since it's gold rush beginnings in 1864, the village has gone from boomtown to regional centre to ghost town to one of the most important heritage attractions of its kind in British Columbia." Visit Fort Steele online to find out more about events, demonstrations, wagon rides and more. This is a great looking and fun website:

Stag Leap Park

Tue, 05 May 2009 16:56:18 +0000

Stagleap Provincial Park is located at the summit of the highest all weather highway pass in BC and one of the highest paved highways in Canada! Enjoy the subalpine forest from the luxury of your car or go for a short walk around Bridal Lake. The park has a key role in protecting habitat for internationally endangered mountain caribou. A remnant herd of approximately 40 individuals migrate back and forth across the international border and is heavily dependent on the park to facilitate this movement. In addition, the park provides important habitat for the vulnerable Southern Selkirk population of grizzly bear. Find out more on the BC Parks website

Kootenay Pass Webcam

Tue, 05 May 2009 16:47:40 +0000

Did you know that you can check out road conditions and weather at lots of different highway locations at www.drivebc.ca? Click here the DriveBC Highway Cam for Kootenay Pass on Highway 3.

Silvery Slocan Museum

Mon, 04 May 2009 13:24:00 +0000

The two-storey, recently restored, heritage building was a branch of the Bank of Montreal from 1897 until 1969. In 1971, the building was leased to the Chamber of Commerce, to be used as a Museum. Currently, the building is owned by the Village of New Denver, and the Museum is operated by the Silvery Slocan Historical Society, a non-profit organization. Check out the website for more about the Museum and other historical sites around New Denver.

Trans Canada Trail

Mon, 04 May 2009 13:02:44 +0000

The Trans Canada Trail is a 21,500-kilometre recreational trail winding its way through every province and territory, from the Atlantic to Pacific to Arctic Oceans. When completed, it will be the world's longest recreational trail, linking close to 1000 communities and over 33 million Canadians. Today almost 70 percent (14,500 kilometres) is developed. Thousands of people are taking to the Trail to walk, hike, cycle, ski, horseback ride, canoe and snowmobile. Make a donation to help complete the Trail, visit the photo gallery and shop for the new British Columbia Guidebook on the website!

The Kicking Horse Canyon Project

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:26:00 +0000

Read more about the improvements to the Trans Canada Highway in Kicking Horse Canyon – and the engineering and construction challenges!

Golden BC Museum

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:14:19 +0000

We are open for our summer season from May 1st to September 30th. Stop by for a visit and check out exhibits, collection of photos, newspapers and other archival records about Golden BC. Throughout the summer the museum celebrates community through current exhibits. 1302 11th Ave S. G0lden BC

Columbia River : National Geographic Earthpulse

Mon, 04 May 2009 12:01:02 +0000

Here is a fun link to an interactive National Geographic webpage about the Columbia River. It explores pros and cons about dam building, water control, salmon fishing and shipping.

Outlaw Bill Miner Website

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:38:00 +0000

Check out this website for more about the exploits of the 'Old Bill' Miner.

Photo: Reward Notice 1909 BC Archives B-00726

The Douglas Lake Ranch

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:33:29 +0000

You can visit Canada's Largest Working Cattle Ranch, buy a calendar and do some fishing while you're at it. Check out their webcam to see what Douglas Lake Ranch looks like today!

The William R. Bennett Bridge

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:08:59 +0000

The William R. Bennett Bridge, opened in May 2008, is the centrepiece of a revitalized road network in the Okanagan. The five-lane structure relieves congestion along Highway 97, ensuring the safe, efficient movement of people and goods through this growing corridor. It plays a pivotal role in growing the regional economy, particularly the Okanagan's signature tourism industry. The William R. Bennett Bridge replaced the three-lane Okanagan Lake Bridge in Kelowna. This corridor is the most congested stretch of highway outside the Lower Mainland accommodating an average of 46,000 vehicles per day. By 2017, more than 69,000 vehicles are expcted to use the new bridge each day.

Copper Mountain Mining Corp

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:49:43 +0000

For more about the history of Copper Mountain Mine, visit the company website.

Historic O'Keefe Ranch

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:32:00 +0000

The website for the Historic O’Keefe Ranch tells the story of early BC Ranching and endeavours to preserve the history and culture for future generations. Come visit. You will be glad you did.

Okanagan Historical Society

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:16:00 +0000

In the 1960s, the Okanagan Historical Society took on the task of preserving the historic Pandosy Mission site on Benvoulin Road in Kelowna. Many of the buildings had fallen in disrepair. Work parties from the historical society and the Knights of Columbus have laboured over the years to restore four of the original buildings, the Chapel, the Root-House, the Barn and the Brothers House. Four other historic buildings have been moved to the site. Today, it is jointly administered by the Okanagan Historical Society and the Catholic Church. The property remains in the hands of the Catholic Church. There is a caretaker on site and the grounds are open to the public from dawn to dusk from Easter to Thanksgiving. Admission is by donation.

CASSIAR GOLD RUSH

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:32:00 +0000

(On Stewart-Cassiar Highway, at McDame Creek Bridge)

The prospect of quick riches lured hundreds of placer-miners to the Cassiar, where gold was discovered first at Dease Creek in 1872. Rich claims were later found at Thibert Creek and here McDame Creek. From this creek in 1877 a 72 ounce solid gold nugget was recovered – the largest recorded to date in British Columbia. By 1978 much of the gold had been removed and the fortune seekers moved on.

ATLIN CEMETERY

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:31:00 +0000

(At Atlin Cemetery, Atlin, BC)

In 1898, Fritz Miller and Kenny McLaren found gold on nearby Pine Creek, triggering British Columbia’s last place gold rush. The boom subsided by 1908, but gold has kept Atlin alive. Now Miller and McLaren lie here among hard bitten prospectors, young miners, northern aviators, brave women, and newborn infants, all part of Atlin’s pioneer heritage.

YUKON TELEGRAPH

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:31:00 +0000

(On Stewart-Cassiar Highway, Near Bob Quinn Lake)

Born of the Klondike-Gold rush of 1898, the 1,900-mile Dominion Telegraph Line linked Dawson City with Vancouver via the CPR wires through Ashcroft. Built in 1899-1901, the line blazed a route across this vast northern section of the Province but gave way to radio communications in the 1930s. Today, some of the trail and cabins used by the isolated telegraphers still serve wilderness travelers.

INVERNESS CANNERY

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:30:00 +0000

(At Port Edward, on the site of the Inverness Cannery)

The developing Provincial salmon-fishing industry spread northward when the Inverness Cannery opened here in 1876. The first cannery in northern British Columbia, it took advantage of the abundant sockeye runs up the Skeena River to challenge the dominance of the canneries along the lower Fraser. Closed finally in 1950, the plant was destroyed by fire in 1973.

METLAKATLA

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:30:00 +0000

(Near wharf at Metlakatla)

On this ancient Tsimshian site, Anglican missionary William Duncan sought to create in 1862 a self-sustaining community. New homes arose, education flourished, native crafts expanded and new trades developed. Here was built in 1874 the largest church north of San Francisco. In 1887 Duncan and many of the band moved to Alaska. Fire destroyed the church and much of the village in 1901.

TOTEM POLES

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:28:00 +0000

At Kitwancool village, 40 miles north of Hazelton)

These stately monuments in cedar proclaim the owner’s clan status and inherited family traditions, but were never associated with religion. Clan crests portrayed mythical creatures, sometimes in human form, from the legendary history of the clan. As a unique primitive art form, the poles are fitting examples of the artistic talents of these native people.

THE CHILCOTIN WAR

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:27:00 +0000

(At the Dean River Crossing at “The Fishtrap”. 200 miles west of Williams Lake on the Bella Coola Road)

In 1864 Alfred Waddington’s crew constructing a road from Bute Inlet to ‘Cariboo’ was almost wiped out by resentful natives about 65 miles to the south. The war party then killed members of a pack train here and spread terror across the whole interior. Governor Seymour’s armed patrols captured the suspects who were convicted and hanged at Quesnel.

YUKON CATTLE DRIVE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:25:00 +0000

(57 miles west of Williams Lake on the Bella Coola Road)

Norman Lee left his ranch in this valley in 1898 with 200 head on a 1,500-mile ‘beef’ drive to the Klondike gold camps. Five months later, winter forced him to butcher the herd. He loaded the meat on scows which were lost on Teslin Lake, 500 miles short of Dawson City. Lee returned, undaunted, to help in the development of the cattle industry on Chilcotin’s productive grasslands.

PADDLEWHEELS NORTH

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:24:00 +0000

(10 miles north of Soda Creek and 32.5 miles north of Williams Lake)

Down-river lay the perilous and unnavigable canyon, Up-river the Fraser was swift and strong, but sternwheelers could travel for 400 miles from Soda Creek. Men and supplies embarked here in the 1860s for the fabulous Carilboo goldfields. Later, as the GTP Railway was forged across the Province, nine paddlewheelers formed a life-line to the north.

BRIDGING THE COTTONWOOD

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:24:00 +0000

(Vie point at the Cottonwood River Bridge, 10 miles north of Quesnel)

Plans to complete the Pacific Great Eastern Railroad to Prince George in 1921 failed because unstable ground prevented use of the proposed bridge site on the Cottonwood River. Thus, construction stopped at Quesnel. As northern expansion continued, the need for this rail link increased and a successful upstream crossing was completed in 1952.

THE CHASM

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:23:00 +0000

(At vie point at the Chasm, 10 miles north of Clinton on the old highway. Leave Highway 97, 7 miles north of Clinton)

At the close of the Ice Age about 10,000 years ago, a stream fed by melting ice cascaded over a falls forming this chasm by cutting into some of the lava flows that helped to build the Fraser Plateau. Individual lava flows are shown here by the horizontal layering. When the glacial ice finally disappeared the flow of meltwater stopped.

APOSTLE IN THE ROCKIES

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:22:00 +0000

(View point at Kootenay River Bridge, 40 miles north of Fort Steele)

In September 1845 Father Jean De Smet, the first missionary to reach the Kootenay Indians, placed a large ‘Cross of Peace’ in a pass north of here as he struggled on foot through the Rockies seeking the Blackfeet tribe. Born in Belgium in 1801, this Jesuit priest laboured for 35 years among Indians from the Missouri River to the Pacific.

CANAL FLAT

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:22:00 +0000

(36 miles south of Radium Junction, Highway 93/93)

In 1808 David Thompson named this flat ‘McGillivray’s Portage’ as he crossed from Columbia Lake to the Kootenay River. In 1889 WA Baillie-Grohman joined the two waterways by a canal with a single lock. Regulations aimed at preventing Columbia River flooding so restricted the operation of the canal that only two steamboats passed through – the Gwendoline in 1894 and the North Star in 1902.

A DREAM FULFILLED

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:20:00 +0000

(View point over the Creston Flats area several miles north of Creston)

It was the dream, in the 1880s, of WA Baillie-Grohman, British sportsman and financier, to reclaim these fertile flats from the annual river floods. His canal at Canal Flats diverted part of the Kootenary into the Columbia but was abandoned. The first successful reclamation was in 1893. Now 25,110 acres lie secure beyond 53 miles of dykes.

KOOTENAYS STEAMBOATS

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:20:00 +0000

(6.2 miles north of Warnder)

A colourful steamboat era preceded the railways. During mining boom days of 1893-98 a fleet of sternwheelers ran north from the railway at Jennings, Mont., to Fort Steele and vicinity.

Carrying prospectors, freight, and ore they battled treacherous currents, shoals, and canyons to provide a vital transport link.

The Kootenays owe them much!

A BEAVER POND

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:19:00 +0000

(On Highway 31A at Zincton)

Here beaver made a home for themselves and created an oasis of life for other creatures. They have dammed a stream, logged a forest, dredged canals, and built a house. Their pond, with its clear water, lush grasses, and dead trees, provided an attractive habitat for many insects, birds, and mammals. Beaver usually work and feed at dawn and dusk.

BLUE BELL MINE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:19:00 +0000

(1 mile from the ferry terminal at Kootenay Bay, Kootenay Lake)

The orebody known to Indians as a source of lead for musket balls, was staked in 1882 by Bob Sproule, later restaked by Tom Hamill. The resulting lawsuit cost Sproule the property, and in revenge he murdered his rival, was convicted and hanged. Development included a smelter and townsite. This mine has the longest history in the province.

GOLD AT ROCK CREEK

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:18:00 +0000

(Sign at Rock Creek)

It was a big rush to a small creek, but it made history in BC. When hundreds of miners gathered here in 1860, Governor Douglas, fearing that both gold and trade would be lost to the Untied States, ordered the famed Dewdney Trail built from the Coast.

Richer strikes in Cariboo soon lured the miners north, but a vital travel route remained.

SOUTHERN CROSSROADS

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:17:00 +0000

(On Anarchist Mountain, 4 miles east of Osoyoos)

A valley north and south, a sandspit eat and west – this was the crossroad of the centuries. Down the valley of Indian trails came the laden horses of the Fur Brigade from 1824 to 1848. Later, miners and settlers streamed northward. Across the sandspit ran the busy Dewdney Trail to the eastern gold fields. Routes of the past are highways of today.

OKANAGAN LANDING

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:14:00 +0000

(At Okanagan Landing Community Park, Okanagan Landing)

Here in 1886, Captain T. D. Shorts launched the Okanagan’s first steamer. Six years later, Okanagan Landing became a C.P.R. terminus and shipyard whose vessels made possible the growth of new towns and orchards in the valley. The Great War, new roads and railways, and collapse of the fruit boom doomed the steamboats by 1916. In 1936, an era ended as the ‘Sicamous’ steamed in from her last voyage.

VERNON MILITARY CAMP

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:14:00 +0000

(At Vernon Military Camp, 1 mile south of Vernon)

Trumpets first sounded here in 1908 calling the Okanagan’s cavalry to muster. Joined by infantry battalions, thousands of militiamen and cadets from all over the province came to know Mission Hill as British Columbia’s largest military camp. Soldiers who were trained here fought around the globe in two world wars.

OGOPOGO’S HOME

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:13:00 +0000

(19 miles north of Penticton near “Big Bend” of lake)

Before the unimaginative, practical white man came, the fearsome lake monster, N’ha-a-itk, was well known to the primitive, superstitious Indians. His home was believed to be a cave at Squally Point, and small animals were carried in the canoes to appease the serpent.

“Ogopogo still is seen every year – but now by white man!

KELOWNA – ORCHARD CITY

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:13:00 +0000

(View point across lake from Kelowna)

Early fur traders called the ancient Indian camp L’Anse au Sable, or Sandy Cove. Near this, in 1859, Father Pandosy established the first permanent Catholic mission on the mainland of British Columbia.

Here he built the first school and planted the first fruit trees in the southern interior.

The Kelowna Townsite was laid out by Bernard Leguime in 1892.

PONDEROSA PINE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:12:00 +0000

(Near Whipsaw Creek, 9 miles south of Princeton)

The Ponderosa Pine occurs in Canada only in British Columbia where it has adapted to a zone of low summer rainfall through the southern interior of the province. The mature tree can be recognized readily by its distinctive orange bark. The aromatic, soft lumber of the pines was used for years to construct crates and boxes for fruit from the Okanagan Valley.

AMERICAN RAILROAD

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:12:00 +0000

(On Highway 3, 3 miles west of Keremeos on the Similkameen River)

This old bridge and the sections of abandoned grade are mute reminders of the Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway & Navigation Co. A Great Northern subsidiary, it was pushed into the promising Hedley Princeton mining area in 1907-14. In 1916 by agreement with the Kettle Valley Railroad, its operations were stopped west of Princeton.

THE DEWDNEY TRAIL

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:11:00 +0000

(22 miles east of Hope)

A bold venture, this trail crossed the mountains of southern BC, and kept the wealth of a new land from flowing to the USA. Planned by the Royal Engineers, and built in 1860-61 by Edgar Dewdney, a young engineer, it led over the mountains to Princeton. After completion to the Rockies in 1865 it served for 25 years as a vital route to the Coast.

RAILWAY SURVEYOR

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:07:00 +0000

(Overlooking Moberly Marsh, about 8 miles north of Golden)

In 1871, Walter Moberly, in charge of surveys for the mountain division of the projected Canadian trans-continental railway, built log cabins east of here for survey party ‘S’. The preliminary surveys through Howse Pass were abandoned in 1872 in favour of the Yellowhead route, but in the end the railway used Kicking Horse Pass. Moberly Marsh and Moberly Peak honour this early surveyor in British Columbia.

ENGINEERS’ ROAD

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:07:00 +0000

(16 miles east of Hope)

A wagon road across BC – this was the ambitious scheme of the Royal Engineers in the late 1860s as miners clamored for better access to the Southern Interior.

Sent from England, these military engineers replaced the first 25 miles of the Dewdney Trail with a wagon road. Their work halted when attention shifted to the gold-rich Cariboo.

EAGLE PASS

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:03:00 +0000

(10 miles west of Revelstoke)

In 1865, Walter Moverly, government engineer, was searching for a railway route through these rugged Monashee Mountains.

He shot at an eagle’s nest, and observed the birds fly into a river valley. Following them he discovered this low pass which now carries the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

LAKE OF THE SHUSWAP

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:01:00 +0000

(9 miles north of Salmon Arm on Salmon Arm-Sicamous Highway)

This beautiful lake takes its name form the Shuswap Indian, northernmost of the great Salishan family and the largest tribe in Interior BC. Once numbering over 5,000 these people were fishermen and hunters. They roamed in bands through a vast land of lakes and forest stretching 150 miles to the west, north, and east.

OUR FIRST TOURISTS

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:00:00 +0000

(Near Blue River)

In July 1863, Lord Milton and r. Cheadle laboured through this rugged mountain pass on a trans-continental tour. The Englishmen, travelling ‘for pleasure’, with an Indian guide and his family, completed the arduous trek form Yellowhead Pass to Kamloops in 42 days. The doctor’s journal of the trip is now a classic in the province’s historical records.

THE CRIMSON SOCKEYE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:00:00 +0000

(8.8 miles east of Chase)

The Adams River contains the most productive spawning beds in BC. Each fall the river teems with crimson sockeye salmon.

To the Indian, the fur-trader, and the first settlers, the advent of the ‘run’ could mean life itself.

The continuance of this age-old spawning cycle will bring millions of dollars each year to the people of the Pacific Northwest.

NORTH THOMPSON

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:59:00 +0000

“OVERLANDERS” OF 1862

(1 mile south of Louis Creek)

It has been an epic struggle against the wilderness for the gold-seekers from Eastern Canada.

They had crossed the Rockies, trekked through pathless forest, and won the swift rapids of the North Thompson River. The open country now offered hope and safe passage. Ragged and starved, they reached Kamloops where many became pioneer farmers.

CANADIAN NORTHERN PACIFIC’S LAST SPIKE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:58:00 +0000

(10 miles north of Spences Bridge)

Canada’s third trans-continental rail link was completed near Basque on January 23, 1915. In a simple ceremony the last spike was driven, witnessed by a small group of engineers and workmen. The line later became part of the Federal Government’s consolidated Canadian National Railways system.

NICOLA VALLEY

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:58:00 +0000

(At view point on top of Merritt (Hamilton/Hill)

The name commemorates N-kua-la, a local Indian Chief. Settlers in this valley in

1867 named their own village ‘The Forks’. When coal mining and ranching brought the railway in 1906, the settlement was renamed Merritt to honour one of the rail promoters. The collieries are closed, but mining, ranching and lumbering continue to maintain the development of ‘the country of N-kua-la’.

A GREAT LANDSLIDE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:57:00 +0000

(1 mile south of Spences Bridge)

Suddenly on the afternoon of August 13, 1905, the lower side of the mountain slid away. Rumbling across the valley in seconds, the slide buried alive five Indians and dammed the Thompson River for over four hours. The trapped water swept over the nearby Indian village drowning thirteen persons.

FRASER CANYON

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:56:00 +0000

(At the Hell’s Gate Fishways view point, 17 miles north of Yale) This awesome gorge has always been an obstacle to transportation. Indians used ladders and road builders hung ‘shelves’ to skirt its cliffs. Canoes rarely dared its whirlpools, only one sternwheeler fought it successfully. Railroads and highways challenged it with tunnels and bridges, but today man and nature still battle for supremacy.

THOMPSON CANYON

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:56:00 +0000

(In Skihist Campground on Highway 1, 5 miles east of Lytton)

Water, cutting deeply into the pre-glacial floor of this valley over countless centuries, has gradually eroded the almost vertical dykes of the mountain of solid rock. The awesome display of crags and cliffs is vivid evidence of the might of the river and the ceaseless power of water at work. In place like this, man sees his true size.

J.W. TRUTCH, 1826-1904

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:55:00 +0000

(At the Alexandra Bridge on the Fraser, north of Spuzzum)

Construction of the Alexandra suspension bridge was the greatest achievement of one of British Columbia’s first civil engineers, Joseph Trutch. Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works after 1864, he sat on the colony’s Legislative Council. He led the delegation in 1870 which negotiated the terms of union with Canada and from 1871-76 served as the province’s first lieutenant-governor.

THE FRASER DELTA

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:54:00 +0000

(A view point on Agassiz Mountain, 5 miles south of Agassiz)

About a mile beneath the river in front of you lies the old rock floor of this valley. For over 50 million years the Fraser, interrupted by periods of glaciation and of mountain building, has carried soil from the Interior. Once through the mountain, it slowed and built this broad fertile delta for 60 miles to the sea.

THE MIGHTY FRASER

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:54:00 +0000

(A view point 87 miles north of Vancouver and near Laidlaw on the Trans-Provincial Highway)

Our past, present and future are linked with the Fraser. The past saw fur-traders, the gold-rush of 1858, and early settlers. The present sees waters teeming with migrating salmon and a highway and railways confined to the gorge carved by the river. The Fraser, beautiful, bountiful and powerful, must always flow in the pattern of out future.

MOUNT BAKER

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:53:00 +0000

(On Abbotsford-Sumas Highway, south of Highway 401)

The 10,778’ white cone on the Washington skyline is a recent volcano. The name honours Lieut. Baker who first sighted it with Capt. Vancouver in 1792. In 1868 E. T. Coleman recorded the first ascent. Eruptions, occurring as late as 1881, left fissures from which sulphur fumes still rise. Once a mysterious, remote peak, its slopes now host skiers of the northwest.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:52:00 +0000

(British Columbia Penitentiary Grounds, main gate, New Westminster)

The official residence of Colonel R. C. Moody, R.E. was built near this site in 1859. In 1864 it was altered to become the Government House of the mainland Colony of British Columbia and was used by Governor James Douglas and Fredrick Seymour.

After New Westminster ceased to be the capital in 1868, the building fell into disrepair and was ultimately destroyed.

IRVING HOUSE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:52:00 +0000

(At the New Westminster Historic Centre and Museum)

Arriving in British Columbia from the United States in 1859, Scottish-born Capt. William Irving pioneered the riverboat trade of the lower Fraser River. In 1862-64, Royal Engineers built his fine home of California redwood in the Popular San Francisco Gothic Revival style. It stands almost unchanged, an expression of the prosperity and tastes of the 19^th century commercial classes.

PIONEER NAVIGATORS

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:51:00 +0000

(A view point on the Vancouver Horseshoe Bay Highway)

Before you lies one of the most intricate coastlines in the world. Into this sheltered straight, ageless domain of the Indian, sailed Jose Narvaez in the year 1791. Other Spaniards and George Vancouver followed. Fighting wind and tide, they charted this remote maze of waterways – a milestone in the mapping of the world.

SALMON

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:51:00 +0000

(At Annieville, on South Arm of Fraser River, south of Vancouver)

This site, on the world’s greatest sockeye salmon river, lured many pioneer canners in the late 1860s and early 1871s. Pre-eminent was Alexander Ewen, a founder and first president of BC Packers, who established a cannery here in 1871. The new salmon canning industry thrived on exports to foreign markets until by 1900 it was among the most important in the province.

PACIFIC GREAT EASTERN

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:50:00 +0000

(10 miles north of Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal, Highway 99)

The P.G.E. derived its name from England’s Great Eastern Railway. Begun by private interests in 1912, it was acquired by the province in 1918 when the builders ran into financial difficulties. Opening between Squamish and Quesnel from 1921, it was extended to Prince George in 1952, to North Vancouver in 1956, and to Dawson Creek and Fort St. John in 1958.

CAMPBELL RIVER FIRE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:49:00 +0000

(At the intersection of the Buttle Lake road and the John Hart Dam road, 4 miles west of Campbell River)

On a hot day in July 1938, an ominous smoke pillar near Gosling Lake signaled a forest fire which was to ravage 115 square miles of logged and timbered land. Over 1500 firefighters battled grimly for weeks to save timber and communities. Costs and damages were enormous. Reforestation, intensified by the Forest Service, helped to heal the black scar.

METCHOSIN SCHOOLHOUSE

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:47:00 +0000

(At Metchosin Schoolhouse, about 15 miles west of Victoria)

In spring, 1872, classes began in Metchosin Schoolhouse with Mrs. Elizabeth Fisher teaching 7 girls and 3 boys. On land donated by John Witty, and with its $300 cost shared equally by local settlers and the colonial government, it was the first new school building opened in British Columbia after Confederation. In regular use to 1914 and reopened in 1942, it finally closed its doors in 1949.

FROM FORT TO CAPITAL

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:45:00 +0000

(Located at the Mount Tolmie Lookout)

Before you lies Victoria, first settlement on Vancouver Island. The Hudson’s Bay Co., seeking a new western depot, built Fort Victoria in 1843. In the 1860s it prospered as a stepping stone to mainland gold strikes.

Protected by naval ships at Esquimalt, the fort grew from a distant outpost of empire to Canada’s westernmost capital.

Kamloops Museum & Archives

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Kamloops Museum & Archives

207 Seymour Street

Kamloops BC V2C 2E7

(250) 828-3576

www.city.kamloops.bc.ca/museum/history.shtml

BC Museum of Mining

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:47:00 +0000

The BC Museum of Mining, a National Historic Site, is a great educational experience with activities and guided underground tours. A fun website too!

» www.bcmuseumofmining.org

Vancouver Maritime Museum

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:28:00 +0000

Learn more about Captain George Vancouver when you visit the Vancouver Maritime Museum online...or in person.

» www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/

New Britannia Mine Sign 2008

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:13:00 +0000

The Stop of Interest sign at Britannia Mines is a new plaque erected in 2008 by the Ministry of Transportation to commemorate BC150. The original sign which it replaces, erected after the 1958 Centennial, was taken by Barry Walker, c1980.

The Victoria and Sidney Railway

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:51:58 +0000

Bibliography: Darryl E. Muralt, The Victoria and Sidney Railway, 1892-1919, BC Railway Historical Association, 1992.

Burnside, Maple Ave, Sooke

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:45:00 +0000

Home of Michael Muir, fourth son of John Muir, Sr. and one of the first lumber industry entrepeuneurs of BC., this house was built about 1870, and was susrounded by a busy farm in the early years. Michael and Matilda Welsh Muir, had six daughters. in 1872, Michael Muir, as postmaster, began carrying mail between Victoria and Sooke by horseback.

Gnomes move inland

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:16:40 +0000

Gnome 1 enjoyed some time today at the birdcages, traditionally a very important stop on the bi-centennial gnome tour of BC Stops.

Gnomes on the Loose in BC!

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:12:13 +0000

A small troupe of gnomes arrived by boat today, landing at clover point near beacon hill for the bi-centennial tour of the BC Stops of Interest. Look for them over the next few weeks, as they travel all over our beautiful province exploring our rich heritage.

A New Sign

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:57:00 +0000

It is my understanding that the new sign erected as part of the BC150 anniversary replaces an original sign about the Kettle Valley Railway. The photo in the slideshow is the old sign at the CPR station in Midway, taken by Barry Walker, May 23 1982.

My Trip to the Birdcages

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:43:42 +0000

Here I am at the birdcages out back of the legislature buildings, which I think is a very nice place to go.