Supplement to The Interior News and Houston Today — Summer 1989 Smithers, Telkwa Bulkley Valley and Hazelton Tourist Guide Photo by Barb Klopfenstein Page 2 — The Smithers Interior News — Summer Tourism 1989 discover the valley Visit the railcar Table of Contents Stay awhile 3 Events, celebrations............. 3 High Road tour 6 Hike the hills..........................10 Historic Telkwa 14 History in businesses 16 Look at Quick 19 A RETIRED RAILWAY COACH serves as the visitor information centre in Smithers. The centre, beside the Ride the rafts and horses 21 Central Park Building near the corner of the highway and Main Street, is the best place for visitors to learn about attractions and activities in the Bulkley Valley. ’Ksan stop essential...............24 Sternwheelers to Hazelton 26 Fight Forest Fire by Phone Published by If you see a fire, dial 'O' and ask for THE INTERIOR NEWS Zenith 5555 Established April 13,1907 P.O. Box 2560, Smithers, B.C., VOJ 2N0 Serving Smithers, the Bulkley Valley, the Hazeltons and district, Houston and district, and published on Wednesday of each week by Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd. at 3764 Broadway Avenue, Smithers, British Columbia. Copyright number 321634. Authorized as second-class mail by the Post Office Department, Ot­ tawa, and for payment of postage in cash. Official registration number 0646. SULLIVAN A division of Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd. PONTIAC -BUICK-G.M.C. HOUSTON - B.C. For daily fresh... •Raisin Bread •Cinnamon Bread •W hite or Whole Wheat Bread •Buns, Pastries GIVI cars and light trucks BAKERY and Cookies deserve the attention of our 3840 Broadway Avenue WE HAVE SERVED Smithers, B.C. THE BULKLEY GM -trained technicians. VALLEY FOR MORE 847-9742 THAN 30 YEARS OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. At McDonell COPPER RIVER Lake, only 35km GUEST RANCH from Smithers • Boat Rentals • Fishing * Trail rides ^Campfires • Sauna Relax with the family with no worries about vehicles disturbing the peace and quiet 847-5725 (Jack) • 07-2463 (Ben) • 847-5141 (Jerry) 2760 Highway 16, Houston — Phone 845-2244 — Toll Free 1-800-772-3151 Dealer Licence No. 5631 The Smithers Interior News — Summer Tourism 1989 — Page 3 discover the valley At the intersection A good starting point Information, attractions, shopping here An art gallery, a museum colours and oils to pottery and nd varied shopping await the occasionally sculpture. t raveller within a short dis­ Most of the work displayed tance o f the intersection of in the summer is for sale, Highway 16 and Main Street providing visitors the op- in Smithers. portunity to buy a souvenir to Nearby is the tourist in­ beautify their homes or of­ formation centre, a good place fices. to set your plans for a visit to The Bulkley Smithers and other com­ Valley Museum munities and areas of the The museum, just down the Bulkley Valley. hall from the gallery, con­ The Central Park Building is centrates on the settlement his­ a good stopping point once tory of the Bulkley Valley, al­ you are in Smithers. It’s bes­ though it offers a small display ide the information centre, of native Indian artifacts. within walking distance of The exhibits touch on the downtown and the shopping major events o f Bulkley Val­ centre and it’s home for the ley history: the Collins Over­ museum and gallery. land Telegraph line of 1865, SMITHERS’ HERITAGE BUILDING The Central Park Building is one of the most prominent buildings in the centre of the town. It houses the Bulkley Valley Museum, the Smithers Art Gallery, the chamber of com­ the Dominion Telegraph Line merce offices and the club rooms of many Smithers arts and crafts groups. The building was constructed in The Smithers Art Gallery at the turn o f the century, early 1924 as the provincial government building. The art gallery on the ground settlement and the construc­ floor of the Central Park tion o f Canada’s second trans­ Building displays a variety of continental railway, the Grand art, by local and other artists, Trunk Pacific, through the val­ in a constantly changing series ley. o f shows for most of the year. Other exhibits illustrate For the summer the gallery pioneer lifestyles: farming, concentrates on the work of railroad tie cutting, household local artists, providing the items and childhood in past BULKLEY visitor with a glimpse of the decades. talent here. Temporary exhibits, changed VALLEY Usually the summer display regularly, offer glimpses at includes work in a variety of other aspects of the area’s media, ranging from water past. DAYS 12 FUN-FILLED DAYS E vents August 24 to September 4,1989 A busy summer Come join the fun in Three events stand out in the ly attracts almost 25,000 Smithers and Telkwa ousy summer of the Bulkley people. Valley: the Bulkley Valley The fair is the first event of a Bulkley Valley Fall Fair Parade Events, Games, Sports Exhibition, the Telkwa Bar­ week-long series of activities and Opening Ceremonies and Dances becue and the downtown mer­ for visitor and resident alike; August 24 August 24 to September 4 •Parades ‘ Bands ‘ Horses ‘ Balloons •Baby contest ‘ Junior Olympics chants’ Midnight Mardi Gras. Bulkley Valley Days. •Celebrations •Euchre tournament ‘ Golf tournament The exhibition is a tradi­ Closing Bulkley Valley Days •Aquacktic race *Slo-pitch tournament tional fall fair, with livestock is the Telkwa Kinsmen’s Bar­ •And much more! Bulkley Valley Exhibition shows, light horse events and becue. A beef barbecue, sports August 25 to 27 Telkwa Kinsmen Barbecue heavy horse competitions, a competitions and a demolition •Draft horse pulls ‘ Light horse show September 2 to 4 midway and a vast array of derby bring the crowds to the •Music •Beef barbecue (the best in the world) •Agriculture and commercial exhibits food. barbecue grounds in Telkwa. •Baseball tournaments ‘ Tennis tournament •RCMP musical ride •Dance ‘ Frog races This year the theme is multi- Watch for posters listing •Demolition Derby »Horse shoes culturalism, a theme which other events in Bulkley Valley should increase the colour and Days. For more information, contact the variety at the fairgrounds on Midnight Mardi Gras packs Smithers District Chamber of Commerce the edge of Smithers. Smithers’ Main Street with Box 2379, Smithers, B.C., VOJ 2N0 847-5072 • 847-9854 The fair, scheduled for Aug. spectators for colourful bed 25, 26 and 27 this year, usual- races on Aug. 4. Page 4 — The Smithers Interior News — Summer Tourism 1989 Clean up your act... Wash the Works Wash your car Wash your clothes Wash your back •1 high-clearance •Clean, spacious laundromat •We have clean, spacious automatic rollover •Full-time attendant shower facilities •3 high-clearance •A table at every dryer * •Full-time attendant coin-op bays to fold your clothes •Towels optional •4 vacuums with lots of power Wash the Works Summer Hours: Daily 7a.m. to 11 p.m. Full-time attendant 847-4177 Wash the Works on the Access Road next to A&W In Smithers Easy-in, easy-out parking Enjoy the Beautiful Bulkley Valley It is truly an adventure, and... you find a find a need to make patch and OR a little power OR decide to with a . WB15 go over it Self priming with a . electric ignition HRA214SXC Rear bagger exclusive roto stop blade BF15A 15.0-h.p. four- stroke twin- cylinder engine, discover water cooled, CDI .. We even give a little one of our ignition, optional EX650 OR private one-touch electric tourist information Extremely quiet start spots and 650 watts, with battery charge require a . AND... we also have lots of parts — and good mechanics too HONDA TRAC & TRAIL EQUIP. CO. Power Equipment Hwy. 16 Frontage Rd. E. D.L. 6481 Phone 847-9405 1-800-663-4598 The Smithers Interior News — Summer Tourism 1989 — Page 5 discover the vallev Take Telkwa High Road adventure beef cattle attest to the local agricultural heritage as the road passes some of the ear­ liest established farms in the valley. Just before the Telkwa High Road rejoins the highway, it crosses the Bulkley River at Moricetown Falls. Visitors can park and ob­ serve the falls from either the bridge or a nearby footpath. The falls are created by the Bulkley River as it boils through a 16-metre-wide gorge. During the summer salmon runs Wet’suwet’en Indians from Moricetown and Smithers lean over the falls to gaff salmon, using a centuries old technique. The falls provide a cool relaxing site for a picnic lunch - or just a lounge in the sun. Visitors are encouraged to look into the nearby teepee gift shop with its assortment of Indian souvenir crafts. To continue the circle tour, IN LATE SUMMER salmon can be seen hurtling their way up the turn left to travel east on the Bulkley River at Moricetown Falls. WILD FLOWERS ARE ABUNDANT throughout the area, providing highway as far as the direc­ colour to brighten the mountainous scenery. tional signs pointing to the Toboggan Creek Fish The Bulkley Valley has a Road and travel to the junction Hatchery, at Evelyn Station cache of surprises waiting just with the Telkwa High Road. Road. Fossil canyon off the main highway for Turn left again and follow the The hatchery is operated by The Driftwood Creek Fos­ found in central China. visitors with a few hours signs to Driftwood Canyon a non-profit local society dedi­ sil Beds are composed of a Insect fossils are also earmarked for exploration. Provincial Park. cated to improving salmon and light coloured shale formed numerous at Driftwood Spectacular views are Driftwood creek has carved steelhead stocks in the Morice from layers of fine sediment Creek.