B.C. HISTORICAL FEDERATION Interim Report of the Historical Trails and Sites November 2011
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B.C. HISTORICAL FEDERATION Interim Report of the Historical Trails and Sites November 2011 We have made continuinG proGress on obtaininG information on Historic Trails from member societies and others, but as this takes time and effort, all too many people tend to put off completion. We have made a personal request at many museums, and this should brinG more replies. We hope that we have enouGh data to use for a website on Historic Trails. HISTORIC SITES – We are lookinG into design of a new monument for Surveyor Walter Moberly to be placed at the Wooden Head Park at Revelstoke, now that we have the support of the B C Historical Federation and the Revelstoke Community Heritage Commission. We are in the process of invitinG the Association of B.C. Land Surveyors and the Association of Professional Engineers in B.C. for support and fundinG. We are also hopeful that major fundinG for this monument can be obtained from the Columbia Basin Trust, as Revelstoke is an important part of the area they support. Respectfully submitted -- Tom Lymbery, Chairman John Whittaker, Member HISTORICAL TRAILS & SITES COMMITTEE OF THE B.C. HISTORICAL FEDERATION Box 38, Gray Creek, B.C. V0B 1S0 The B.C. Historical Federation supports the protection preservation and markinG of historical trails, sites, relics, natural features and other objects and places of historical interest in British Columbia. With the intention of documentinG a data for the Province we are askinG each Member Society to Give us a list from their district of: Five most historical trails ____________________________________ Five most important & historical monuments____________________ Five most important historical personages______________________ Are the above adequately described or promoted? Do any need to be into public focus? Please prioritize the trails and sites from one to five. We realize that five is a nominal number given the rich history of B.C., but with many historical societies we need to keep the numbers manaGeable in order to implement this project. Could we please have your reply as soon as possible? Please e-mail to [email protected] and [email protected] We very much appreciate your consideration and your help. Sincerely yours, Tom Lymbery, Chairman John Whittaker, Member INDEX We wish to thank those who replied and contributed to this report. We realize that there is considerable latitude in choosinG the five most siGnificant trails, sites, monuments and personaGes in each district. We are most happy with the thirty four reports received up to November 2011 and look forward to receivinG many more in the future as this will be an onGoinG project. We look forward to more district entrees and the updatinG of any of those already featured. Contributors to the Historical Trails, Sites & PersonaGes Questionnaire (1) 100 100 Mile House& District Historical Society (Garry Babcock) (2) albe Alberni District Historical Society (Judy Carison) (3) arro Arrow Lakes Historical Society- Nakusp (Milt Parent) (4) bark Friends of Barkerville (Robert Grady) (5) beav Beaver Valley & Pend d’Oreille River Historical Soc. (CraiG Horsland) (6) bell Bella Coola Valley Museum & Archives (Wendy Kingsley) (7) bulk Bulkley Valley Historical & Museum, Smithers (DouG Boersema) (8) cent Central Interior- Ft. St. James (Marie Elliott) (9) chem Chemainus Valley Historical Society (Norma) (10) chil Chilliwack-Hope-Spuzzum (Charles Hou) (11) cowi Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives (Tom Paterson) (12) crow Virtual Crowsnest Highway (D.M.Wilson) (13) delt North Delta (John Macdonald) (14) douk Kootenay Doukhobor VillaGe Museum- CastleGar (Larry Ewashen) (15) eastk East Kootenay Historical Society- Cranbrook (Naomi Miller) (16) Gold Golden & District Historical Society (Colleen E. Palumbo) (17) gran Boundary Historical Society-Grand Forks (18) gray Gray Creek Historical Society (Frances Roback) (19) gree Greenwood Historical Society (20) kaml Kamloops Museum and Archives (Ken Favholdt) (21) kiti Kitimat Museum and Archives (Louise Avery) (22) lanG LanGley Centennial Museum (Kobi Howard) (23) mast S.S. Master Society (James Deitch) (24) mord Friends of the Morden Mine Society (Charles Christopherson) (25) nels Nelson Touchstones: Museum of Art & History (Laura Fortier) (26) nvan North Vancouver Museum (John Stewart) (27) pemb Pemberton & District Museum & Archives (Niki Madigan) (28) pria Prince GeorGe Area (Kent SedGwick) (29) prib Northern B.C. Archives-Prince GeorGe (Romona Rose) (30) quat Quatsino Museum (Donnie Botel) (31) rion Riondel Historical Society (Susan Holland) (32) summ Summerland Museum (Sherril Foster) (33) vict Victoria Historical Society (John Whittaker) (34) yale Yale Historical Society (Deb Zervini) Nov. 2011 B.C.H.F.HISTORICAL TRAILS AND SITES No. 1 From: 100 Mile House & District Historical Society, Garry Babcock General Location: Southern Cariboo, [email protected] Trails (1) The oriGinal Cariboo Trail. HeadinG north on the oriGinal Cariboo Trail, the trail divides at the 108 Mile HeritaGe Site. The trail to the east or riGht fork went on throuGh the Macintosh Lakes area and on to Horsefly where a small gold rush occurred in that reGion. The Cariboo Trail continued on to Barkerville. Ref: 108 Mile Heritage Site- 2011 (2) The Old Brigade Trail. The Old Brigade Trail came from the Kamloops Hudson Bay Fort to 100 Mile House, then on to the Hudson Bay Fort at Lac La Hache. Ref: (3) (4) (5) Ref: Sites & Monuments: (1) Site of the oriGinal 100 Mile House on BridGe Creek built by Thomas Miller in 1862-63. Ref: (2) 1914 saw the site of the first terminus of the P.G.E. Railroad from Squamish, at Lone Butte with a water tower for the steam locomotives, then on to Exeter Station near 100 Mile House in 1918. Ref: (3) Lord Martin Cecil was manaGer of the BridGe Creek Estates, on land purchased by his farther in 1912. Lord Martin was the also founder of the Emissaries of Devine Light. Ref: (4) Stephensen Brothers built a water powered sawmill on BridGe Creek in 1899. Ref :( 5) In 1908, Captain Watson, Earl of Tatton, built a 40 by 160 foot barn at the 108 Mile House to house his prize Clydesdale Horses that were raised for the carriaGe trade on the Cariboo Road to the gold fields. Ref 100 Mile House… paGe 1A Personages: (1) Peter Skeene OGden, Hudson Bay factor at Lac LaHache Ref: (2) Thomas Miller, builder of the oriGinal 100 Mile House, 1862/63 Ref: (3) Lord Martin Cecil, founder of the Emissaries of Divine Light- a religious commune. Ref: (4) Stephenson Brothers who built a water-powered sawmill. Ref: (5) Earl of Tatton who raised the prize-winninG Clydesdale horses. May 2010 B.C.H.F. HISTORICAL TRAILS No: 2 From: Alberni District Historical Society, Judy Carson General Location: Mid Central Vancouver Island ONE: CNPR Rail Grade – Lots of interest and work beinG done on this one. It was started in 1912/13 – plan to link Victoria to the West Coast via Port Alberni and continue north. Ref: Explanation: Work stopped five mile south of Port Alberni at China Creek when WWI broke out. The section from China Creek south to Franklin River (8 km) has been cleared by volunteers as a trail (foot path only) and is being used by many now. Next section south to Headquarters (10 km) has had some work done but needs more funding. Section to Headquarters to Camp B (20 km) should be complete by May – it is beinG called Runners Trail to recoGnize the native trade route connection that existed between Lake Cowichan and the coast. Another 20 km remain to reach Lake Cowichan and the trails that Go from there to Victoria. TWO: LoG Train Trail – 25 km trail trendinG northwest of Port Alberni on rail bed abandoned since 1953. Ref: Explanation: Leased by ReGional District from Dept. of HiGhways, maintained by volunteers. Status uncertain, pending decision of R.D. on responsibility. THREE: Horne Lake – Alberni Trail – an old trade route, but not used since the StaGe Coach Road was built over a different pass in the 1890’s. Ref: Explanation: No traces remain on the Ground because of repeated logGing, but people still walk the approximate route on loGGinG roads. Nanaimo Regional District has expressed interest in establishinG a trail connection. FOUR: Rousseau Trail – built in the 1950’s as an access to ski area of Mt. Arrowsmith; lower section loGGed over in parts but still useable. Ref: Explanation: Upper section in a reGional park, user maintained. FIVE: KinG Solomon’s Basin Trail – miners supply trail, build in 1898, probably used by horses. Ref: Explanation: Only last few kilometers remain, rest beinG built over by loGGinG roads. Used maintained and GettinG very overGrown. General Comments: May, 2010 B.C.H.F.HISTORICAL TRAILS AND SITES No 2A From: Alberni District Historical Society General Location: Mid Island Trails (1) SEE MORE DETAILED FORM (paGe 2) Ref: (2) Ref: (3) Ref: (4) Ref: (5) Ref: Comments: Monuments: (1) Six millionth tree planted by Macmillan Bloedel is at Maclean Mill National Historic Site- planted ten years aGo but miGht Get forgotten since M.B. Gone. Ref: (2) Stack of Grindstones belonGinG to the first paper mill in B.C. (1890) now a current paper mill in a different location (status needs local oversiGht since ownership of paper mill keeps changing). Ref: (3) Location of first sawmill (1850) marked on surface of current Harbour Quay Ref: (4) Ref: (5) Ref Comments: Personages: (1) Gilbert Malcolm Sproat Ref: (2) Jerimiah RoGers Ref: (3) Captain Edward Stamp Ref: (4) GeorGe Clutesi (our best known citizen) Ref: (5) Rick Hanson & Kim Campbell have a connection to the area Ref: Comments: Additional Comments: Feb 2011 B.C.H.F. HISTORICAL TRAILS No: 3 From: Arrow Lakes Historical Society- Nakusp, Milt Parent General Location: Northern West Kootenay Trails ONE: Nakusp Wrap Around (most used) Circles Nakusp.