JAFFRAY

JAFFRAY

Is a small village located 35 kilometers southeast of Cranbrook on the Canadian Pacific Railway in an area that is spread to almost 45 square kilometers of rural land. Originally a railway siding and train water stop, Jaffray was first settled in 1900 when a resident by the name of Frank Desrosier purchased land of where Jaffray is presently located at. In the early 1900s, Jaffray was built around two sawmills that were built by Robert Jaffray (of whom the town is believed to get its name from) and two of his brothers that came from the Alberta town of Lacombe. It was also during this time that some form of railway logging took place in the area and at one time, it had several hotels, as well as numerous general stores. The forest industry is the main economy in Jaffray, even though the mills are no longer around. Tourism and the cattle industry also play an important part in Jaffray. In Jaffray’s early days as a community, mining was also important. Like many southeastern British Columbia communities like that of nearby Elko and Sparwood, Jaffray is also straddled at the Mountain Time Zone and is 1 hour ahead of the rest of the western portion of British Columbia. Dean Brody, a country music singer, who released his debut album in the spring of 2009, is originally from Jaffray. Most of the residents who live here commute to work in at either Cranbrook or at a sawmill at the community of Wardner about 10 kilometers from here off of Highway #3.

JAFFRAY’S POPULATION: 453