BEND

BEND
Is an abandoned community and station on the Canadian National Railway, located on the Fraser River, 110 kilometers east of Prince George and just west of Dome Creek. During its prime, Bend was mostly are reliable on the forest industry and in fact, a sawmill was built just after World War One (WWI). During the 1930s, a post office and a school were also operational here. Today, Bend is basically an abandoned community although residents in nearby Dome Creek travel and work in Prince George. Bend is named after the Canadian National Railway’s 90-degree turn near here.

PORT ALICE

PORT ALICE

Is a small village, located at the head of Neroutsos Inlet, near Quatsino Sound on the West Coast of Vancouver Island near Port McNeill. The community was built in 1918 during construction of a large pulp mill owned by the Whalen Pulp and Paper Company and is considered one of the British Columbia’s instantaneous towns after it replaced a original townsite that was located just to the north. Port Alice is named after Alice Whalen, whose father founded the company that owned and operated the mill. In 2007, the community lost its pulp mill due to the infestation of interior forests from the Mountain Pine Beetle. However, it is not known when or if the town will ever survive again as a town. Ironically, Port Alice bears a town to that of Port Annie, a fictional town in the novel “The Resurrection of Joseph Bourne” by a Vancouver Island author by the name of Jack Hodgins. Port Alice relies on tourism industry as its main economic benefactors and is home many tourist attractions including that of a seawall that hugs the shores of Neroutsos Inlet as well as a scenic and beautiful 9-hole golf course which is located on a side of a mountain with tree-lined fairways and small greens and because of this it poses a challenge to golfers. Dale Walters, a boxer who won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, was born in Port Alice.

PORT ALICE’S POPULATION: 821

PHOENIX

PHOENIX

Is a ghost town, located just 11 kilometers east of Greenwood in the Boundary Region of British Columbia. It was home to massive copper mine, which was built in 1891 by a prospector named Bob Denzler, and at 4,630 feet above sea level, Phoenix soon laid to claim as the “highest city in Canada”. In its heyday, Phoenix had a peak population of 4,000 residents, and had a collection of hotels, banks, its own city hall, newspaper office, telephone services, hospital, and even had a ballroom. Phoenix even had its own hockey team, which won the provincial hockey championship in 1911, but failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup, when it was already too late to ask to qualify for the event. The Copper Mine had its own tramline that shipped ore from the mine to the nearby Granby Smelter outside of Grand Forks through 2 competing railways; the Canadian Pacific and the Great Northern Railways and produced well over 13,000,000 tonnes of ore. The quality of copper ore reserves deteriorated just before the start of the First World War (WWI), but continued to operate because of high demand of copper during the war. However, in 1919 it closed down for good due to dropping and dwindling copper prices and that the Granby Smelting and Smelting shifted its focus of copper on its Anyox Mine in Northern British Columbia just south of Stewart. After its declaration as a ghost town all of the buildings including several churches, hospital and other buildings were moved to other communities such as Grand Forks and Greenwood. Phoenix operated an open pit mine during the 1950s until 1978, until it was abandoned and pretty much all of the other historic buildings were either destroyed or bulldozed. Phoenix is home to small ski resort found nearby and has a total of 12 different runs for beginners and expert skiers.

MCLURE

MCLURE

Is a small and unincorporated hamlet, located on the Canadian National Railway, 44 kilometers north of Kamloops on the Yellowhead Highway (Highway #5), and just south of Barriere. McLure’s economy is based on logging, tourism, and ranching. Formally known as Fishtrap, it is named after a settler by the name of John McLure (1849-1933), who settled in the area in 1906.  

MCLURE'S POPULATION: 273

HARRISON HOT SPRINGS

HARRISON HOT SPRINGS

Is a waterfront community situated at the south end of Harrison Lake about 100 kilometers east of Vancouver and just a few minutes north of Agassiz on Highway #9. The community has been a popular year-round resort since 1886. The town’s nearby hot springs, which is mineral-rich water that is heated to a temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit), pumped from its source and cooled to a relaxing 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), and pumped into the town’s main public pool. It is believed that the hot springs are healthful and therapeutic for arthritis and rheumatism sufferers. The community’s first hotel; the St. Alice also opened in 1886. Harrison Hot Springs is named after Benjamin Harrison, a Hudson’s Bay company deputy-governor official. Not only does the hot springs attract visitors from all over the world, so does an annual sandcastle building competition that takes place every summer on the shores of Harrison Lake. Northwest of here, is Sasquatch Provincial Park, named for a famous hairy, unshaven beast that supposedly inhabits the area. It is unlikely but if you do see the Sasquatch in the forested areas of the park, it is technically wise to call the local authorities, you do however have a greater chance of seeing the odd deer or beaver.  

HARRISON HOT SPRINGS' POPULATION: 1,573

BELLA COOLA

BELLA COOLA
Is a small community located at the head of north Bentinck Arm, an extension of Burke Channel at the mouth of Bella Coola river about 400 kilometers north of Vancouver on British Columbia’s remote central coast. Even though the last cannery was shut down in the 1930s, the community still remains very active with fishing. Bella Coola was linked with Williams Lake by land in 1953 with the completion of Highway #20 (Chilcotin Highway). Logging and forestry have also been key factors in Bella Coola’s economy. The mid-coast Forest District has an office located in Bella Coola. Before Highway #20 was put in place here in 1953, Bella Coola was accessible only by air and water making Bella Coola self-sustaining in its early history. Bella Coola is named after inhabitants of the people of the Nuxalk (formerly known as Bella Coola) Nation.

BELLA COOLA’S POPULATION: 873

TETE JAUNE CACHE

TETE JAUNE CACHE
Is a tiny settlement located on the Fraser River at the junction of Highways #5 and #16, which are both the Yellowhead in the scenic Robson Valley, 241 kilometers east of Prince George and 332 kilometers northeast of Kamloops. Tete Jaune Cache was named after a fur trader, by the name of Pierre Hastination, also a Hudson’s Bay Company guide in the early 1800s, He was nicknamed “Tete Jaune” because of his blonde hair (Tete Jaune is French for “yellow head”) and was allegedly known to have cached a fortune in furs nearby. Tete Jaune Cache prospered during construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1911 and had a booming population of 3,000 as paddleboat arrived up the Fraser River. Tete Jaune Cache was almost abandoned after the railway was constructed. Today, the hamlet is a logging and tourism community, especially with Mount Robson nearby.

TETE JAUNE CACHE'S POPULATION: ABOUT 500

FRUITVALE

FRUITVALE

Is a small residential community, 14 kilometers west of Trail, in the west Kootenay Region of British Columbia along Highway #3B.

Fruitvale began as a stop on the Great Northern Railway, and the first settlers that arrived in the area, called the community Beaver Siding, due to its location in the Beaver Valley and the fact that large amounts of beavers that live in the surrounding area and valley. The earliest residents recall seeing beavers building productive dams so much so, the damage they did building their dams was so severe, they caused Beaver Creek to overlow its banks and flood the road. Renamed in 1906 after a land agreement with a company by the name of Fruitvale Limited, renamed the town Fruitvale as somewhat of a advertising scheme of the company to market the town as the best fruit-growing area in the Kootenays.

Incorporated as a village in 1952, it is one of only a handful of British Columbia communities that is actually classified as a village even though it has a population of more than 2,000 people and is also home to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s (KIJHL) Beaver Valley Nitehawks.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Fruitvale’s population: 2,117

Fruitvale's welcome sign

ALDERMERE

ALDERMERE

Is a ghost town located on the foothills just above the modern community of Telkwa, 13 kilometers southeast of Smithers and off of the Yellowhead Highway. It was originally a farming community that was originally founded around 1904 and had several buildings including one hotel, a bank, and several stores. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway considered putting a division point in the community but instead settled on Smithers. Aldermere is known notoriously for being Bulkley Valley’s earliest non-aboriginal settlement. Aldermere’s population began to decline, and because of this, most residents decided to move away to the new community of Telkwa, 1 kilometer west at the confluence of the Bulkley and Telkwa Rivers. After the First World War (WWI) ended and prior to the 1920s, Aldermere disappeared and suddenly became a residential neighborhood of Telkwa. 

CHASE

CHASE

Is a small town, located at the west end of Shuswap Lake off of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway #1), east of Kamloops. Chase was developed and built in 1908 when the Adams River Lumber Company, built at one time, the largest sawmill in the interior. The mill was closed in 1925, dealing the community a major shock. Chase is named after Whitfield Chase and incorporated in 1969 as a village. After the incorporation the village began being a hotspot for tourism as well as a retirement community for retirees who want to live the rest of their lives by the lake. Chase has also benefited from the construction of the Coquihalla Highway (Highway #5) about 60 kilometers east of here. Logging, local businesses and recreational activities; like house boating on Shuswap Lake contribute to the local economy.

CHASE’S POPULATION: 2,409

SEABIRD ISLAND

SEABIRD ISLAND

Is a small Sto:lo First Nations settlement, located halfway between Agassiz and Hope and also in the Fraser River just off of the Lougheed Highway (Highway #7). Seabird Island has been a community of the Sto:lo First Nation since 1879 and has been home to their annual event; the Earth voice Festival, which became a replacement for the Voices for the Wilderness Festival in the Stein Valley near Lytton on Highway #12. Seabird Island’s name is referred from the Paddlewheel steamboat “sea bird” which ran ground here back on June 24th of 1858.

SEABIRD ISLAND’S POPULATION: 548

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

SAVONA

SAVONA
Is a unincorporated lakeside village located approximately halfway between Kamloops and Cache Creek along the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway #1). Just like its neighbors to the west and east, Savona enjoys Semi-arid climate and very mild and wet winter with average temperatures that exceed 35 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius during the summer and winter months respectively. The community was originally known as Savona’s Ferry and was originally located on the northern shore of Kamloops Lake where it was at the end of stagecoach line from Cache Creek on the Cariboo Wagon Road and it was at this time that passengers heading up to Kamloops and point east, were forced to rely on steamships to get across Kamloops Lake to get to these destinations until a man named Francis Savona (Francois Saveneux, in French), who the town is supposedly named after, operated a ferry across the lake. The highway originally went through the town, but during the 1960s and during construction of the Trans-Canada Highway, Savona is now bypassed entirely. The community is served by many industries including cattle ranching, forestry, and logging, with a large specialty plywood sawmill run by Ainsworth Lumber Company, that is considered to be one of British Columbia’s largest plywood mills. Because of its small population many retirees choose Savona has a haven, who want to retire and spend the rest of their lives close to a lake.

SAVONA’S POPULATION: 581

HOPE

HOPE

IS a small town located at the junction of Highways #1, #3, #5, and #7 (Trans-Canada; Crowsnest, Coquihalla/Yellowhead, and Lougheed Highways, respectively). Hope also lies at the junction of the Coquihalla and Fraser Rivers. The town is said to be either at the gateway of the Interior and Lower Mainland (It depends which destination you are heading to). Earlier known as Fort Hope that was built by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post in 1848-1849 near Ts’qo:ls, an old and ancient Sto:lo First Nations village, its history dates back to the 1858 gold rush when it became a stop for miners heading up the Fraser River on the Cariboo Wagon Road to Barkerville and was named Hope due to the referral of Hudson’s Bay Company’s hopefulness that the fort would form and share a portion of an all-British trade-in and supply direction towards the Interior. Hope today is very scenic and spectacular with mountains and views overlooking the community. Like a major metropolitan, Hope offers many amenities with Fast-Food restaurants and gas stations to the most dreary and drowsy driver. Popular attractions in Hope and nearby include the Hope museum, The historic Christ Anglican Church (built in 1859 and is British Columbia’s oldest church still on its original site), Memorial Park, the Hope Arts Gallery, Coquihalla Canyon Park, Yale Heritage Site, and the Hope Slide.

HOPE’S POPULATION: 6,185

HUTTON MILLS

HUTTON MILLS
Is an abandoned sawmill community, 75 kilometers east of Prince George on the Fraser River. Hutton Mills was established as a tie camp in 1912 during the building of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. United Grain Growers were one of the several companies that opened a sawmill in Hutton Mills. Hutton Mills had a hospital and a brief population of almost 1,000 by the 1920s. During the Second World War (WWII), Hutton Mills produced birch plywood, a type of wood used in aircraft construction. The last mill in Hutton Mills closed in the 1950s, causing Hutton Mills to be a ghost town.

CANYON CITY

CANYON CITY
Is a Nisga’a village in the Nass River Valley, just north of Terrace along 158-kilometer long Highway #113 (Nisga’a Highway). Canyon City is the smallest of the 4 Nisga’a villages that consist of Canyon City (Gitwinksihlkw), New Aiyansh (Gitlakdamix), Gingolx (Kincolith), and Greenville (Laxqalts’ap). It is known by the Nisga’a people as Gitwinksihlkw (pronounced git-win-silk), which in turn is named after “place of the lizards” that were commonplace in this area before the Tseax Cone erupted and buried the villages of Wii Lax K’abit and Lax Ksiluux in the mid-1700s. It is named by its English term for its location around a canyon in the vicinity of the area. Canyon City is unincorporated and only relies on logging and commercial fishing as its main mainstays of its economy. A road was linked to the outside world from here in 1995.

CANYON CITY’S POPULATION: 201