History

The human history of Wells Gray Country is often seen as two tales. The first being the tale of the First Nations who lived here for thousands of years. The other being the European settlers who arrived within the past century. The combination of these two influences has shaped much of what is seen here today.

First Nations, Ancient Ways

Wells Gray Country was, for some 10,000 years, home primarily to the Simpcw First Nations of the Secwepemc (or Shuswap) Nation. Their semi-nomadic ways of hunting, fishing and gathering had evolved to match the annual rhythms of nature by moving with the seasons and the timing of caribou and salmon migration.

Like so many ancient cultures, their values and lifestyle recognised their dependency on their natural surroundings, and taught a deep respect for their environment and the ways in which it provided for their people.

Winter settlements were based on the keekwilli, a round pit-house with an earth-covered roof. This made a warm, secure home through the cold weather. Signs of these may be found throughout the area, most particularly in the North Thompson River Provincial Park. During the hot summers, woven reed-mats were used to build cool and airy lodges. Over 50 archaeological sites have been found in the area, including pictographs on the shores of Mahood Lake.

The first European surveyors, trappers, and prospectors arrived in the early 1800s. Many of these were positive meetings, others much less so. The newcomers introduced foreign diseases, and many First Nation people died of smallpox, measles and other illnesses. They also traded goods which were later to be seen as unwelcome, such as firearms and whiskey.

One of the most damaging influences was the way in which foreign values and standards were imposed on an ancient, enduring and entirely sustainable First Nation lifestyle.

Despite these pressures, the Secwepemc people preserve a vibrant and thriving culture, and remain a unique and important presence in the North Thompson.

Overlanders & Pioneers

The first Europeans to arrive in the area were fur-trappers in the early 19th Century. They traveled up the North Thompson River from the outpost at Kamloops, interacting with the native Secwepemc as they traveled.

These first European explorers noted the point where a river with very clear water flowed into the sediment-laden North Thompson as Fourche de l’Eau Claire. This tributary subsequently became known as the Clearwater River.

Later, in the mid-1800s, large numbers of prospectors arrived, lured by the promise of riches from the Cariboo Gold-Rush. In 1862 a group known as ‘The Overlanders’ passed through the area on their way to the Cariboo, having journeyed from Ontario by way of Winnipeg and Edmonton. At Tete Jaune Cache, some of the party continued down the Fraser River. The remainder (including pregnant women and young children) made the extraordinarily arduous journey by wooden raft down the wild North Thompson River to ‘Fort Kamloops’.

The first European settlement was established in the early 1900s, and known initially as Raft River. Birch Island was a busy centre for some time due to the location being the northern most navigable limit for steamers used for the construction of the Canadian Northern Railway. This was an age of trappers, prospectors and homesteaders, signs may still be seen in the form of small log cabins falling slowly into ruin. However, several farms established in this era are still thriving today. An example is the Aveley Ranch in Vavenby, now one of the largest sheep-farms in Canada.

In time, the villages of Clearwater, Vavenby, and Birch Island became well-established, based mainly on income from logging and lumber. In recent years, a more diverse economy has evolved, with tourism now playing an important role.

For more information email info@wellsgray.ca or drop by the Info Centre on the junction of Highway #5 and Clearwater Valley Road!