Hazelton (British Columbia)
Hazelton is a place ( and one territory ) in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Hazelton is located at the confluence of the Bulkley Skeena River in the north of the province. At the same time it forms the northernmost point of the Yellowhead Highway, which runs from Prince Rupert on the Pacific coast to Winnipeg, the capital of the province of Manitoba. The place or the three places ' names are found there hazel trees ( hazel bushes ).
The settlement area includes the towns Hazelton and the District of New Hazelton, to the settlements come (South Hazelton, Two Mile and the Kispiox Valley ) and three towns ( Gitanmaax, Glen Vowell and Kispiox ) the umwohnenden Gitxsan First Nations ( the Gitanmaax band Council, Glen Vowell Indian Band and Kispiox band council ) and the village Hagwilget, which is inhabited by the Hagwilget village First Nation, which belong to the Wet'suwet'en. The historic center of ' Ksan is one of the main attractions of the province of British Columbia.
Early History
The area is located in a traditional residential area of the Gitxsan and Wet'suwet'en of living here for at least 7000 years. The Skeena was one of the oldest trade routes in the region, and was negotiated at the arrival of the first Europeans with canoes, which were about 20 feet long.
Old Hazelton and Two Mile
The town owes its existence to the Hazelton construction of the so -called Collins Overland Telegraph from 1866, although this project ultimately failed. These were a telegraph lines from San Francisco to Moscow. A Horace Coffin drove the Skeena on the steamboat Union 140 km upwards from there it was another 180 km upstream to the present Hazelton, where he put a stockpile for the next year. Although he had to return in the face of onrushing winter to New Westminster, but had the navigability of the Skeena detected. The expedition also already noticed the region's resource wealth. Vital Laforce, a Frenchman who responded to the reports by immediately searched for gold in the Hazelton area. He actually found gold in the creek named after him in 1867 was found also gold at Dease Lake in Northern Cassiar District.
However, a first settlement thrust experienced the region not by the small first gold rush, but only with the Omineca Gold Rush, which lasted from 1870 to 1871. The prospectors were that you knew thanks to the Telegraph Expedition, be brought to the destination by steamboat. With the steamer Caledonia, the Hudson's Bay Company Association from 1886 to 1913 regularly the place with Port Essington, where Hazelton was the end point of the flow connection.
Around 3 km originated Two Mile - it was, as the name implies, two miles from Hazelton away - where there was a so-called Road House ( today the functions of a gas station carries ), which offered all the necessary for travelers services. For this purpose, at the time belonged donkeys and horses, provisions, weapons and much more. The sudden increase in the mostly male population related to the expansion of restaurants and brothels. At the same time the place attracted land speculators, because rumors were circulating in 1903, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway would be led by Hazelton. Thus, it was hoped, as in Spokane, Washington, on a boom, through the Hazelton would " Spokane of Canada ".
The speculation was further fueled when two silver mines, which attracted Silver Standard and the Rocher de Boule numerous soldiers of fortune. But the company also tried out the exorbitant land prices to hit profit out of the promised railway construction. In 1911, Robert Kelly New Hazelton on the field he had purchased (Lot 882 ), which was close to two silver mines. But the Grand Trunk, the increased land prices too high, turn founded South Hazelton. So there was now Hazelton (now called Old Hazelton ), New Hazelton and South Hazelton, who became known as the "Three Hazelton ".
Finally got Old Hazelton and South Hazelton a common station, but George Ryley, the representative of the railroad, Kelly tried previously still to persuade, to share the profits from the sale of land if he would opt for Lot 882 as the site of the new station. Kelly refused, however, and so Ryley made the business with the owner of Lot 851, where South Hazelton was born. Contrary to expectations, had New Hazelton 1913, 350 inhabitants, because Kelly reached that most track builders lived in his place. He offered the people of South Hazelton to even move premiums. Now the railway Kelly reluctantly offered a contract, and agreed to build a railway station in New Hazelton, when Kelly left her three -sevenths of the profit.
1911 reached the first automobile the inaccessible actually allow such vehicles Hazelton. It had traveled from Seattle to country, since the coming of Prince Rupert railway line was not completed until next year. This was only made possible by the car was traveling apart down several times by mechanics and had been packed on donkeys.
In November 1913 Hazelton suffered a significant setback for the Union Bank, a larger cabin, was robbed, where the perpetrators were $ 16,000 in the hands. On April 7th of the next year, the bank was robbed again on the same day as the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was completed. Of the seven perpetrators were three killed, three sentenced to 20 years in prison, one escaped.
After the completion of the railway track workers moved away, and the area was back to a more agrarian region with 14 settlements. Tourism now plays an increasing role.
The granting of local autonomy for the church took place on February 15, 1956 ( incorporated as the Village Municipality ).
Demography
The census in 2011 showed a population of 270 inhabitants of the settlement. The city's population has decreased while compared to the census of 2006 at 7.8%, while the population in the province of British Columbia at the same time grew by 7.0%.
Festivals
- Kispiox Valley Music Festival - every last weekend of July
- Pioneer Day - on the second Saturday in August