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Lillooet

Lillooet (English: /ˈlɪl.ɛt/) is a district municipality in the Squamish-Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia. The town is on the west shore of the Fraser River immediately north of the Seton River mouth. On BC Highway 99, the locality is by road about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northeast of Pemberton, 64 kilometres (40 mi) northwest of Lytton, and 172 kilometres (107 mi) west of Kamloops.

Lillooet
District of Lillooet
Main Street in Downtown Lillooet
Lillooet
Location of Lillooet
Lillooet
Lillooet (Canada)
Coordinates: 50°41′37″N 121°56′01″W / 50.69361°N 121.93361°W / 50.69361; -121.93361
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
RegionLillooet-Fraser Canyon
Regional DistrictSquamish-Lillooet
Incorporated1946 (as village), 1996 (as district municipality)
Government
 • MayorLaurie Hopfl[1]
 • Governing bodyDistrict of Lillooet
 • MLAJackie Tegart (BC Liberals)
 • MPBrad Vis (Conservative)
Area
 • Total27.63 km2 (10.67 sq mi)
Elevation
250 m (820 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total2,302
 • Density83.3/km2 (216/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−08:00 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−07:00 (PDT)
Postal code span
V0K 1V0
Area codes250, 778, 236, & 672
Highways Hwy 99
Hwy 12
WaterwaysFraser River, Seton River, Cayoosh Creek,
WebsiteOfficial website

First Nations Edit

A main population centre of the Stʼatʼimc (Lillooet Nation), who comprise just over 50 per cent of the Lillooet area residents, it is one of the southernmost communities in North America where indigenous people form the majority. First Nations communities assert the land is traditional territory, having been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. The confluence of several main streams with the Fraser attracted large seasonal and permanent indigenous populations. Situated in the Lower Fountain, the Bridge River Rapids (Sat' or Setl), which blocked migrating salmon, has remained a popular fishing and fish drying site for centuries. Keatley Creek Archaeological Site, one of the largest ancient pit-house communities in the Pacific Northwest, is one of the many archaeological and heritage sites in the vicinity.[2] Several petroglyph sites have been documented along the Fraser in the vicinity of Lillooet.[3]

Name origin Edit

The First Nations name of Pap-shil-KWA-KA-meen translates as the "place where the three rivers meet". The former European name of Cayoosh Flat inferred a dead or dying Cayuse horse (namely a decrepit specimen) at the river. In 1859, Governor Douglas granted a petition to change the name to Lillooet. The Lil'wat people lived on the Douglas Road, a.k.a. the Lakes Route, which was the main trail from the south. This name, which means "wild onion",[4] appears on Anderson's 1849 map.[5]

Roads, ferries and bridges Edit

For the fortune seekers of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush (upper canyon) and the Cariboo Gold Rush, the portage-intensive Douglas Road from the south terminated at Lillooet.[6] Across the Fraser, Parsonville was "Mile 0" of the Old Cariboo Road,[7] which stretched about 339 kilometres (211 mi) northward to Alexandria. Built as a toll road by Gustavus Blin Wright,[8] the first 20 to 30 kilometres of tortuous canyon-brink grade remained little changed until the 1970s.[citation needed] In 1864, the shorter Cariboo Road, which connected Yale to Barkerville via Ashcroft, bypassed Lillooet.[9]

The Fraser was crossed by ferry at Lillooet. Parsonville had faded into obscurity by 1889, when the first bridge at Lillooet opened. Consequently, Lillooet became "Mile 0".[7] The numbered roadhouse names of the Cariboo district became measured from the bend in Main Street commemorated by a cairn erected in 1939.[10] However, when the present bridge was constructed south of the town, these old travel measurements became understated by about two miles.

In 1994, fire destroyed the station bridge over the Seton River.[11] In 2020, a two-lane structure replaced the temporary single lane bridge installed in 1994.[12]

Mining Edit

The section of Main Street north from the cairn was called "the Golden Mile" allegedly to reflect gold dust scattered on the ground[citation needed] but indisputably as a supply hub fueled by the goldrush traffic.[13]

West of Lillooet, the Golden Cache Mine on Cayoosh Creek, was staked in 1895. However, promising expectations proved illusive, which ended further investment. The associated prospecting boom ceased by 1900, when mining activity relocated to the Klondike.[14][15]

Other gold prospecting in the area included underground hard-rock mining in the Bridge River Country, which began in the 1880s and 1890s, but peaked from the 1930s to the 1950s. Gold Bridge and Bralorne were mining centres. Prospecting for gold continues and to a lesser extent for copper, silver and nephrite jade. Until the discovery of larger jade deposits near Cassiar, the Lillooet area was the world's largest source of the nephrite form. Unknown tonnes were exported to China before government assayers discovered the nature of the "black rocks" that the Chinese miners found so interesting.[citation needed]

In the 1950s, local farmer and teacher Ron Purvis adapted the skil-saw concept to create a diamond rotary blade. The blade could safely cut the immovable jade boulders which line the banks and beds of the Fraser and Bridge rivers, whereas blasting would have shattered the rock. Although local stores sell polished jade souvenirs, major commercial jade operations no longer exist in the Lillooet area.[citation needed]

Railway Edit

 
Lillooet railway station, 2011

The northward advance of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway (PGE) rail head reached the head of Seton Lake in January 1915[16] and the Lillooet locality the following month. PGE built a depot between the Seton River and Cayoosh Creek.[17] That month, the first passenger train arrived,[18] triggering a revival for the isolated town, since a railway could ship agricultural produce.[19] By year end, the track reached Clinton,[20][21] an additional 72 kilometres (45 mi).

To benefit the railway rather than land speculators, PGE had bypassed the downtown by crossing the Fraser south of the Seton River on the Lillooet railway bridge. PGE erected a station and four-stall roundhouse at East Lillooet, which was a divisional point.[22] The initial depot, called Lillooet station, was 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) westward across the Fraser.[23]

In 1930, PGE built the 8.9-kilometre (5.5 mi) Lillooet Diversion from the head of Seton Lake, through the downtown, and north to the Polley bridge. In 1931, PGE completed the bridge, built a new two-storey station downtown, and dismantled and reassembled the roundhouse nearby. The latter was demolished during the early 1970s.[22] The Lillooet station building, which was replaced in 1986,[24] was 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) east of Craig (14.3 kilometres (8.9 mi) east of Retakit after Craig closed) and 4.3 kilometres (2.7 mi) south of Polley (12.4 kilometres (7.7 mi) south of Fountain after Polley closed).[25]

The withdrawal of the Cariboo Prospector passenger train in October 2002 ended through service.[26] Canadian National Railway freight trains on break and the Kaoham Shuttle still use the station.

Early community Edit

The town began as a goldrush centre in the late 1850s, booming during the progression of discoveries on the Fraser and in the Cariboo in the early 1860s. The title of "the largest town west of Chicago and north of San Francisco" moved in rapid succession from Yale to Lillooet, and then to Barkerville.[27] Just after this gold rush, the town's layout was surveyed by the Royal Engineers.[citation needed]

In 1860, the population was 4,000–5,000.[28] About that time, Richard Hoey was granted 16 hectares (40 acres) on the Texas Creek Road.[29] St. Mary the Virgin Anglican church was built in 1861[30] and a school established in 1863.[31] That year, the hotels and shops served a population of about 1,600. The Stage Hotel (1860) was considered first class.[32] The Pioneer Hotel (1862) became the Excelsior in the early 1900s. Further lodgings were the International Hotel (1866) and Victoria Hotel (1892).[33]

In 1864, Joseph Watkinson, Thomas Harris, F.W. Foster, and Richard Hoey built the first flour mill.[34] In 1896, St. Andrews Presbyterian church was erected.[35] In 1904, the town was surveyed.[36]

The 1930 fire destroyed the Excelsior, Hurley's Grocery, a movie theatre and the government liquor store.[37] In 1946, the settlement incorporated as a village municipality.[4] In 1948, fire destroyed the Log Cabin Theatre, an 1860s livery barn that had been remodelled into theatre in 1934.[37]

Booms occurred during local gold mining activity, and in the 1940s and 50s during the construction of the Bridge River Power Project.[citation needed] In 1996, the town re-incorporated as a district municipality.[4]

Forestry and agriculture Edit

 
The Hop Farm neighbourhood.

The economy was historically based upon logging, the railway, ranching, farming, and government services. The long growing season has favoured orchards, and in recent times, ginseng. Once, hop and tobacco crops supported the former local beer, cigar and chewing tobacco industries. The town has relied upon forestry since the mid-1970s.[38]

In the 1940s, an Italian named Savona planted vines in the Fountain area. Established in 2009, the Fort Berens Winery in East Lillooet was the first attempt at commercial viticulture.[39] Visitors can taste the award-winning wines. The Cliff & George Vineyards, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south on the west side of the Fraser, offers a similar opportunity as well as picnic areas on the historic Texas Creek Ranch near Texas Creek.[40]

Japanese internment camps Edit

Four internment camps existed in the Lillooet area during World War II, following the removal of Japanese Canadians from the British Columbia Coast in 1942. Each were "self-support" sites, where family groups who had the financial means could remain together, but the locations were more isolated than the camps in the Kootenays. Since internees were not permitted to return to the coast until 1949, many families permanently settled in Lillooet. The largest camp was East Lillooet, housing 309 people.[41] The other nearby camps were at Shalalth,[42] Minto Mine,[43] and McGillvray Falls.[44]

Later community Edit

Census population:
Lillooet
YearPop.±%
1951469—    
19561,083+130.9%
19611,304+20.4%
19661,379+5.8%
19711,514+9.8%
19762,218+46.5%
19811,725−22.2%
19861,758+1.9%
19911,782+1.4%
1996*1,988+11.6%
20012,741+37.9%
20062,324−15.2%
20112,322−0.1%
20162,275−2.0%
20212,302+1.2%
Source: Statistics Canada
[45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]
* Boundary change for 2001 would have adjusted 1996 to 2,886

The town includes infrastructure typical for its size.

In 2009, the district developed a community plan.[56] In 2013, the water treatment plant received a $5.6 million upgrade.[57][58] In 2019, Tourism Lillooet released a strategic plan.[59] In 2022, an electric vehicle fast charging station opened.[60]

Police, fire, and ambulance, respectively operate emergency service bases.[61] The Lillooet Hospital & Health Centre is a Level 1 Community Hospital which includes 24-hour emergency services.[62] The district owns and operates the Lillooet Airport.[63]

Demographics Edit

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Lillooet had a population of 2,302 living in 1,111 of its 1,214 total private dwellings, a change of 1.2% from its 2016 population of 2,275. With a land area of 27.63 km2 (10.67 sq mi), it had a population density of 83.3/km2 (215.8/sq mi) in 2021.[64]

Lillooet's larger regional population includes that of the three large bands of the St'at'imc or Lillooet Nation whose reserves abut the town on all sides, and another three large reserves within 20 miles (32 km); 430 of the District of Lillooet's population are aboriginal.[65] Historical populations have included large numbers of Americans and Chinese, although there are few of either today (although many longtime local families, First Nations and non-First Nations, have some bloodlines from both).[66] The town's non-native population has been historically multi-ethnic in extraction, with a relatively high-rate of intermarriage between all groups.

Religion Edit

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Lillooet included:[67]

Education Edit

Lillooet has one high school, Lillooet Secondary, which also serves students from neighbouring rural localities such as Shalalth, Seton Portage, Gold Bridge and Bralorne, although those communities do offer students a secondary school program. Cayoosh Elementary School is in the Cayoosh Heights subdivision and George M. Murray Elementary serves North Lillooet. The Upper St'at'imc Culture, Language and Education Society (USCLES) operates education programs, but most St'at'imc children attend the public school system. Post-secondary programs are offered at a Thompson Rivers University campus.[citation needed] The Fountainview Academy, about 24 kilometres (15 mi) south, is an international private school, which offers work-study experience that includes organic farming.[68]

Notable people Edit

Climate Edit

Lillooet experiences a humid continental/oceanic climate, but it borders on a semi-arid climate (Köppen Cfb/Dfb/BSk).[citation needed]

Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate with an average of 349.5 mm (13.76 in) of precipitation being recorded annually. The locality often vies with Lytton and Osoyoos for the title of "Canada's Hot Spot" on a daily basis in summer.[citation needed]

Lillooet holds the record for the fourth-hottest temperature recorded in British Columbia and Canada (behind Lytton, Ashcroft and Kamloops). On 29 June 2021, during the 2021 Western North America heat wave which brought unprecedented heat to the Pacific Northwest, the temperature reached 46.8 °C (116.2 °F).[69] Lillooet also holds the record for the hottest temperature recorded in the province during the months of April (36.1 °C [97.0 °F]), May (41.7 °C [107.1 °F]), and December (22.2 °C [72.0 °F]). The coldest temperature recorded was measured at the airport during a November cold snap in 1985.

With an average annual snowfall of 26.5 cm (10.4 in), Lillooet is the least snowy place in the BC Interior.[70]

Climate data for Lillooet
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 18.5
(65.3)
17.8
(64.0)
25.6
(78.1)
36.1
(97.0)
41.7
(107.1)
46.8
(116.2)
44.4
(111.9)
40.5
(104.9)
37.2
(99.0)
30.0
(86.0)
23.3
(73.9)
22.2
(72.0)
46.8
(116.2)
Average high °C (°F) 0.6
(33.1)
4.4
(39.9)
10.9
(51.6)
16.2
(61.2)
21.2
(70.2)
24.9
(76.8)
28.3
(82.9)
28.2
(82.8)
22.3
(72.1)
13.5
(56.3)
5.0
(41.0)
0.0
(32.0)
14.6
(58.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) −2.4
(27.7)
0.4
(32.7)
5.2
(41.4)
9.9
(49.8)
14.8
(58.6)
18.6
(65.5)
21.6
(70.9)
21.3
(70.3)
15.9
(60.6)
8.8
(47.8)
2.1
(35.8)
−2.4
(27.7)
9.5
(49.1)
Average low °C (°F) −5.2
(22.6)
−3.7
(25.3)
−0.4
(31.3)
3.6
(38.5)
8.3
(46.9)
12.3
(54.1)
14.6
(58.3)
14.2
(57.6)
9.4
(48.9)
4.1
(39.4)
−0.9
(30.4)
−4.9
(23.2)
4.3
(39.7)
Record low °C (°F) −31.1
(−24.0)
−27.0
(−16.6)
−18.3
(−0.9)
−11.1
(12.0)
−3.9
(25.0)
2.8
(37.0)
4.4
(39.9)
4.4
(39.9)
−2.8
(27.0)
−17.0
(1.4)
−32.0
(−25.6)
−31.1
(−24.0)
−32.0
(−25.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 38.3
(1.51)
20.3
(0.80)
16.8
(0.66)
19.0
(0.75)
26.1
(1.03)
23.7
(0.93)
35.5
(1.40)
25.7
(1.01)
23.7
(0.93)
33.8
(1.33)
44.6
(1.76)
41.7
(1.64)
349.0
(13.74)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 30.9
(1.22)
17.1
(0.67)
15.2
(0.60)
19.0
(0.75)
26.1
(1.03)
23.7
(0.93)
35.5
(1.40)
25.7
(1.01)
23.7
(0.93)
33.2
(1.31)
40.6
(1.60)
31.9
(1.26)
322.5
(12.70)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 7.5
(3.0)
3.3
(1.3)
1.6
(0.6)
0.05
(0.02)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.7
(0.3)
3.8
(1.5)
9.7
(3.8)
26.5
(10.4)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 9.7 7.7 9.1 8.0 8.5 7.5 7.9 6.7 6.5 10.7 13.0 10.2 105.1
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 7.4 6.5 8.1 8.0 8.5 7.5 7.9 6.7 6.5 10.6 12.0 7.2 97.3
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 3.4 1.5 0.5 0.05 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 1.7 3.6 10.9
Source: Environment Canada[70][71][72]

Footnotes Edit

  1. ^ "lillooet.ca".
  2. ^ A Complex Culture of the Northwest Plateau, ed. Bryan Hayden, SFU Archaeology
  3. ^ Lundy, Doris (1978). "Okanagan Historical Society: Petroglyphs of the Middle Fraser River". library.ubc.ca: 23–28 (21–26).
  4. ^ a b c "Lillooet (district municipality)". BC Geographical Names.
  5. ^ Armstrong, G.H. (1930). The origin and meaning of place names in Canada. p. 179 (163). {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  6. ^ Edwards 1976, p. 114.
  7. ^ a b Harris 1977, p. 16.
  8. ^ Golden Nuggets: Roadhouse Portraits Along the Cariboo's Gold-Rush Trail , p. 24, at Google Books
  9. ^ "It was all about getting there 'up the Cariboo road'". www.clintonmuseumbc.org.
  10. ^ "Prince George Citizen". pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 1 May 1999. p. 23.
  11. ^ "Journal of Commerce". canada.constructconnect.com. 14 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Pique News". piquenewsmagazine.com. 24 November 2019.
  13. ^ Harris 1977, p. 8.
  14. ^ Harris 1977, p. 38.
  15. ^ Edwards 1976, p. 189.
  16. ^ "Prospector". library.ubc.ca. 29 January 1915. p. 1.
  17. ^ "Prospector". library.ubc.ca. 19 February 1915. p. 1.
  18. ^ "Prince Rupert Journal". library.ubc.ca. 21 February 1915. p. 1.
  19. ^ Harris 1977, p. 25.
  20. ^ "Fort George Herald". pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 25 December 1915. p. 1.
  21. ^ "Prospector". library.ubc.ca. 31 December 1915. p. 1.
  22. ^ a b Tuff, Ron (August 1998). "The Cariboo: Lillooet Terminal" (PDF). www.cwrailway.ca. No. 33. pp. 6–10.
  23. ^ "Prince George Citizen". pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 30 May 1922. p. 3.
  24. ^ "The Pacific Great Eastern Railway". lillooet.ca.
  25. ^ Timetable. 15 Feb 1959
  26. ^ "Prince George Citizen". pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 1 November 2002. p. 1.
  27. ^ Whoever Givers Us Bread, 2011 , p. 20, at Google Books
  28. ^ Harris 1977, p. 15.
  29. ^ Harris 1977, p. 23.
  30. ^ Edwards 1976, p. 185.
  31. ^ Edwards 1976, p. 186.
  32. ^ Trails to Gold, Volume 1, 1995 , p. 50, at Google Books
  33. ^ Trails to Gold, Volume 1, 1995 , p. 51, at Google Books
  34. ^ Trails to Gold, Volume 1, 1995 , p. 49, at Google Books
  35. ^ Edwards 1976, p. 187.
  36. ^ Edwards 1976, p. 231.
  37. ^ a b Edwards 1976, p. 218.
  38. ^ "Lillooet". bivouac.com.
  39. ^ "Pique News". piquenewsmagazine.com. 12 November 2014.
  40. ^ "Lillooet Wineries & Vineyards". visitlillooet.ca.
  41. ^ "East Lillooet Self-Supporting Interment (sic) Camp". www.heritagebc.ca.
  42. ^ "Bridge River Internment Site". www.heritagebc.ca.
  43. ^ "Minto Mine". www.heritagebc.ca.
  44. ^ "McGillvray Falls". www.heritagebc.ca.
  45. ^ "1971 Census (1921–1971" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 120 (2–117).
  46. ^ "1976 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 27 (3–45).
  47. ^ "1981 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 35 (1–25).
  48. ^ "1986 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 74 (2–50).
  49. ^ "1991 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 126 (118).
  50. ^ "1996 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 257 (243).
  51. ^ "2001 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
  52. ^ "2006 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
  53. ^ "2011 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
  54. ^ "2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
  55. ^ "2021 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca.
  56. ^ "District of Lillooet: Official Community Plan" (PDF). lillooet.bc. February 2009.
  57. ^ "Lillooet Water System to be Upgraded". infrastructure.gc.ca.
  58. ^ "Lillooet Water Treatment Plant". cummingconstruction.ca.
  59. ^ "Tourism Lillooet – Strategic Plan" (PDF). static1.squarespace.com. 31 August 2019.
  60. ^ "BC Hydro's electric vehicle fast charging site operational in Lillooet". www.bchydro.com. 18 March 2022.
  61. ^ "Emergency Services". lillooet.ca.
  62. ^ "About Lillooet Hospital & Health Centre". www.interiorhealth.ca.
  63. ^ "Infrastructure". lillooet.ca.
  64. ^ "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  65. ^ "Community Profiles from the 2006 Census, Statistics Canada - Census Subdivision". statcan.ca. 13 March 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  66. ^ The Newspapering Murrays, Georgina Keddell, self-publ.
  67. ^ Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (26 October 2022). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  68. ^ "Fountainview Academy Association". chimp.net.
  69. ^ "Hottest Places in Canada". Current Results Nexus. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  70. ^ a b Environment Canada—Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 27 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 9 July 2013
  71. ^ . weatheroffice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  72. ^ "Daily Data Report for June 2021". Environment Canada. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

References Edit

  • Harris, Lorraine (1977). Halfway to the Goldfields, A History of Lillooet. J.J. Douglas. ISBN 0-88894-062-9.
  • Edwards, Irene (1976). Short Portage to Lillooet. self-published.

External links Edit

  • Official website

lillooet, other, uses, disambiguation, english, district, municipality, squamish, region, southwestern, british, columbia, town, west, shore, fraser, river, immediately, north, seton, river, mouth, highway, locality, road, about, kilometres, northeast, pembert. For other uses see Lillooet disambiguation Lillooet English ˈ l ɪ l oʊ ɛ t is a district municipality in the Squamish Lillooet region of southwestern British Columbia The town is on the west shore of the Fraser River immediately north of the Seton River mouth On BC Highway 99 the locality is by road about 100 kilometres 62 mi northeast of Pemberton 64 kilometres 40 mi northwest of Lytton and 172 kilometres 107 mi west of Kamloops LillooetDistrict municipalityDistrict of LillooetMain Street in Downtown LillooetLillooetLocation of LillooetShow map of British ColumbiaLillooetLillooet Canada Show map of CanadaCoordinates 50 41 37 N 121 56 01 W 50 69361 N 121 93361 W 50 69361 121 93361CountryCanadaProvinceBritish ColumbiaRegionLillooet Fraser CanyonRegional DistrictSquamish LillooetIncorporated1946 as village 1996 as district municipality Government MayorLaurie Hopfl 1 Governing bodyDistrict of Lillooet MLAJackie Tegart BC Liberals MPBrad Vis Conservative Area Total27 63 km2 10 67 sq mi Elevation250 m 820 ft Population 2021 Total2 302 Density83 3 km2 216 sq mi Time zoneUTC 08 00 PST Summer DST UTC 07 00 PDT Postal code spanV0K 1V0Area codes250 778 236 amp 672HighwaysHwy 99 Hwy 12WaterwaysFraser River Seton River Cayoosh Creek WebsiteOfficial website Contents 1 First Nations 2 Name origin 3 Roads ferries and bridges 4 Mining 5 Railway 6 Early community 7 Forestry and agriculture 8 Japanese internment camps 9 Later community 10 Demographics 10 1 Religion 11 Education 12 Notable people 13 Climate 14 Footnotes 15 References 16 External linksFirst Nations EditA main population centre of the Stʼatʼimc Lillooet Nation who comprise just over 50 per cent of the Lillooet area residents it is one of the southernmost communities in North America where indigenous people form the majority First Nations communities assert the land is traditional territory having been continuously inhabited for thousands of years The confluence of several main streams with the Fraser attracted large seasonal and permanent indigenous populations Situated in the Lower Fountain the Bridge River Rapids Sat or Setl which blocked migrating salmon has remained a popular fishing and fish drying site for centuries Keatley Creek Archaeological Site one of the largest ancient pit house communities in the Pacific Northwest is one of the many archaeological and heritage sites in the vicinity 2 Several petroglyph sites have been documented along the Fraser in the vicinity of Lillooet 3 Name origin EditThe First Nations name of Pap shil KWA KA meen translates as the place where the three rivers meet The former European name of Cayoosh Flat inferred a dead or dying Cayuse horse namely a decrepit specimen at the river In 1859 Governor Douglas granted a petition to change the name to Lillooet The Lil wat people lived on the Douglas Road a k a the Lakes Route which was the main trail from the south This name which means wild onion 4 appears on Anderson s 1849 map 5 Roads ferries and bridges EditFor the fortune seekers of the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush upper canyon and the Cariboo Gold Rush the portage intensive Douglas Road from the south terminated at Lillooet 6 Across the Fraser Parsonville was Mile 0 of the Old Cariboo Road 7 which stretched about 339 kilometres 211 mi northward to Alexandria Built as a toll road by Gustavus Blin Wright 8 the first 20 to 30 kilometres of tortuous canyon brink grade remained little changed until the 1970s citation needed In 1864 the shorter Cariboo Road which connected Yale to Barkerville via Ashcroft bypassed Lillooet 9 The Fraser was crossed by ferry at Lillooet Parsonville had faded into obscurity by 1889 when the first bridge at Lillooet opened Consequently Lillooet became Mile 0 7 The numbered roadhouse names of the Cariboo district became measured from the bend in Main Street commemorated by a cairn erected in 1939 10 However when the present bridge was constructed south of the town these old travel measurements became understated by about two miles In 1994 fire destroyed the station bridge over the Seton River 11 In 2020 a two lane structure replaced the temporary single lane bridge installed in 1994 12 Mining EditThe section of Main Street north from the cairn was called the Golden Mile allegedly to reflect gold dust scattered on the ground citation needed but indisputably as a supply hub fueled by the goldrush traffic 13 West of Lillooet the Golden Cache Mine on Cayoosh Creek was staked in 1895 However promising expectations proved illusive which ended further investment The associated prospecting boom ceased by 1900 when mining activity relocated to the Klondike 14 15 Other gold prospecting in the area included underground hard rock mining in the Bridge River Country which began in the 1880s and 1890s but peaked from the 1930s to the 1950s Gold Bridge and Bralorne were mining centres Prospecting for gold continues and to a lesser extent for copper silver and nephrite jade Until the discovery of larger jade deposits near Cassiar the Lillooet area was the world s largest source of the nephrite form Unknown tonnes were exported to China before government assayers discovered the nature of the black rocks that the Chinese miners found so interesting citation needed In the 1950s local farmer and teacher Ron Purvis adapted the skil saw concept to create a diamond rotary blade The blade could safely cut the immovable jade boulders which line the banks and beds of the Fraser and Bridge rivers whereas blasting would have shattered the rock Although local stores sell polished jade souvenirs major commercial jade operations no longer exist in the Lillooet area citation needed Railway Edit nbsp Lillooet railway station 2011The northward advance of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway PGE rail head reached the head of Seton Lake in January 1915 16 and the Lillooet locality the following month PGE built a depot between the Seton River and Cayoosh Creek 17 That month the first passenger train arrived 18 triggering a revival for the isolated town since a railway could ship agricultural produce 19 By year end the track reached Clinton 20 21 an additional 72 kilometres 45 mi To benefit the railway rather than land speculators PGE had bypassed the downtown by crossing the Fraser south of the Seton River on the Lillooet railway bridge PGE erected a station and four stall roundhouse at East Lillooet which was a divisional point 22 The initial depot called Lillooet station was 2 4 kilometre 1 5 mi westward across the Fraser 23 In 1930 PGE built the 8 9 kilometre 5 5 mi Lillooet Diversion from the head of Seton Lake through the downtown and north to the Polley bridge In 1931 PGE completed the bridge built a new two storey station downtown and dismantled and reassembled the roundhouse nearby The latter was demolished during the early 1970s 22 The Lillooet station building which was replaced in 1986 24 was 4 8 kilometres 3 0 mi east of Craig 14 3 kilometres 8 9 mi east of Retakit after Craig closed and 4 3 kilometres 2 7 mi south of Polley 12 4 kilometres 7 7 mi south of Fountain after Polley closed 25 The withdrawal of the Cariboo Prospector passenger train in October 2002 ended through service 26 Canadian National Railway freight trains on break and the Kaoham Shuttle still use the station Early community EditThe town began as a goldrush centre in the late 1850s booming during the progression of discoveries on the Fraser and in the Cariboo in the early 1860s The title of the largest town west of Chicago and north of San Francisco moved in rapid succession from Yale to Lillooet and then to Barkerville 27 Just after this gold rush the town s layout was surveyed by the Royal Engineers citation needed In 1860 the population was 4 000 5 000 28 About that time Richard Hoey was granted 16 hectares 40 acres on the Texas Creek Road 29 St Mary the Virgin Anglican church was built in 1861 30 and a school established in 1863 31 That year the hotels and shops served a population of about 1 600 The Stage Hotel 1860 was considered first class 32 The Pioneer Hotel 1862 became the Excelsior in the early 1900s Further lodgings were the International Hotel 1866 and Victoria Hotel 1892 33 In 1864 Joseph Watkinson Thomas Harris F W Foster and Richard Hoey built the first flour mill 34 In 1896 St Andrews Presbyterian church was erected 35 In 1904 the town was surveyed 36 The 1930 fire destroyed the Excelsior Hurley s Grocery a movie theatre and the government liquor store 37 In 1946 the settlement incorporated as a village municipality 4 In 1948 fire destroyed the Log Cabin Theatre an 1860s livery barn that had been remodelled into theatre in 1934 37 Booms occurred during local gold mining activity and in the 1940s and 50s during the construction of the Bridge River Power Project citation needed In 1996 the town re incorporated as a district municipality 4 Forestry and agriculture Edit nbsp The Hop Farm neighbourhood The economy was historically based upon logging the railway ranching farming and government services The long growing season has favoured orchards and in recent times ginseng Once hop and tobacco crops supported the former local beer cigar and chewing tobacco industries The town has relied upon forestry since the mid 1970s 38 In the 1940s an Italian named Savona planted vines in the Fountain area Established in 2009 the Fort Berens Winery in East Lillooet was the first attempt at commercial viticulture 39 Visitors can taste the award winning wines The Cliff amp George Vineyards about 20 kilometres 12 mi south on the west side of the Fraser offers a similar opportunity as well as picnic areas on the historic Texas Creek Ranch near Texas Creek 40 Japanese internment camps EditFour internment camps existed in the Lillooet area during World War II following the removal of Japanese Canadians from the British Columbia Coast in 1942 Each were self support sites where family groups who had the financial means could remain together but the locations were more isolated than the camps in the Kootenays Since internees were not permitted to return to the coast until 1949 many families permanently settled in Lillooet The largest camp was East Lillooet housing 309 people 41 The other nearby camps were at Shalalth 42 Minto Mine 43 and McGillvray Falls 44 Later community EditCensus population LillooetYearPop 1951469 19561 083 130 9 19611 304 20 4 19661 379 5 8 19711 514 9 8 19762 218 46 5 19811 725 22 2 19861 758 1 9 19911 782 1 4 1996 1 988 11 6 20012 741 37 9 20062 324 15 2 20112 322 0 1 20162 275 2 0 20212 302 1 2 Source Statistics Canada 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 Boundary change for 2001 would have adjusted 1996 to 2 886The town includes infrastructure typical for its size In 2009 the district developed a community plan 56 In 2013 the water treatment plant received a 5 6 million upgrade 57 58 In 2019 Tourism Lillooet released a strategic plan 59 In 2022 an electric vehicle fast charging station opened 60 Police fire and ambulance respectively operate emergency service bases 61 The Lillooet Hospital amp Health Centre is a Level 1 Community Hospital which includes 24 hour emergency services 62 The district owns and operates the Lillooet Airport 63 Demographics EditIn the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada Lillooet had a population of 2 302 living in 1 111 of its 1 214 total private dwellings a change of 1 2 from its 2016 population of 2 275 With a land area of 27 63 km2 10 67 sq mi it had a population density of 83 3 km2 215 8 sq mi in 2021 64 Lillooet s larger regional population includes that of the three large bands of the St at imc or Lillooet Nation whose reserves abut the town on all sides and another three large reserves within 20 miles 32 km 430 of the District of Lillooet s population are aboriginal 65 Historical populations have included large numbers of Americans and Chinese although there are few of either today although many longtime local families First Nations and non First Nations have some bloodlines from both 66 The town s non native population has been historically multi ethnic in extraction with a relatively high rate of intermarriage between all groups Religion Edit According to the 2021 census religious groups in Lillooet included 67 Irreligion 1 490 persons or 65 5 Christianity 735 persons or 32 3 Other 25 persons or 1 1 Education EditLillooet has one high school Lillooet Secondary which also serves students from neighbouring rural localities such as Shalalth Seton Portage Gold Bridge and Bralorne although those communities do offer students a secondary school program Cayoosh Elementary School is in the Cayoosh Heights subdivision and George M Murray Elementary serves North Lillooet The Upper St at imc Culture Language and Education Society USCLES operates education programs but most St at imc children attend the public school system Post secondary programs are offered at a Thompson Rivers University campus citation needed The Fountainview Academy about 24 kilometres 15 mi south is an international private school which offers work study experience that includes organic farming 68 Notable people EditJohnder Basran first Indo Canadian mayor in Canada Alexander E B Davie member of the Legislative Assembly for Lillooet and 8th Premier of British Columbia Don Dickinson Canadian writer and teacher He was shortlisted nominee for the Governor General s Award for English language fiction at the 1991 Governor General s Awards for his short story collection Blue Husbands and for the 1993 Books in Canada First Novel Award for his novel The Crew Blue Husbands was also a winner of the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize in 1992 A C Elliott magistrate in Lillooet and 4th Premier of British Columbia George Leach actor and Juno award winning songwriter guitarist Bertha Hosang Mah first Chinese woman to graduate from a Canadian university McGill 1917 born in Lillooet Masajiro Miyazaki Japanese Canadian internee and town coroner during WWII founder of the local ambulance and hospital Order of Canada awardee George Murray MLA and publisher of the Bridge River Lillooet News Margaret Lally Ma Murray editor of the Bridge River Lillooet News Order of Canada awardee Caspar Phair Lillooet pioneer Gold Commissioner and first Government AgentClimate EditLillooet experiences a humid continental oceanic climate but it borders on a semi arid climate Koppen Cfb Dfb BSk citation needed Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains it has a dry climate with an average of 349 5 mm 13 76 in of precipitation being recorded annually The locality often vies with Lytton and Osoyoos for the title of Canada s Hot Spot on a daily basis in summer citation needed Lillooet holds the record for the fourth hottest temperature recorded in British Columbia and Canada behind Lytton Ashcroft and Kamloops On 29 June 2021 during the 2021 Western North America heat wave which brought unprecedented heat to the Pacific Northwest the temperature reached 46 8 C 116 2 F 69 Lillooet also holds the record for the hottest temperature recorded in the province during the months of April 36 1 C 97 0 F May 41 7 C 107 1 F and December 22 2 C 72 0 F The coldest temperature recorded was measured at the airport during a November cold snap in 1985 With an average annual snowfall of 26 5 cm 10 4 in Lillooet is the least snowy place in the BC Interior 70 Climate data for LillooetMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 18 5 65 3 17 8 64 0 25 6 78 1 36 1 97 0 41 7 107 1 46 8 116 2 44 4 111 9 40 5 104 9 37 2 99 0 30 0 86 0 23 3 73 9 22 2 72 0 46 8 116 2 Average high C F 0 6 33 1 4 4 39 9 10 9 51 6 16 2 61 2 21 2 70 2 24 9 76 8 28 3 82 9 28 2 82 8 22 3 72 1 13 5 56 3 5 0 41 0 0 0 32 0 14 6 58 3 Daily mean C F 2 4 27 7 0 4 32 7 5 2 41 4 9 9 49 8 14 8 58 6 18 6 65 5 21 6 70 9 21 3 70 3 15 9 60 6 8 8 47 8 2 1 35 8 2 4 27 7 9 5 49 1 Average low C F 5 2 22 6 3 7 25 3 0 4 31 3 3 6 38 5 8 3 46 9 12 3 54 1 14 6 58 3 14 2 57 6 9 4 48 9 4 1 39 4 0 9 30 4 4 9 23 2 4 3 39 7 Record low C F 31 1 24 0 27 0 16 6 18 3 0 9 11 1 12 0 3 9 25 0 2 8 37 0 4 4 39 9 4 4 39 9 2 8 27 0 17 0 1 4 32 0 25 6 31 1 24 0 32 0 25 6 Average precipitation mm inches 38 3 1 51 20 3 0 80 16 8 0 66 19 0 0 75 26 1 1 03 23 7 0 93 35 5 1 40 25 7 1 01 23 7 0 93 33 8 1 33 44 6 1 76 41 7 1 64 349 0 13 74 Average rainfall mm inches 30 9 1 22 17 1 0 67 15 2 0 60 19 0 0 75 26 1 1 03 23 7 0 93 35 5 1 40 25 7 1 01 23 7 0 93 33 2 1 31 40 6 1 60 31 9 1 26 322 5 12 70 Average snowfall cm inches 7 5 3 0 3 3 1 3 1 6 0 6 0 05 0 02 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 3 3 8 1 5 9 7 3 8 26 5 10 4 Average precipitation days 0 2 mm 9 7 7 7 9 1 8 0 8 5 7 5 7 9 6 7 6 5 10 7 13 0 10 2 105 1Average rainy days 0 2 mm 7 4 6 5 8 1 8 0 8 5 7 5 7 9 6 7 6 5 10 6 12 0 7 2 97 3Average snowy days 0 2 cm 3 4 1 5 0 5 0 05 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 7 3 6 10 9Source Environment Canada 70 71 72 Footnotes Edit lillooet ca A Complex Culture of the Northwest Plateau ed Bryan Hayden SFU Archaeology Lundy Doris 1978 Okanagan Historical Society Petroglyphs of the Middle Fraser River library ubc ca 23 28 21 26 a b c Lillooet district municipality BC Geographical Names Armstrong G H 1930 The origin and meaning of place names in Canada p 179 163 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help Edwards 1976 p 114 a b Harris 1977 p 16 Golden Nuggets Roadhouse Portraits Along the Cariboo s Gold Rush Trail p 24 at Google Books It was all about getting there up the Cariboo road www clintonmuseumbc org Prince George Citizen pgnewspapers pgpl ca 1 May 1999 p 23 Journal of Commerce canada constructconnect com 14 May 2015 Pique News piquenewsmagazine com 24 November 2019 Harris 1977 p 8 Harris 1977 p 38 Edwards 1976 p 189 Prospector library ubc ca 29 January 1915 p 1 Prospector library ubc ca 19 February 1915 p 1 Prince Rupert Journal library ubc ca 21 February 1915 p 1 Harris 1977 p 25 Fort George Herald pgnewspapers pgpl ca 25 December 1915 p 1 Prospector library ubc ca 31 December 1915 p 1 a b Tuff Ron August 1998 The Cariboo Lillooet Terminal PDF www cwrailway ca No 33 pp 6 10 Prince George Citizen pgnewspapers pgpl ca 30 May 1922 p 3 The Pacific Great Eastern Railway lillooet ca Timetable 15 Feb 1959 Prince George Citizen pgnewspapers pgpl ca 1 November 2002 p 1 Whoever Givers Us Bread 2011 p 20 at Google Books Harris 1977 p 15 Harris 1977 p 23 Edwards 1976 p 185 Edwards 1976 p 186 Trails to Gold Volume 1 1995 p 50 at Google Books Trails to Gold Volume 1 1995 p 51 at Google Books Trails to Gold Volume 1 1995 p 49 at Google Books Edwards 1976 p 187 Edwards 1976 p 231 a b Edwards 1976 p 218 Lillooet bivouac com Pique News piquenewsmagazine com 12 November 2014 Lillooet Wineries amp Vineyards visitlillooet ca East Lillooet Self Supporting Interment sic Camp www heritagebc ca Bridge River Internment Site www heritagebc ca Minto Mine www heritagebc ca McGillvray Falls www heritagebc ca 1971 Census 1921 1971 PDF publications gc ca p 120 2 117 1976 Census PDF publications gc ca p 27 3 45 1981 Census PDF publications gc ca p 35 1 25 1986 Census PDF publications gc ca p 74 2 50 1991 Census PDF publications gc ca p 126 118 1996 Census PDF publications gc ca p 257 243 2001 Census www12 statcan gc ca 2006 Census www12 statcan gc ca 2011 Census www12 statcan gc ca 2016 Census www12 statcan gc ca 2021 Census www12 statcan gc ca District of Lillooet Official Community Plan PDF lillooet bc February 2009 Lillooet Water System to be Upgraded infrastructure gc ca Lillooet Water Treatment Plant cummingconstruction ca Tourism Lillooet Strategic Plan PDF static1 squarespace com 31 August 2019 BC Hydro s electric vehicle fast charging site operational in Lillooet www bchydro com 18 March 2022 Emergency Services lillooet ca About Lillooet Hospital amp Health Centre www interiorhealth ca Infrastructure lillooet ca Population and dwelling counts Canada provinces and territories and census subdivisions municipalities British Columbia Statistics Canada 9 February 2022 Retrieved 20 February 2022 Community Profiles from the 2006 Census Statistics Canada Census Subdivision statcan ca 13 March 2007 Retrieved 14 October 2015 The Newspapering Murrays Georgina Keddell self publ Government of Canada Statistics Canada 26 October 2022 Census Profile 2021 Census of Population www12 statcan gc ca Retrieved 12 March 2023 Fountainview Academy Association chimp net Hottest Places in Canada Current Results Nexus Retrieved 21 June 2013 a b Environment Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1981 2010 Archived 27 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine accessed 9 July 2013 Station Results Advanced Search weatheroffice gc ca Archived from the original on 13 May 2013 Retrieved 14 October 2015 Daily Data Report for June 2021 Environment Canada Retrieved 27 June 2021 References EditHarris Lorraine 1977 Halfway to the Goldfields A History of Lillooet J J Douglas ISBN 0 88894 062 9 Edwards Irene 1976 Short Portage to Lillooet self published External links Edit nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lillooet Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lillooet amp oldid 1175712313, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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