Smithers Stats • Smithers History • First Nations

The Town of Smithers is situated in the Bulkley Valley of northwestern British Columbia directly on the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway (Route 16), approximately half way between the cities of Prince Rupert and Prince George.

Smithers is a town of 6000 people and is a regional service center for the entire Bulkley Valley. Because of this, Smithers offers many more amenities than you would normally see in a town of this size. From its position in the Bulkley Valley, Smithers is set against the backdrop of the Hudson Bay Mountain to the west and the Babine Mountain range to the east.

Known as the “Town for All Seasons”, Smithers offers outstanding outdoor recreational pursuits during all phases of the year. This includes fishing and hunting, downhill and cross-country skiing, golfing, snowmobiling, canoeing and kayaking and many more activities too numerous to list. Coupled with a range of urban features such as cultural pursuits and indoor recreation opportunities, Smithers has something for everyone.

Smither’s Stats

• Population – 6 000; regional service center for approximately 20,000;
• Latitude – N 54* 49’ 29” Longitude - W127* 10’ 58”
• Situated in northwestern British Columbia 370 km (222 miles) west of Prince George; and, 350 km (218 miles) east of Prince Rupert on the Pacific Ocean. Smithers is 1150 km (690 miles) north of Vancouver BC;
• Located directly on the Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway (Route 16);
• Elevation 494 meters/1 621 ft;
• Relatively warmer and drier than mountainous areas to the west; July average temperature is 14 C/59 F; January is –10 C/14 F; average annual precipitation 325 mm/13 inches;
• Smithers sits in the Bulkley River valley between the Hudson Bay Mountain range to the west and the Babine Mountain range to the east;
• Because of its alpine environment, the town has adopted an ‘alpine theme’. Main Street was reconstructed in 1979 with red brick sidewalks and alpine style rooflines on buildings and shops;
  
• The surrounding mountains and valleys are heavily forested and timber extraction is a major economic resource of the area. The coniferous forests are dominated by lodgepole pine, spruce and sub-arctic balsam fir. Deciduous trees include aspen, birch and cottonwood.
  

Smithers History

The aboriginal people of this area are the Wet’suwet’en, a Carrier people of the Athapaskan language group, whose oral history recounts a story of their origins in the village of Dizlegh, on the Bulkley River just east of Hazelton.

Non-aboriginal fur traders began travelling though the valley in 1860’s and missionaries soon after. The village of Kyah Wiget, meaning old town, later became known as Moricetown named after Father Adrien Gabriel Morice who came to the village in 1892. Father Morice studied the native language and translated prayer books into Carrier.
In 1866, the exploration team for the Collins Overland Telegraph line came through, attempting to construct an overland telegraph line connecting North American to Europe and Asia. Through their efforts failed, the trail served as an access route to gold miners heading north. The Bulkley Valley is named for Colonel Charles Bulkley, the Engineer-in-Charge of the survey team.

Little exploration was carried out in this area until 1892 when a provincial government surveying team noted the potential resources of the valley, By then, the old telegraph tail was known as the Dominion Telegraph line, and was being extended to the Yukon.

Gabriel Lacroix became the first non-aboriginal man in the area, arriving about 1900 to farm on the east side of the Bulkley River. Then, in 1903, the Fred Heal family settled on the east side of Tyhee Lake. In a few years, settlement began in earnest. The now-vanished village of Aldermere was staked in 1904, followed by Telkwa three years later.

The community of Smithers was founded in 1913 as the divisional headquarters of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The community took its name from Sir Alfred Smithers, the chairman of the board of directors of the railway. Alfred Avenue is also named after him. Lake Kathlyn, one of the most familiar spots in the Smithers area, is named after Sir Alfred’s daughter.
In 1921, Smithers was designated the first incorporated village in British Columbia. Development of local mineral and agricultural resources were encouraged and a steady economic growth was realized. In 1967, Smithers moved from the status of village to incorporated town.

Pioneer settlers made Smithers their home because of the fertile valley soil, its abundant mineral riches and imposing coniferous forests. Later, tourism played an important part of the economic foundation of the area.
Following World War Two, many Europeans immigrated to Smithers, notably Dutch and Swiss families.

First Nations

The Name Wet'suwet'en (or Witsuwet'en) can be roughly translated as "People of the lower hills". The Wet'suwet'en Nation are from the linguistic Athapaskan family. Their territory surrounds the Bulkley River in the northern interior of British Columbia.The Wet'suwet'en Nation 's territory extends from the village of Hagwilget in the New Hazelton area in the west to Burns Lake in the east. From Moricetown in the north it stretches to Ootsa Lake area in the South . Within this expansive territory there six Wet'suwet'en communities--Hagwilget, Moricetown, Broman Lake, Burns Lake, Skin Tyee and Nee Tahi Buhn and the communities of Smithers, Telkwa, Houston and Burns Lake (not necessarily politically affiliated with the Wet'suwet'en Nation office).

Central to the Wet'suwet'en culture is their traditional system of governance based upon our five clans; Gitdumden (Wolf), Laksamishyu (Fireweed), Tsayu (Beaver), Gilseyhyu (Big Frog) and Laksilyu (Small Frog). Every clan is divided into houses, each comprising of a sort of extended family. There are thirteen Wet'suwet'en houses. Each house has a hereditary chief (the Chief's name is passed on in the line for perpetuity). Usually there are Wing Chiefs (Sub Chiefs) for each House as well.

Every Wet'suwet'en individual is born in a Clan and a House base on matrilineal descent (i.e. through the mother's heritage). the entire Wet'suwet'en system is based upon mutual support and ling term relationships. There is currently 5000 Wet'suwet'en members throughout the territory and away from home. The office of the Wet'suwet'en is administered by the Senior team of Dan George - Treaty Negotiator, Lucy Gagnon - Comptroller, Sandra Harris - Research, Walter Joseph - Fisheries, Andrew George Jr - Forestry, and Darlene Glaim / Buchholz - Human & social Services. These are also each of the program areas of the office. The staff number some 30 people in all and are mostly Wet'suwet'en members.

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