The westernmost of Canada’s ten provinces, British Columbia is characterized by its pristine Pacific coasts and sublime mountain ranges. The history of this diverse and picturesque province began with the First Nations Peoples, who have lived and prospered in British Columbia for thousands of years. The lush and abundant natural resources of this region allowed natives to thrive for over ten thousand years -this is quite some time since the end of the last Ice Age.

Ancient Peoples

The First Nations consisted of three main groups: the Nootka, the Coast Salish, and the Kwak’wala Speaking Peoples. They divided the land between them and worked on developing and cultivating its resources. This allowed them to create and sustain a complex civilization structure that was renowned for its remarkable and aboriginal art forms.

In the Eastern region (now known as the British Columbia Rockies), the Kootenay were the first keepers of the land as they have fought valiantly to claim its prized hot springs in the mountains. The people known as the Carrier nation fought for the interior valleys, the Tsimshians took the northern coast, and the Tlingits occupied part of the north and Southern Alaska.

On the other hand, the Eastern region of the north was mainly dominated by the Sekani and Beave while the Haida settled in Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands). In the past two to three centuries, the northwestern region of North American was one of the least explored coasts in the world. The Soaring mountains and the massive Pacific Ocean presented many obstacles and geographic barriers to European travelers.

New Settlers

However, the curious nature of human beings prevailed and the desire to discover new lands propelled many expeditions to this region led by Russians, Americans, Spanish, and British traders and explorers. This undisturbed existence will soon change with Captain Jame Cook’s arrival to Nootka Island in 1778. Soon after, the Spanish arrived and claimed the coast of Alaska under the command of Don Juan Fransisco de la Bodega y Quadra.

Captain George Vancouver later arrived in 1792 at Nootka Sound in an attempt to regain control of the region -which turned out to be a successful endeavor, i.e. the Nootka Convention. In 1849, Vancouver Island was taken by the British, and soon after the Gold Rush brought tens of thousands of people to British Columbia.

Making Modern-Day BC

It wasn’t until 1871 that B.C. joined Canada, no longer a colony. In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railway was finished. This brought the east and west coast together, opening the country to easier and more convenient means of travel. The railway attracted numerous opportunities for trade and business, but it also gave a boost to the movement of resources and people from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

The 20th century marked an era of growth, expansion, and development in British Columbia’s history. Major dams were built for multiple purposes, from providing flood control, and hydroelectricity to supplying water for irrigation, and locks for boat navigation. This helped power an ever-growing province in addition to the completion of the TransCanada highway that created new and exciting economic opportunities for a better quality of life.