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Onward Ranch
2012.13.1.6.150 · Item · Oct. 1980
Part of J. Kent Sedgwick fonds

Image depicts the Onward Ranch near Williams Lake, B.C.

In a special article written by Barry Sale for The Williams Lake Tribune, he provides a detailed history of this ranch (see https://www.wltribune.com/community/haphazard-history-onward-ranch-steeped-in-history-5549882):

"One of the most famous ranches in the Cariboo region is the venerable and storied Onward Ranch. Located in the picturesque San Jose River valley, some eight miles southwest of Williams Lake, the land was first pre-empted in 1867 by Charles Boromeo Eagle. He had been born in Pennsylvania in 1837, coming from German (often called Pennsylvania Dutch) extraction. Eagle made his way to the Cariboo just as the placer gold rush was beginning to decline, and he decided to homestead in the fertile river alley. He built a small rough cabin on the north bank of the San Jose and began clearing land.

To finance his dreams, Eagle did day work for Pascal Bates, the owner of the 150 Mile Roadhouse and ranch. After work, Eagle would walk the five miles back to his little log dwelling and labour until dark to develop his own place. He invested the money he earned in livestock, seed plants, tools, and a small sawmill powered by water from the river. Slowly, he accumulated sufficient lumber to build a few outbuildings, including a small store. He gradually gained the trust of the local Indigenous people and built up a respectable fur trade. Eagle named his ranch the Onward after the region in Pennsylvania where his family had settled.

In the late 1860s, Charles met Annie Tatkwa, a Shuswap woman from the Bonaparte Band near Cache Creek. Prior to his arrival in the area, she had been a “country wife” to Thomas “Jack” Paxton, who had come out from England to seek his fortune. They had one son, Thomas Jr. (Tom). Paxton did not find the riches he sought and returned home with no plans to return to Canada, so, after a brief courtship, Annie and Charles were legally married at St. Joseph’s Mission, and Tom was adopted.

Over a span of almost 20 years, Annie gave birth to 10 children at the Onward. Four of them, all girls, died early in childhood. The six surviving children were Josh, Basil, William, Louise, Christine, and Rose. Annie, only 40 years old, died in September of 1887. She never recovered from the difficult childbirth of her youngest daughter, Ida May, who lived only for another five months following Annie’s passing. Charles never remarried.

The Onward was well situated on the route to the goldfields from Dog Creek, Alkali Lake, and Springhouse. It became a stopping place for packers, freighters, and travelers and it was an ideal place for a general store. At one time, in the mid 1890s, there were plans to build a town, to be named San Jose, right next to the Onward Ranch. Lots of 66 by 125 feet were advertised in the B.C. Mining Journal, published at Ashcroft for this “promising town in the South Cariboo, the centre of an extensive farming district and the natural distributing point for Alkali Lake, Chilcotin, Williams Lake Valley, Quesnelle Forks and Horsefly.” These lots were described as “beautifully located at the junction of the Williams Lake Road with the Cariboo Trunk Road, commanding an extensive view of the most picturesque part of Williams Lake Valley,” and “abundantly supplied with pure water from the San Jose River.” Apparently the “terms reasonable” weren’t, and there was very little interest.

In 1886, Charles began building a large new house from lumber he had milled on site. All the boards were planed by hand, sturdy timbers cut, and shakes split. The house was 2 and a half storeys in height and had verandas on two levels. Inside, it was meticulously furnished with oiled and polished pine. It cost approximately $10,000 to build, quite a sum in those days. The original log cabin was repurposed as a chicken house.

The ranch prospered. It was irrigated by a seven-mile long ditch with plentiful water year round. Over 110 tons of grain, 125 tons of vegetables, and 200 tons of hay were produced annually. A larger store was built, and contracts were signed to supply the mines and communities of the goldfields to the northeast with provisions, general merchandise, farm produce, beef and pork.

Charles Eagle died in 1890 at the age of 53. The ranch was taken over by his son John and adopted son Tom. Together, they formed the firm of “Eagle and Paxton, Store Merchants.” Unfortunately, they were not very well versed nor interested in the business of ranching, and they focused their efforts on the general store. For a while, they did very well, but as the mines in the goldfields began closing down, their business fell off. By 1900, both the store and the ranch were on the verge of bankruptcy, and in 1903, the entire operation was sold for $9,500 to John Edgar Moore, a pioneer rancher and businessman from Alkali Lake.

Over the next 17 years, Moore refurbished the ranch house, restocked the store and made it profitable again, added a huge livestock and storage barn (in 1911), and built up the farming and ranching operation. In 1920, nearing the age of 70, Moore sold the Onward to Charles Cowan for the price of $20,000. Cowan owned two ranches in the Kamloops area and was an agent for the Cariboo Trading Co., which owned the 134 Mile and the 150 Mile ranches. He and his wife Vivien moved into the big house, and Charles immediately concentrated on rejuvenating the land. He planted legume crops and plowed them under, fertilized, and brought water to arid areas. He also built miles of fences along with his new ditches, and within a few years, the place was producing excellent quantities of crops and livestock once again.

Charles and Vivien had two daughters, Sonia, born in 1919, and Drusilla (Dru), born in 1928. In 1929, the Cowans purchased the neighbouring 150 Mile Ranch. However, Charles’ health had begun to deteriorate, and the family spent more and more time in Victoria, where he received specialized medical care. During the family’s absence, John Zirnhelt took over the management of both ranches. In 1939, Charles died in Victoria as a result of a massive stroke.

Vivien and her daughters returned to the Onward to continue running the ranch. She was shocked to learn that her husband had left unsettled debts which amounted to about $9,500. The only way to pay them off was to make both ranching operations profitable.

That she did, with the help of her daughters, but she also found time to pursue her talent for painting. Her home became a gathering place for many artists, musicians, and writers. A.Y. Jackson, one of the famous Canadian “Group of Seven” was a regular visitor. In 1945, Vivien founded the Cariboo Art Society, which met frequently in the living room of the big ranch house. Both daughters were also artistically inclined, with Sonia becoming known throughout Canada for her paintings of the Cariboo, and Dru becoming a celebrated playwright and author. In the 1950s. Sonia and her husband Hugh Cornwall took over the management of the ranch, which now had a solid reputation as a centre for the arts.

The 150 Mile Ranch was sold in 1950, and in 1966, the Onward was sold off, this time to the Order of Mary Immaculate, the Catholic Oblate order which also owned the nearby St. Joseph’s Mission Ranch. The Oblates kept the ranch operating on a reduced scale, and they used the ranch house as a retreat for the priests and brothers. In 1979, St. Joseph’s Mission was officially closed down by the Roman Catholic church, and in 1980, the Onward was sold again. Since then, it has seen a number of owners, subdivisions, and changes. It is now owned by Tyrone Johnston, who is working diligently to bring back production and sustainability. After more than a century and a half of continuous operation, the Onward is indeed a special place with a unique and colourful history."

2012.13.1.50.115 · Item · 1980
Part of J. Kent Sedgwick fonds

Image depicts the St. Joseph's Residential School in Williams Lake, B.C.

According to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Archives (https://archives.nctr.ca/Cariboo-Residential-School) :

"Cariboo (Williams Lake) Indian Residential School (IRS) was located southwest of Williams Lake on highway #97 approximately halfway between Quesnel and Kamloops in the BC interior. The IRS operated from 1891 - 1981 (90 years) and closed on June 30, 1981.

Other names identifying the residential school include Williams Lake Industrial School and St. Joseph’s Industrial School from 1891 - 1920; Cariboo Industrial School and Cariboo Indian Industrial School from 1920 - 1927; Cariboo Residential School and Cariboo Indian Residential School from 1923 - 1981; St. Joseph’s Mission School (1929 - 1981), St. Joseph’s Indian Residential School (1932 and 1935), and St. Joseph’s Residential School (1963 and 1969); Cariboo Student Residence and Cariboo Indian Student Residence from 1967 - 1981. The school was also frequently referred to as the Indian School at 150 Mile House because of its location.

The Government of Canada was responsible for funding the school, which was managed and operated by the Roman Catholic Church from July 1891 - March 31, 1969. From April 1, 1969 - June 1981, the federal government managed and operated the IRS. In 1962, an agreement was signed between Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada represented by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Indianescom (Oblate Indian and Eskimo Commission) for the management and operation of the Cariboo IRS.

No information regarding which grades were taught at the IRS exists.

Students were from the following bands: Alexandria, Alexis Creek, Alkali Lake, Anaham, Anderson Lake, Ashcroft, Bonaparte, Bridge River, Canim Lake, Canoe Creek, Clinton, Coldwater, Cowichan, Dog Creek, Euchinico, Fountain, High Bar, Kamloops, Kluskus Lake (Kluxkux Lake), Kuklinko, Lake Babine, Lillooet, Little Shuswap, Moricetown, Mount Currie, Natzoo, Nazko, Nemiah Valley, North Thompson, Pavillion, Pemberton, Quesnel, Redstone, Riske Creek, Seton Lake, Skwah, Soda Creek, Squamish, Stone (Stoney), Taodistan, Toosey, Ulkatcho (Ulgatcho), and Williams Lake. "was opened was opened by Roman Catholic missionaries in 1891. In 1902 nine boys ran away from the school, one of them dying of exposure. In 1920, nine boys ate poisonous water hemlock in what parents believed to be a response to discipline at the school. One of these boys died. The school closed in 1981. In the 1980s and 1990s two former staff members pled guilty to charges of sexually abusing students in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1998, a former principal apologized to a former student and school employee who had charged him with a series of sex offences. "

2009.6.3.34 · File · 1987
Part of The Honourable Iona Campagnolo fonds

File consists of one audio recording of a taped radio show Perspective by CFUV Radio University of Victoria by Mahinder Doman with Iona Campagnolo in July 1987. Campagnolo discusses a variety of subjects related to her professional career including memories of her early years in municipal politics; her entry into federal politics and as a member of the federal Liberal caucus; her views on feminism and on being a female politician; her impact as the Federal Minister of Sports under the Trudeau government; the John Turner ‘bum-patting’ controversy; contemporary issues facing the Liberal Party in the 1980s and provides commentary on the Mulroney government and Liberal leadership of John Turner. Other issues discussed are the Canadian political scene in 1987: the rise of extreme right wing politics internationally; the prospects of the Liberals in the next federal election; the impact of the Meech Lake Accord; Northern Canadian territories and self-government; the impact of the free trade issue; the campaign for a national child care program; Canadian immigration policy; the position of the lieutenant within Quebec for the Prime Minister. Campagnolo also talks about her upcoming new position at McMaster University to assist in the creation of an international health care facility in relation to Third World countries.

2023.8 · Collection · 1942-1972

Willard Freer, a packer and guide in remote northern BC, kept a daily diary from 1942 to 1975 that provides a detailed record of life in northern BC and southern Yukon Territory. This collection consists of digital replicas of Willard Freer's diaries from 1942 to 1975, along with accompanying transcripts created by Jay Sherwood, who authored a book about Freer's life.

Excerpts describing the Freer Diaries from "Kechika Chronicler: Willard Freer's Northern BC & Yukon Diaries, 1942-1975" by Jay Sherwood (2023), pages 14-17:

In a letter that [Willard Freer] wrote in 1935, he stated that he had started keeping a diary when he left home. Unfortunately, his early diaries have been lost. In the summer of 1939, while Freer was away working, the BC Provincial Police investigated his neighbour Frank "Shorty" Weber as a suspect in a local murder. The police seized Freer's diaries from his trapping cabin as potential evidence. Freer wrote to the police requesting the return of his diaries, but he never received them. Fortunately, Freer had made copies of his diaries for the summers of 1932 and 1934. His diary for 1934 is particularly important because he was a member of the Bedaux Expedition.

Freer's existing diaries begin in the spring of 1942, when he was still living in the Ingenika River valley, and continue until 1975. The notebook for 1950 and 1951 is missing, and the January to September 1961 section has been removed. ...
Throughout his adult life, Freer wrote a daily journal. The entries are usually brief and direct, with minimal philosophizing. They are often repetitive, describing daily routines. However, the cumulative narrative of Freer's diaries provides a rare look into the history of one of British Columbia's most remote areas.

The pantheon of people recorded in Freer's diaries include many notable individuals who lived and worked in the Kechika River valley and along the Alaska Highway. Willard's journals provide details about specific events in the lives of these people. There are many references to the famous bush pilots Stan Bridcut and George Dalziel. He notes several prospectors who are well-known in northern BC and Yukon.

Willard's work involved extensive travel through northern BC and Yukon. His diaries provide details about the locations he visited. In particular, Freer kept an important record of travel on the Davie Trail between Fort Ware and Lower Post. For every overnight trip he made, Freer recorded the campsite he used, and the amount of time he spent travelling each day.

During the 1940s and 1950s, the Kaska and Kwadacha Tsek'ene still followed their traditional yearly rounds in the Kechika drainage. Freer's diaries detail the lives and routines of numerous Indigenous people over many years. Some of them are mentioned over a hundred times in Freer's diaries. By all accounts, Willard had good relationships with the Indigenous people. In the remote northern BC and Yukon region, where there were few people, working co-operatively was important.

Willard lived and worked at Skook Davidson's Diamond J Ranch during most of the 1940s and at intervals in the 1950s, so his journals provide considerable information about Skook and life at the ranch.
...
Freer's diaries contain considerable information about daily life in the lodges along the Alaska Highway.
...
Freer was involved in many important projects in northern BC and Yukon. He was a member of the famous 1934 Bedaux Expedition. Freer was a packer for BC and federal government survey crews for several summers; worked on the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey for four years; was employed on Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) crews for several years; and spent three field seasons on the BC government's Forest Inventory program. Willard also packed for a couple of large mining exploration companies and was a hunting guide for Robin Dalziel and other guide outfitters.

Freer's diaries can also be used to monitor events like the weather and snowfall. In the winter, when he lived at Skook's ranch or at his cabin, he recorded the temperature in the morning, at midday, and in the evening. He also noted snowfalls. Willard recorded the date that the Kechika froze over in the fall, and when the ice melted off the river in the spring. He also noted his first observations of birds in the spring.
...
The diaries of Willard Freer, which chronicle over thirty years of life in northern BC, are a unique account, providing a gateway to many of the people who lived there and some of the important events that occurred.

Freer, Willard Melvin
2023.8.10 · Item · 1948-1949
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, January 1, 1948 to December 31, 1949:

  • May 1-27, 1948: Spring at Diamond J Ranch, with supply visits from bush planes
  • May 27-June 6, 1948: Trip to Lower Post and preparation for work
  • June 7-October 1, 1948: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
  • September 26-October 18, 1948: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 18, 1948-April 21, 1949: Diamond J Ranch
  • April 23-May 19, 1949: Freer spent time working around his cabin site
  • May 19-September 26, 1949: Prepared for surveying as head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
  • September 26-October 15, 1949: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 15-25, 1949: Return trip to Freer's cabin
  • October 25-December 31, 1949: Freer at his cabin
2023.8.17.1 · Item · 1970-1972
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1970 to December 31, 1972:

  • January 1-March 25, 1970: Working at Fireside, BC
  • March 25-September 5, 1970: Kechika River Valley
  • September 5-12, 1970: Fireside, BC
  • September 12-29, 1970: Medical trip to Fort Nelson
  • September 29-October 13, 1970: Preparations and trip to Kechika River Valley
  • October 14-31, 1970: Fireside, BC
  • November 1-13, 1970: Medical trip to Edmonton
  • November 14, 1970-February 19, 1971: Working at Fireside, BC
  • February 19-June 22, 1971: Kechika River Valley
  • June 22-July 25, 1971: Working at Fireside, BC and trip to Fort Nelson
  • July 25-August 4, 1971: Medical trip to Edmonton
  • August 4-October 24, 1971: Working at Fireside, BC
  • October 24-November 4, 1971: Medical trip to Edmonton
  • November 4, 1971-April 22, 1972: Working at Fireside
  • April 22-August 17, 1972: Kechika River valley
  • August 17-September 12, 1972: Medical trip to Edmonton, visit to Fort Nelson, and return by bus to Fireside
  • September 12-25, 1972: Preparations and travel up the Kechika River to Freer's cabin
  • September 25-December 31, 1972: Kechika River Valley
2023.8.16.1 · Item · 1967-1969
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1967 to December 31, 1969:

  • January 1-5, 1967: Working at Fireside, BC
  • January 6-May 25, 1967: Freer's cabin in the Kechika River valley
  • May 25-June 1, 1967: Fireside, BC
  • June 1-17, 1967: Working for a government water resources project
  • June 17-July 23, 1967: Freer's cabin in the Kechika River valley
  • July 24-31, 1967: Preparing for hunting trips
  • August 1-September 26, 1967: Hunting guide and packer for Skook Davidson
  • September 26-November 15, 1967: Diamond J Ranch and Freer's cabin in the Kechika River valley
  • November 15, 1967-August 18, 1968: Working at Fireside along the Alaska Highway
  • August 18-September 26, 1968: Packer and hunting guide for Earl Boose
  • September 26-November 30, 1968: Kechika River valley and Alaska Highway
  • December 1, 1968-January 11, 1969: Trip to Dawson Creek and Peace River District
  • January 12-February 1, 1969: Watson Lake
  • February 1-June 6, 1969: Freer's cabin in the Kechika River valley
  • June 6-December 31, 1969: Alaska Highway and trips on the Kechika River
2023.8.15.1 · Item · 1964-1966
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1964 to December 31, 1966:

  • January 1-March 28, 1964: Working at Fireside
  • March 28-June 8, 1964: Living at his cabin in Kechika Valley and engaging in fur trading
  • June 8-July 3, 1964: Working at Fireside and Alaska Highway
  • July 3-27, 1964: Preparing for hunting trips, working for Robin Dalziel
  • July 27-September 6, 1964: Packer and hunting guide for Robin Dalziel
  • September 6-14, 1964: Travel back to Freer's cabin in Kechika Valley
  • September 14-27, 1964: Worked on fencing and clearing trails
  • September 28-October 5, 1964: Raft trip to Fireside down the Kechika River
  • October 5-17, 1964: Work at Fireside and trip back to Kechika
  • October 18, 1964-June 18, 1965: Kechika River Valley
  • June 18-July 24, 1965: Watson Lake and Canadian Geological Survey watchman, Mile 130, Cantung
  • July 25-August 4, 1965: Preparing for work, Fireside and Kechika Valley
  • August 4-September 14, 1965: Packer and hunting guide for Robin Dalziel
  • September 15-30, 1965: Return to Kechika Valley cabin and errands
  • September 30-October 29, 1965: Bringing Gordon Toole's horses to Kechika River valley to winter
  • October 30, 1965-July 2, 1966: Kechika River Valley
  • July 2-15, 1966: Watson Lake and Fireside
  • July 15-August 11, 1966: Preparation for hunting trips
  • August 11-October 2, 1966: Hunting guide and packer for Skook Davidson
  • October 2-12, 1966: Freer's cabin in Kechika River valley
  • October 12-December 31, 1966: Working at Fireside, BC
2023.8.14.1 · Item · 1962-1963
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1962 to December 31, 1963:

  • January 1-March 8, 1962: Alaska Highway and working at Fireside, BC
  • March 8-May 3, 1962: Kechika River valley
  • May 3, 1962-March 7, 1963: Alaska Highway and working at Fireside, BC
  • March 7-June 2, 1963: Kechika River valley
  • June 2-December 31, 1963: Alaska Highway, working at Fireside, and boat trips up Kechika River
2023.8.13.1 · Item · 1958-1961
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1958 to December 31, 1961:

  • January 1-March 11, 1958: Lower Post
  • March 11-May 26, 1958: Kechika River valley
  • May 26-June 3, 1958: Trip to Lower Post
  • June 4-July 15, 1958: Lower Post
  • July 15-July 27, 1958: Work for George Midgley in the Dease Lake area
  • July 28-August 5, 1958: Travel to Denetiah Lake
  • August 5-September 6, 1958: Packer for Geological Survey of Canada
  • September 6-14, 1958: Travel in Kechika River valley
  • September 14-October 8, 1958: Hunting guide for Amos Alec
  • October 8-15, 1958: Watson Lake
  • October 15-26, 1958: Travel to Freer's cabin on Horneline Creek
  • October 26-December 31, 1958: Freer's cabin
  • January 1-March 4, 1959: Kechika and trips to Lower Post
  • March 4-June 5, 1959: Freer's cabin
  • June 6-September 3, 1959: Packer for Geological Survey of Canada
  • September 6-16, 1959: Travel and return to Freer's cabin
  • September 17-October 3, 1959: Hunting guide for Robin Dalziel and return to Freer's cabin
  • October 3-December 31, 1959: Freer's cabin
  • January 1-May 27, 1960: Kechika River valley
  • May 27-September 11, 1960: Work for Geological Survey of Canada as packer and boatman
  • September 11-December 31, 1960: Alaska Highway and Fireside, BC
  • October 1-December 31, 1961: Alaska Highway and Fireside, BC
2023.8.12.1 · Item · 1954-1957
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1954 to December 31, 1957:

  • January 1-March 31, 1954: Kechika River valley
  • April 1-June 3, 1954: Working at Christy's Lodge in Lower Post
  • June 3-September 14, 1954: Working for Northwestern Explorations around Mile 1117 on the Alaska Highway
  • September 15-30, 1954: Travel to Fort St. James and preparations for trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • September 30-November 15, 1954: Trip to Diamond J Ranch with Clem Reierson
  • November 16-December 31, 1954: Kechika River valley with Clem Reierson
  • January 1-February 12, 1955: Kechika River valley and trip to Lower Post with Clem Reierson
  • February 12-March 12, 1955: Alaska Highway
  • March 12-May 25, 1955: Kechika River valley
  • May 25-June 1, 1955: Trip to Lower Post
  • June 1-July 11, 1955: Lower Post waiting for Emil Bronlund and his Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Ltd. (CMS) crew
  • July 11-August 16, 1955: Packing for Emil Bronlund
  • August 17-September 11, 1955: Lower Post and trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • September 11-23, 1955: Trip to Lower Post
  • September 24-October 1, 1955: Lower Post
  • October 2-15, 1955: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 16, 1955-May 17, 1956: Kechika River valley
  • May 17-26, 1956: Trip to Lower Post and preparation for packing
  • June 5-September 21, 1956: Packing for Northwestern Explorations' Flat Lake mineral claims
  • September 21, 1956-February 18, 1957: Lower Post
  • February 18-May 27, 1957: Kechika River valley
  • May 27-July 3, 1957: Alaska Highway
  • July 3-September 4, 1957: Packing for Continental Mining in Yukon
  • September 4-October 13, 1957: Alaska Highway
  • October 13-26, 1957: Travel to Freer's cabin at Horneline Creek
  • October 26-December 9, 1957: Kechika River valley
  • December 10-18, 1957: Trip from cabin to Lower Post
  • December 18-31, 1957: Lower Post
2023.8.11.1 · Item · 1952-1954
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1952 to February 17, 1954:

  • January 1-March 18, 1952: Visiting family in Penticton and Washington state
  • March 18-April 3, 1952: Working at Christy's Lodge at Lower Post
  • April 4-May 20, 1952: Kechika River valley
  • May 20-June 18, 1952: Travel to Omineca District
  • June 19-August 22, 1952: Packer for Northwestern Explorations in Omineca District
  • August 22-29, 1952: Travel to Mooseskin Johnny Lake via Telkwa
  • August 29-September 22, 1952: Packer for Northwestern Explorations at Mooseskin Johnny Lake
  • September 22-October 27, 1952: End of summer activities and travel to Christy's Lodge
  • October 27, 1952-February 28, 1953: Working at Christy's Lodge at Lower Post
  • February 28-April 8, 1953: Diamond J Ranch and Kechika River valley
  • April 8-29, 1953: Working at Christy's Lodge
  • April 29-May 13, 1953: Travel to Fort St. James and visit with friends in Fort St. John
  • May 14-September 29, 1953: Packer for Northwestern Explorations
  • September 29-October 28, 1953: Work at Kennco's warehouse in Fort St. James
  • October 29-November 13, 1953: Travel to Lower Post via Prince George and Dawson Creek
  • November 14-December 22, 1953: Working at Christy's Lodge
  • December 23, 1953-March 31, 1954: Kechika River valley
2023.8.10.1 · Item · 1948-1949
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1948 to December 31, 1949:

  • May 1-27, 1948: Spring at Diamond J Ranch, with supply visits from bush planes
  • May 27-June 6, 1948: Trip to Lower Post and preparation for work
  • June 7-October 1, 1948: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
  • September 26-October 18, 1948: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 18, 1948-April 21, 1949: Diamond J Ranch
  • April 23-May 19, 1949: Freer spent time working around his cabin site
  • May 19-September 26, 1949: Prepared for surveying as head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
  • September 26-October 15, 1949: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 15-25, 1949: Return trip to Freer's cabin
  • October 25-December 31, 1949: Freer at his cabin
2023.8.09.1 · Item · 1948
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, May 1, 1948 to October 29, 1948:

  • May 1-27, 1948: Spring at Diamond J Ranch, with supply visits from bush planes
  • May 27-June 6, 1948: Trip to Lower Post and preparation for work
  • June 7-October 1, 1948: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
  • September 26-October 18, 1948: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 18-29, 1948: Diamond J Ranch
2023.8.08.1 · Item · 1947-1948
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, October 1, 1947 to April 30, 1948:

  • October 1-11, 1947: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey, travel to Lower Post
  • October 11-21, 1947: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 21, 1947-May 27, 1948: Off season at Diamond J Ranch, with supply visits from bush planes
2023.8.07.1 · Item · 1946-1947
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, April 1, 1946 to September 30, 1947:

  • March 27-April 15, 1946: Fort St. James, working with Hendry Kinniburgh
  • April 15-May 3, 1946: Took the Greyhound bus from Prince George to southern BC to visit family (Keremeos, Penticton, Cawston)
  • May 3-5, 1946: Travelled with family to Wenatchee, Washington to see a flower show
  • May 6-11, 1946: Returned with family to Cawston, BC
  • May 12-14, 1946: Return trip north to Fort St. James on the Greyhound bus via Keremeos, Ashcroft, Quesnel, and Prince George
  • May 15-28, 1946: Preparing for summer work in Fort St. James
  • May 28-September 4, 1946: Departed from Fort St. James for employment with Emil Bronlund and the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co., packing through the Omineca District up to Thutade Lake
  • September 9-October 25, 1946: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 26, 1946-May 27, 1947: Diamond J Ranch
  • May 27-June 17, 1947: Travel to the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey and preparations for work
  • June 18-October 11, 1947: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
2023.8.06.1 · Item · 1945-1946
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, July 1, 1945 to March 31, 1946:

  • June 3-7, 1945: Trip to Thutade Lake as a packer for Emil Bronlund, mining engineer for Consolidated Mining and Smelting
  • June 7-October 5, 1945: Thutade Lake
  • October 5-12, 1945: Trip to Fort Ware
  • October 14-26, 1945: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 27-December 31, 1945: Diamond J Ranch
  • January 1-February 25, 1946: Diamond J Ranch
  • February 25-March 3, 1946: Trip to Fort Ware
  • March 3-13, 1946: Fort Ware
  • March 13-26, 1946: Fort Ware to Fort St. James
  • March 27-April 15, 1946: Fort St. James, working with Hendry Kinniburgh
2023.8.03 · Item · 1943
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, January 1, 1943 to December 31, 1943:

  • January 1-May 19, 1943: Working at Diamond J Ranch with Craig Forfar
  • May 19-30, 1943: Trip to Fort Ware
  • May 30-June 30, 1943: At Fort Ware, preparing for packing BC Government triangulation survey trip to surveying location and waiting for Skook Davidson to arrive with horses purchased from Jim Beattie
  • June 18-July 13, 1943: Travel to surveying location
  • July 15-August 17, 1943: Taking care of case camp while survey crews in field
  • August 17-26, 1943: All crews working together
  • August 27-October 23, 1943: Return trips between Fort Ware and Diamond J Ranch
  • October 23-December 31, 1943: Diamond J Ranch
2023.8.04 · Item · 1944
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, January 1, 1944 to September 30, 1944:

  • January 1-May 27, 1944: Diamond J Ranch
  • May 27-June 6, 1944: Travel to Lower Post
  • June 6-18, 1944: Waiting for C.H. Ney, land surveyor for the Dominion Geodetic Survey
  • June 19-August 28, 1944: Packing for the Dominion astrofix survey
  • August 28-September 7, 1944: Lower Post
  • September 7-24: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • September 28-[October 21], 1944: Fort Ware trip to pick up food and machinery left after the Bedaux expedition
2023.8.05 · Item · 1944-1945
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, October 1, 1944 to July 1, 1945:

  • September 28-October 21, 1944: Fort Ware trip to pick up food and machinery left after the Bedaux expedition
  • October 22-December 31, 1944: Diamond J Ranch
  • January 1-May 26, 1945: Diamond J Ranch
  • May 26-June 1, 1945: Trip to Fort Ware
  • June 3-7, 1945: Trip to Thutade Lake as a packer for Emil Bronlund, mining engineer for Consolidated Mining and Smelting
  • June 7-October 5, 1945: Thutade Lake
2023.8.06 · Item · 1945-1946
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, July 1, 1945 to March 31, 1946:

  • June 3-7, 1945: Trip to Thutade Lake as a packer for Emil Bronlund, mining engineer for Consolidated Mining and Smelting
  • June 7-October 5, 1945: Thutade Lake
  • October 5-12, 1945: Trip to Fort Ware
  • October 14-26, 1945: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 27-December 31, 1945: Diamond J Ranch
  • January 1-February 25, 1946: Diamond J Ranch
  • February 25-March 3, 1946: Trip to Fort Ware
  • March 3-13, 1946: Fort Ware
  • March 13-26, 1946: Fort Ware to Fort St. James
  • March 27-April 15, 1946: Fort St. James, working with Hendry Kinniburgh
2023.8.07 · Item · 1946-1947
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, April 1, 1946 to September 30, 1947:

  • March 27-April 15, 1946: Fort St. James, working with Hendry Kinniburgh
  • April 15-May 3, 1946: Took the Greyhound bus from Prince George to southern BC to visit family (Keremeos, Penticton, Cawston)
  • May 3-5, 1946: Travelled with family to Wenatchee, Washington to see a flower show
  • May 6-11, 1946: Returned with family to Cawston, BC
  • May 12-14, 1946: Return trip north to Fort St. James on the Greyhound bus via Keremeos, Ashcroft, Quesnel, and Prince George
  • May 15-28, 1946: Preparing for summer work in Fort St. James
  • May 28-September 4, 1946: Departed from Fort St. James for employment with Emil Bronlund and the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co., packing through the Omineca District up to Thutade Lake
  • September 9-October 25, 1946: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 26, 1946-May 27, 1947: Diamond J Ranch
  • May 27-June 17, 1947: Travel to the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey and preparations for work
  • June 18-October 11, 1947: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
2023.8.09 · Item · 1948
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary of Willard Freer, May 1, 1948 to October 29, 1948:

  • May 1-27, 1948: Spring at Diamond J Ranch, with supply visits from bush planes
  • May 27-June 6, 1948: Trip to Lower Post and preparation for work
  • June 7-October 1, 1948: Head packer for the British Columbia-Yukon Boundary Survey
  • September 26-October 18, 1948: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • October 18-29, 1948: Diamond J Ranch
2023.8.05.1 · Item · 1944-1945
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, October 1, 1944 to July 1, 1945:

  • September 28-October 21, 1944: Fort Ware trip to pick up food and machinery left after the Bedaux expedition
  • October 22-December 31, 1944: Diamond J Ranch
  • January 1-May 26, 1945: Diamond J Ranch
  • May 26-June 1, 1945: Trip to Fort Ware
  • June 3-7, 1945: Trip to Thutade Lake as a packer for Emil Bronlund, mining engineer for Consolidated Mining and Smelting
  • June 7-October 5, 1945: Thutade Lake
2023.8.03.1 · Item · 1943
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1943 to December 31, 1943:

  • January 1-May 19, 1943: Working at Diamond J Ranch with Craig Forfar
  • May 19-30, 1943: Trip to Fort Ware
  • May 30-June 30, 1943: At Fort Ware, preparing for packing BC Government triangulation survey trip to surveying location and waiting for Skook Davidson to arrive with horses purchased from Jim Beattie
  • June 18-July 13, 1943: Travel to surveying location
  • July 15-August 17, 1943: Taking care of case camp while survey crews in field
  • August 17-26, 1943: All crews working together
  • August 27-October 23, 1943: Return trips between Fort Ware and Diamond J Ranch
  • October 23-December 31, 1943: Diamond J Ranch
2023.8.04.1 · Item · 1944
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, January 1, 1944 to September 30, 1944:

  • January 1-May 27, 1944: Diamond J Ranch
  • May 27-June 6, 1944: Travel to Lower Post
  • June 6-18, 1944: Waiting for C.H. Ney, land surveyor for the Dominion Geodetic Survey
  • June 19-August 28, 1944: Packing for the Dominion astrofix survey
  • August 28-September 7, 1944: Lower Post
  • September 7-24: Return trip to Diamond J Ranch
  • September 28-[October 21], 1944: Fort Ware trip to pick up food and machinery left after the Bedaux expedition
2023.8.02.1 · Item · 1942-1943
Part of Willard Freer Diary Digital Collection

Summary of the diary transcript of Willard Freer, October 1, 1942 to December 31, 1943:

  • October 1-13, 1942: Employed with the United States Army in Northern BC, packing and outfitting for the survey crews of the Alaska Highway in the areas of Deserters Canyon, Fort Ware, Sifton Pass, and Fox Pass
  • October 16-29, 1942: Journey to Kechika River and Skook Davidson's Diamond J Ranch
  • October 30-December 31, 1942: Working and establishing residence at Skook Davidson's Diamond J Ranch
  • January 1-May 19, 1943: Working at Diamond J Ranch with Craig Forfar
  • May 19-30, 1943: Trip to Fort Ware
  • May 30-June 30, 1943: At Fort Ware, preparing for packing BC Government triangulation survey trip to surveying location and waiting for Skook Davidson to arrive with horses purchased from Jim Beattie
  • June 18-July 13, 1943: Travel to surveying location
  • July 15-August 17, 1943: Taking care of case camp while survey crews in field
  • August 17-26, 1943: All crews working together
  • August 27-October 23, 1943: Return trips between Fort Ware and Diamond J Ranch
  • October 23-December 31, 1943: Diamond J Ranch
Fort Fraser Drug Company
2004.5.83 · Item · [ca. 1914]
Part of Fort Fraser Historical Photograph Collection

Typed caption glued to album page directly below photograph reads: "77. Fort Fraser Drug Co." Photograph depicts a man working on the wheel of a two-horse driven carriage as it is parked in front of the Fort Fraser Drug Co. Main sign on this building reads: "The Fort Fraser Drug Co., Drugs & Stationary" Smaller sign reads: "Cigars, Tobacco, Chocolate, Magazines, Photographic Supplies". Photographer: Dominion Stock & Bond Corporation.

2004.5.70 · Item · [ca. 1914]
Part of Fort Fraser Historical Photograph Collection

Typed caption glued to album page directly below photograph reads: "54. Sports. Victoria Day at Fort Fraser." Photograph depicts men running a foot race towards a finishing line while groups of men, women and children stand by and watch. Photographer: Dominion Stock & Bond Corporation.

2004.5.68 · Item · [ca. 1914]
Part of Fort Fraser Historical Photograph Collection

Typed caption glued to album page directly below photograph reads: "60. Real Estate Office, Fort Fraser." Photograph depicts a stand alone, one-storey building exhibiting the following signage: "Fort Fraser Investment Company, Johns & Ogston Townsite Agents, Real Estate, Insurance & Notaries". Photographer: Dominion Stock & Bond Corporation.