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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Monte Creek

Monte Creek is an unincorporated community in the Thompson region of south central British Columbia. The former ferry landing is east of the mouth of Monte Creek and on the south shore of the South Thompson River. Immediately west of the BC Highway 97 intersection on BC Highway 1, the locality is by road about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Chase and 28 kilometres (17 mi) east of Kamloops.

Name origin

Arriving in 1862, Jacob Duck and Alex Pringle pre-empted on both sides of river, farmed, and ran a roadhouse. Duck and Pringle's became the place, postal, and telegraph name. The post office opened in 1870.

In 1882, Duck bought out his partner to become sole owner of the 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) estate, which carried 1,000 head of cattle. In 1883, the community name shortened to Duck's and Albert Duck (see #Holmwood) joined his uncle.

Jacob Duck was the inaugural postmaster. The post office rename in 1896 derived from the creek. One suggestion describes it as "the place of mounting", where travellers switched from river travel to riding or exchanged weary horses for fresh ones. A more likely origin was either Alphonse Matteo, an early settler, or a reference to the trail beside the creek as "la monteé" by early explorers, because of the steep climb from the river. However, the local use of Ducks remained popular until the mid-1920s. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) renamed the station as Monte Creek around that time.

Alex Pringle retired to Ontario after divesting, but his cousin John Pringle remained at Westwold until death. After her husband Andrew died (see #Railways), John's daughter Annie Smith took over as the Monte Creek postmaster 1912–1945.

Earlier community

In 1884, Jacob Duck built Brunswick House, a hotel.

In 1888, Duck sold his ranch to Hewitt Bostock and returned to England. The sale included a general store, post office, and hotel accommodation.

In 1892, the Ducks school opened. In 1894, classes moved from temporary accommodation to a new schoolhouse. After a period of closure, the school reopened in March 1905 in a residence. In 1909–10, a large one-room schoolhouse was erected.

Bostock built a larger house in 1906, a new hotel in 1911, and a new store in 1912.

A constable was stationed during the early 1920s. The Bostock family gifted St. Peter's Anglican Church, which opened Christmas Sunday, 1926. Consecrated the following July and now accessed from Old Ferry Rd (immediately south of the railway crossing), planned highway developments in the late 1970s threatened the site.

Census population:
Monte Creek
YearPop.±%
195170—    
195667−4.3%
196153−20.9%
196663+18.9%
197165+3.2%
1976—    
1981—    
1986134—    
199165−51.5%
Source: Statistics Canada

* Later online census figures do not split out Monte Creek.

Although volunteer firefighters prevented a 1951 fire from spreading to the former hotel, the general store was damaged, later became apartments (see #Railways), and has heritage significance. The store likely closed permanently, relocating the post office to an Esso service station opened around this time at the then Highway 97 intersection. The three-bay station was rebranded as a Husky outlet, then the service station/convenience store became an Esso around 1988. The business closed in September 1991, when the site was expropriated for future highway development. During the early 1980s, the building included a Husky restaurant.

In 1958, the post office moved to the Chevron station. Around 1976, the Chevron closed.

In 1963, a lightning strike set alight the two-storey former hotel, leaving only the two tall brick chimneys standing. The bar closed during Prohibition in 1917 but the building had been used intermittently since that time as a boarding house.

In 1964, the school closed. The vacated building became the church hall. In 1994, the hall was moved northward from the midst of the present highway.

Railways

In August 1885, the eastward advance of the CP rail head passed through the locality, regular service having started as far east as Kamloops the previous month.

In May 1906, two members of Bill Miner's gang boarded the tender of a westbound CP passenger train at Ducks and ordered the train be stopped at Mile 116 (about 7 kilometres (4 mi) west of the present Monte Creek railway crossing and 2 kilometres (1 mi) east of the British Columbia Wildlife Park, where the green commemorative plaque is located). The train was uncoupled at the rear of the baggage car (inadvertently leaving behind the express car), proceeded a little farther, and robbed of a small amount. The gang departed the locomotive between Miles 119 and 120.

In 1912, Andrew Smith was fatally run over by a passenger train. While awaiting its arrival, he had fallen asleep upon the mailbags, which lay against the side of the station platform.

In 1929, four cars of a CP grain train derailed nearby.

In 1939, when the westbound royal train made a water stop, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth came out onto the rear observation platform of their car and the king chatted with the crowd.

Although the impressive flower garden around the station had been noted for years, the garden won first prize in the 1941 annual CP competition.

During a five-minute water stop, the Duke of Edinburgh stayed in the locomotive cab, while Princess Elizabeth came out onto the rear observation platform of their car and chatted with children in the crowd.

Built in 1887, the standard-design Plan H-I-20-6 (Bohi's Type 1) split level station building, unused by passengers since the 1930s, was destroyed in 1960 by spontaneous combustion in a coal pile. The nearby former general store, which had been converted to apartments, was saved.

CP Train Timetables (Regular stop or Flag stop)
Mile 1887 1891 1898 1905 1909 1912 1916 1919 1929 1932 1935 1939 1943 1948 1954 1960
Kamloops 128.8 Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
Ducks 111.6 Regular Regular Flag Flag Both Regular Flag Both
Monte Creek 111.6 Both Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
Pritchard 104.6 Flag Flag Flag Flag Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Flag
Shuswap  95.6 Regular Regular Regular Regular Both Both Both Both Flag Flag Flag Flag Flag Flag Flag
Chase  93.7 Both Regular Both Both Both Both Both Both Both Both Regular

In April 1925, the southeastward advance of the Canadian National Railway (CN) rail head began at the junction.

Kelowna Pacific Railway operated this CN route 2000–2013.

CN Train Timetables (Regular stop or Flag stop)
Mile 1926 1927 1933 1938 1943 1947 1948 1950 1956 1960 1963 1965
Kamloops  0.0 Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
Bostock Jctn. 11.8 Regular Regular
Campbell Ck. Jctn. 11.8 Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
Duck Meadow 23.6 Regular Regular Flag Flag Flag
Monte Lake 28.1 Regular Regular Flag Flag Flag Flag Regular Regular
Westwold 35.0 Regular Regular Regular Flag Flag Flag Flag Flag Flag Flag Both Regular

^a . In early 1948, auto-rail service commenced at the termini.
^b . In 1964, CN cancelled the route, but Greyhound Canada honoured CN tickets.
^c . Point at which the CN branch leaves the CP main line. Campbell Creek to Monte Lake is the only CN grade in BC that required pusher locomotives.

Trails and roads

From the 1820s until the mid-1840s, the Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail followed the steep ascent of Monte Creek. After the 1841 murder of Samuel Black, chief factor at Fort Kamloops, his coffin was transported for burial. On crossing a log bridge at the creek, the coffin fell into the water and is believed to have been interred in the vicinity. One theory places the gravesite on a hillside about 400 metres (437 yd) east of Monte Creek.

O'Keefe Ranch is about 13 kilometres (8 mi) northwest of Vernon. In 1872, Barnard's Express established a weekly stage on the new wagon road to this ranch via Kamloops and Ducks. In 1877, the road was extended to Okanagan Lake. However, the mail continued to be carried on this final leg by horseback until the stage route was extended to the lake in 1881. The stage horses were changed at Ducks.

In 1874, the Shuswap Wagon Rd was built from Ducks to Chase. In 1886, the establishment of regular service on the CP transferred the access point for Okanagan mail to Sicamous, ending the respective stage services via Ducks.

The east–west main road was the western section of Monte Creek Rd and Bostock Rd (which extended past the western edge of the church site. The southern section of Monte Creek Rd was the highway to Vernon . The 1948–49 road upgrade was probably when Highway 1 was realigned along Old Ferry Rd (south of the train track) to pass north of the church, and the Highway 97 junction moved eastward, the road approximating the present exit curve onto Highway 1. To the south, the 97 veered farther eastward in 1947 to eliminate the CN railway crossing in the vicinity of Duck Meadow.

The widening of the highway from two to four lanes was nearing completion for Kamloops–Monte Creek in October 1997. One year later, work began on the Monte Creek interchange, which included constructing the Dallas Dr frontage road and 4 kilometres (2 mi) of new road for each of highways 1 and 97. The interchange officially opened in December 1999.

In 2013, Greyhound Canada abandoned its Monte Creek stop.

The highway widening to four lanes was completed for Monte Creek–Pritchard in 2015.

Ferry

Installed in 1911, the subsidised ferry connected residents on the north shore of the river with the railway and stores on the south shore. The 11-metre (36 ft) reaction ferry was guided by ropes stretched across river. At low water, when the current was weak, the operator either rowed or pulled upon the ropes. A motor was installed for this purpose in 1960. The scow could accommodate livestock, a horse-drawn wagon, or two average-sized automobiles. In 1962, ferry service was discontinued.

The Monte Creek Provincial Park, at the end of Old Ferry Rd, occupies the former south shore ferry site.

Later community

The post office, which lasted into the early 2000s, is believed to have closed in 2004.

Established in 2009, Monte Creek Winery opened to the public in 2015. The venture includes 30 hectares (75 acres) of vines, organic farming, and cattle grazing.

After the May 2022 referendum passed, the Pritchard Fire Department provided fire protection from January 2023 while the Monte Creek Fire Department was becoming operational.

St. Peter's Anglican Church holds Sunday services twice monthly.

Notable people

Holmwood

The hamlet is by road about 5 kilometres (3 mi) to the south. In 1900, Albert Duck bought the Cyrus Robbins Ranch, which he called Holmwood. He was the only postmaster for the post office which existed 1912–1921.

In 1913, Albert donated the land upon which St Mark's Anglican Church was erected. After St. Peter's opened at Monte Creek in 1926, St Mark's fell into disuse. In 1941, the building was deconsecrated to facilitate school use. The school closed in 1950. Although the building burned down in 1954, the cemetery has remained in use.

Duck Range

By road, the area is centred about 12 kilometres (7 mi) east of Monte Creek and 9 kilometres (6 mi) south of Pritchard. The western perimeter is the intersection of Duck Range Rd with Highway 97. In these hills east of his farm, Jacob Duck ranged his cattle. Initially called Duck's Range, the amended spelling emerged in due course. In their two-storey log home, the Allans operated a small general store/post office 1908–1943. Duck Range Union Cemetery, which dates from 1909, is still in use and contains about 15 graves. A school existed 1913–1961.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Monte Creek (creek)". BC Geographical Names.
  2. ^ "Monte Creek (community)". BC Geographical Names.
  3. ^ Stewart 1996, p. 8.
  4. ^ "Commissioner of Land and Works annual report, 1875". library.ubc.ca. p. 39 (455).
  5. ^ Silver, S.W. (1881). S.W. Silver & Co.'s handbook to Canada (2nd ed.). p. 225 (211). {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  6. ^ Deaville, Alfred Stanley (1928). The colonial postal systems and postage stamps of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1849–1871. p. 180 (146). {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Chittenden, Newton H. (1885). Settlers, miners and tourists guide: from ocean to ocean by the CPR, the great transcontinental short line through a region of unsurpassed attractions for settler, miner and tourist. p. 80 (78). {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  8. ^ "Commissioner of Land and Works annual report, 1883". library.ubc.ca. p. 31 (275).
  9. ^ Hatfield, H.R. (November 1, 1969). "Okanagan Historical Society: When Commerce Went Ahorseback". library.ubc.ca: 78 (76).
  10. ^ "Across Canada: Western Lines". library.ubc.ca. Canadian Pacific Railway Co. 1924. p. 70 (68).
  11. ^ "Kamloops News". arch.tnrl.ca. June 2, 1976. p. A25.
  12. ^ "Postmasters (Monte Creek)". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
  13. ^ "Death Certificate (Annie SMITH)". www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.
  14. ^ "Kamloops Daily News". arch.tnrl.ca. September 2, 1997. p. Z16.
  15. ^ White, Hester E. (1954). "Okanagan Historical Society: On Okanagan Lake in 1888". library.ubc.ca: 50 (46).
  16. ^ Hancock, Eleanor Witton (1997). "BC Historical News: British Gentlewoman at Monte Creek". library.ubc.ca. 31 (1): 28 (26).
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  20. ^ "Public Schools annual report, 1904–1905". library.ubc.ca. p. A48.
  21. ^ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1909–10". library.ubc.ca. p. H69.
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  24. ^ "1920 BC Directory". bccd.vpl.ca.
    to "1925 BC Directory". bccd.vpl.ca.
  25. ^ "St. Peter's Memorial Church, Monte Creek, BC". www.cdli.ca.
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  27. ^ "1956 Census" (PDF). us.archive.org. p. 61.
  28. ^ "1961 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 72 (70).
  29. ^ "1966 Census" (PDF). us.archive.org. p. 195 (191).
  30. ^ "1971 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 72 (70).
  31. ^ "1976 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 82 (74).
  32. ^ "1986 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 226 (211).
  33. ^ "1991 Census" (PDF). publications.gc.ca. p. 188 (180).
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  38. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. November 23, 1968. p. A12.
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  41. ^ "Obituary (Minnie Ellen WASLENCHUK)". www.legacy.com.
  42. ^ "Obituary (Marie NOVAKOWSKI)". www.springfieldfuneralhome.com.
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  44. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. August 7, 1963. p. A1.
  45. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. March 28, 1970. p. B10.
  46. ^ "Public Schools annual report, 1963–1964". library.ubc.ca. p. N140.
  47. ^ "Kamloops Daily News". arch.tnrl.ca. January 12, 1998. p. A3.
  48. ^ "Kamloops Daily News". arch.tnrl.ca. June 14, 1999. p. A3.
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  50. ^ "Port Moody Gazette". library.ubc.ca. July 25, 1885. p. 3.
  51. ^ Old Bill Miner, Last of the Famous Western Bandits, p. PT48, at Google Books
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  53. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. March 22, 1929. p. A1.
  54. ^ "Merritt Herald". arch.tnrl.ca. June 2, 1939. p. A1.
  55. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. May 22, 1934. p. A4.
  56. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. November 20, 1941. p. A4.
  57. ^ "Nelson Daily News". library.ubc.ca. October 20, 1951. p. 1.
  58. ^ Bohi, Charles W.; Kozma, Leslie S. (1993). Canadian Pacific's Western Depots. South Platte Press. p. 131. ISBN 0-942035-25-9.
  59. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. October 11, 1960. p. A1.
  60. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. April 28, 1935. p. 4 (TT 70).
  61. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. May 1887. p. 14 (24–25).
  62. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. June 15, 1891. pp. 94–96 (47–48).
  63. ^ "Timetable". babel.hathitrust.org. March 18, 1898. p. 101 (56).
  64. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. October 8, 1905. p. 49 (12).
  65. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. September 1, 1909. p. 72 (23).
  66. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. December 1, 1912. p. 85 (TT7).
  67. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. September 5, 1916. p. 147 (TT11).
  68. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. November 30, 1919. p. 171 (TT11).
  69. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. 1929. p. 11 (TT9).
  70. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. September 25, 1932. p. 461 (TT78).
  71. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. February 5, 1939. p. 89 (TT7).
  72. ^ "Timetable" (PDF). www.streamlinermemories.info. June 27, 1943. p. 9 (TT7).
  73. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. December 5, 1948. p. 9 (TT7).
  74. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. April 25, 1954. p. 9 (TT7).
  75. ^ "Timetable". library.ubc.ca. October 30, 1960. p. 7 (TT7).
  76. ^ Pooley, Ian. When the Titans Met: Railway Rivalry in the Okanagan and Kelowna's Rise as a Fruit-Shipping Centre. p. 22 (76). {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  77. ^ "Kelowna Pacific Railway - KPR". www.trainweb.org.
  78. ^ "Timetable" (PDF). streamlinermemories.info. April 28, 1943. p. 72 (TT306).
  79. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. February 12, 1926. p. A7.
  80. ^ "Official Guide". timetableworld.com. January 1927. p. 1183 (TT219).
  81. ^ "Official Guide". timetableworld.com. March 1933. p. 1099 (TT227).
  82. ^ "Official Guide". timetableworld.com. September 1938. p. 1091 (TT227).
  83. ^ "Official Guide". timetableworld.com. April 1947. p. 1134 (TT227).
  84. ^ "Official Guide". timetableworld.com. April 1948. p. 1138 (TT227).
  85. ^ "Timetable". www.scribd.com. April 30, 1950. p. 70 (TT306).
  86. ^ "Timetable" (PDF). streamlinermemories.info. September 30, 1956. p. 69 (TT210).
  87. ^ "Timetable" (PDF). streamlinermemories.info. October 30, 1960. p. 66 (TT190).
  88. ^ "Timetable" (PDF). streamlinermemories.info. April 28, 1963. p. 42 (TT73).
  89. ^ "Official Guide". timetableworld.com. April 1965. p. 810 (TT93).
  90. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. April 5, 1928. p. A3.
  91. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. December 9, 1953. p. A8.
  92. ^ Gregory, David (2006). "Okanagan Historical Society: Is Priest Camp Really St. Joseph's Station?". library.ubc.ca: 105 (103).
  93. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. July 28, 1962. p. B7.
  94. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. October 10, 1972. p. A4.
  95. ^ Longstaff, Frederick Victor (1914). History and topography of Okanagan : for the active militia in camp, May 1914. p. 15. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  96. ^ Mather, K. (1988). "Okanagan Historical Society: Stagecoaches in the North Okanagan 1872–1892". library.ubc.ca: 39–41 (37–39).
  97. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. April 10, 1971. p. A9.
  98. ^ Stewart 1996, p. 87.
  99. ^ Marriage, R.E. (1996). "Okanagan Historical Society: When the Post Office Rode the Rails". library.ubc.ca: 46 (44).
  100. ^ "Kamloops This Week". arch.tnrl.ca. July 19, 1995. p. A46.
  101. ^ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1947–48". library.ubc.ca. p. 30 (N20).
  102. ^ "Kamloops Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. December 17, 1947. p. A1.
  103. ^ "Kamloops This Week". arch.tnrl.ca. October 31, 1997. p. A6.
  104. ^ "Kamloops Daily News". arch.tnrl.ca. October 14, 1998. p. A10.
  105. ^ "BC Road Runner" (PDF). www2.gov.bc.ca. Vol. 35, no. 5. 1999. p. 7.
  106. ^ "BC Road Runner" (PDF). www2.gov.bc.ca. Vol. 35, no. 10. 2001. p. 7.
  107. ^ "Kamloops Daily News". arch.tnrl.ca. July 18, 2013. p. A3.
  108. ^ "Nelson Daily". thenelsondaily.com. July 31, 2013.
  109. ^ "Minister of Public Works annual report, 1910–11". library.ubc.ca. p. J29.
  110. ^ Morrow, Trelle A. (2016). Silent Passage. Talisman Publications. p. 121. ISBN 978-0986842320.
  111. ^ Clapp, Frank A. (1991). Ministry of Transportation and Highways, Lake and River Ferries. Ministry of Transportation and Highways. p. 25. ISBN 0-7726-1364-8.
  112. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. August 8, 1962. p. A3.
  113. ^ "Kamloops This Week". arch.tnrl.ca. September 28, 2001. p. A22.
  114. ^ "Monte Creek Winery". montecreekwinery.com.
  115. ^ "Monte Creek Fire Protection". www.tnrd.ca.
  116. ^ "St. Peter's Monte Creek". www.territoryofthepeople.ca.
  117. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. February 17, 1956. p. A1.
  118. ^ "Kamloops Daily Sentinel". arch.tnrl.ca. February 2, 1961. p. A1.
  119. ^ "Holmwood (locality)". BC Geographical Names.
  120. ^ "Postmasters (Holmwood)". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
  121. ^ "Public Schools annual report, 1941–1942". library.ubc.ca. pp. B9, B223.
  122. ^ "Public Schools annual report, 1949–1950". library.ubc.ca. p. O148.
  123. ^ "Duck Range (community)". BC Geographical Names.
  124. ^ "Postmasters (Duck Range)". www.bac-lac.gc.ca.
  125. ^ "Duck Range Union Cemetery". www.vdfhs.com.
  126. ^ "Public Schools annual report, 1913–1914". library.ubc.ca. p. 149 (Alxv).
    to "Public Schools annual report, 1960–1961". library.ubc.ca. p. Z115.

References

  • Stewart, Wendy (1996). Pursuit of Memories. Pritchard Historical Society. ISBN 0-9680910-0-8.