South Peace Historical Society

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    • About Dorthea Horton
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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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03-010: The British Columbia Railway

(formerly the Pacific Great Eastern Railway)

The P.G.E. as it was originally known, arrived officially on April 8th, 1958 in Little Prairie (now Chetwynd). The Railway station was built in 1959 and Chetwynd became a divisional point for the railroad. Mr. N.A. McPherson was Superintendent of Construction up to March 1959, then Mr. Harry Nichols, and Mr. R. K. Rebagliati and at the present time Mr. A.T. Shannon. At Chetwynd, the rail line from the south divides with one branch continuing north to Fort St John and the other east to Dawson Creek. There is no direct rail link between Dawson Creek and Fort St John.

Maintenance of the railroad covers Chetwynd to Dawson Creek, Chetwynd to Mt. LeMoray and Chetwynd to Fort St. John. Communications systems are looked after from Chetwynd to East Pine and Chetwynd to Del Rio.

When the Pacific Great Eastern Railway arrived in Chetwynd they officially named the divisional point Chetwynd in honor of the Hon. Ralph Chetwynd and the Post-office and community followed their lead.

On April 1, 1972 the government of British Columbia changed the railroad name to “British Columbia Railroad”.

This railroad now is extended north to Fort Nelson from Fort St John but a planned extension to Dease Lake was abandoned as uneconomic after some construction had been done on the line.

At Dawson Creek, the BCR meets the CNR (formerly the Northern Alberta Railway), allowing the products of the Peace to be shipped east or west as markets dictate.

« 03-009: Railway Construction on the E. D. & B.C. Railway

03-011: The Arrival of the First P.G.E. at Fort St. John, Oct. 3, 1958 »

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