STIRRING UP GHOSTS
Today, British Columbia represents a richly diverse and unique global society, which embraces many cultures and ideals. In the proverbial blink of an eye, cities have sprung up out of the wilderness. The Stirring Up Ghosts song collection is aimed at fostering awareness of Pacific Canadian heritage, culture and history.
Well over a century and a half has passed since the founding of the Colony of British Columbia. It’s been nearly 200 years since the Hudson’s Bay Company built their first trading post on the Lower Fraser River, near the site of present-day Fort Langley. We hope you will take time to explore our amazing history and perhaps stir up a few ghosts of your own!
AGE OF DISCOVERY
It is hard to imagine British Columbia prior to European contact. A vast, sparsely populated wilderness - Aboriginal communities scattered along its rugged coastline or clustered around lakes and along rivers. Equally hard to imagine is how in a brief span of two centuries, the landscape, both physical and cultural, has been so dramatically changed. This change began with the fur trade, bringing explorers who first mapped the region (then known as “New Caledonia”) and establishing trade with the First Nations people.
THE QUEST FOR GOLD
The fur trade which had drawn the first Europeans to our North Pacific shores eventually led to the discovery of gold along the Fraser River. It was the following gold rush that prompted colonization and paved the way for British Columbia’s inclusion into the Dominion of Canada.
TAKING ROOT IN THE WEST
Many who came with the fur trade, or arrived during the gold rush would eventually settle in the newly claimed Colony of British Columbia. Their influence upon the landscape still apparent today, their names still a part of our contemporary landscape.
SAILS, RAILS & BEYOND
Transportation has undoubtedly played a major roll in the development of British Columbia. From sailing ships that brought our early explorers, to the steamships that were once so commonplace upon our coastline, rivers and lakes, to rail systems that carried goods to market, or brought people closer together, transportation has always been key.
