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Tourism Prince George
City of Prince George from the air, at Junction of Fraser and Nechako Rivers.
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Dennis Begin
Mr. P.G. at Junction of Highways 16 and 97. Represents importance of lumbering to the city
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Phillip LeBlanc
Site of Original Fort George with Dennis Begin in photo.
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Dennis Begin
1520 Steam Locomotive at Central B.C. Railroad and Forest Museum.
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Dennis Begin
Photo of Fraser River, C.N. Rail Bridge and Intercontinental Pulp and Paper Mill.
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Dennis Begin
Photo of Ben Ginter's Pacific Western Brewing Company.
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Patricia Talbot Begin
Hubel Homestead Historical Site, 1905 - 1929.
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Dennis Begin
Two Rivers Gallery.
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Dennis Begin
Northern Lights Estate Winery, Northern most winery in B.C.
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Dennis Begin
Prince George Courthouse
Words by Dennis Begin
When researching the history of the City of Prince George, Ben Ginter's name quickly pops up. Ginter was a local businessman who initially made his fortune in construction, then became famous when he founded the Pacific Western Brewing Company, producing Cariboo Beer. The reason for his notoriety was that he manufactured the first Pil'can, a pilsner beer served in a can. The idea quickly caught on with the major breweries, but Ben was the first. There is, however, more to Prince George than beer cans.
Fraser River
Prince George began its history when Alexander Mackenzie used the Fraser River in 1793 on his journey to the Pacific Ocean. Mackenzie felt this river could lead to the mouth of the Columbia River, which was originally mapped by the Spanish in 1775. By 1807, the North West Company instructed Simon Fraser to build four trading posts in New Caledonia, including Fort George. His other task was to explore what he thought was the Columbia River and lay claim to the land. In the spring of 1808, Fraser and 23 men started down this river in four canoes, covering 836 km (520 mi) in 36 days, but the Fraser Canyon proved to be treacherous and unsuitable as a fur trade route. Fraser returned upriver to Fort George in 35 days, feeling disappointed with his accomplishment.
As for the next one hundred years, Fort George remained a small, insignificant fur trading post, that was subject to floods, ice flows, stray dogs and rodents. The trading post survived, however, due to the rich agricultural land and its location at the junction of the Fraser and the Nechako Rivers. It would take a railroad to make Prince George grow as a city.
Arrival of the Railroad
With the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) in 1885, a second and a third transcontinental railroad was thought to be needed. One of these new railroads, the Grand Truck Pacific, would run through Prince George. The only question remaining was, where would the terminus be located? Land speculators bought up land in both Central and South Fort George, as both communities wanted the railroad. The Grand Trunk solved the problem in 1915 by buying land from the Lheidli T'enneh First Nations for $125,000. The new name would be ‘Prince George', named after the Duke of Kent, son of King George V. Brett. Hall and Company from Boston were hired as the urban planners. George Street became the main street, with a small park, hotel and train station at the north end and City Hall at the south end. Prince George now needed people.
Lumber and Pulp Mills
What attracted people to Prince George was the lumbering industry, with an ample supply of spruce, pine, and fir. Next to arrive in 1964 was the Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill, followed by the Northwood and Intercontinental Pulp/Paper Mills in 1966. All three pulp mills are now owned by Canfor, one of the world's largest producers of sustainable lumber, pulp and paper, and also producers of bio-energy. Pulp mills create everything connected with paper, be it writing stationery or cardboard boxes. Stats Canada reports that 4.3 billion dollars in paper products are exported to China, Japan, and the United States every year from British Columbia. With the arrival of the pulp mills, the city expanded with the necessary infrastructure, including schools, hospital and a civic centre.
Lumbering is a multi-million business in British Columbia, producing 17% of the revenue for the provincial government. The pulp mills in Prince George process 50% of the total value of timber harvested every year in the province. Along with the pulp mills, a real estate boom from 1961 to 1981 caused the population to grow by 16.94%, as people flooded into the city.
City of Nature
Prince George is also known as the ‘City of Nature.' Surrounded by forest, there are 1,600 lakes and rivers within 100 km of the city. The city has both summer and winter sports, but the outdoor enthusiasts seem to prefer winter sports such as snowmobiling, downhill and cross-country skiing. The Otway Nordic Centre has a 15 km lighted cross-country ski trail and this year, it will host the World Para Nordic Skiing Championships.
The city may seem small with a population of 75,000 and another 25,000 in the surrounding area, but it is a vibrant and diverse city. Prince George has transformed itself from a lumbering camp into a distribution centre for health care, technology, retail, transportation and the University of Northern BC. The Arts are not neglected with the Two Rivers Gallery, Playhouse Theatre, Symphony Orchestra, and Theatre Northwest. This is a multi-cultural city of fifteen different nationalities (8.9%), First Nations (15.4%) and white (75.7%), a true Canadian mosaic.
Tourism is also a major business for the city. Travelers should begin with a stop to the Visitor Centre to pick up a Guide. From there, The Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park, home of the ‘People of Two Rivers,' is a good starting point for a tour. This park along the Fraser River is also home of the original Fort George, although nothing remains today. Exploration Place is a science and historical museum dealing with the early history of the people and the city.
Other tourist sites include:
- Mr. P.G. at Junction of Highways 16 and 97
- Central B.C. Railroad and Forest Museum
- Hubel Homestead Pioneer Site
- Northern Lights Estate Winery
- University of Northern British Columbia
- Two Rivers Gallery
- Ancient Forest Provincial Park
- Pine Centre (100 stores) and Parkwood Malls
- City parks and trails such as Centennial Trail
- Downtown Prince George/RCMP Station and Courthouse
If you are RV'ing, the best fully equipped parks are Southpark RV Park & Campsite Inc and Hartway RV Park. See Visitor Guide for details of other parks.
Prince George may seem to be ‘too far north', but it will surprise you.