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fort vancouver constructed
-George Simpson toured the company forts and decided it wasn’t making best usage of its resources-So he made a post on the north bank of Columbia River opposite to Willamette river called fort Vancouver-John McLaughlin became chief factor of fort Vancouver -
john McLaughlin
-McLaughlin was the chief factor of the new post Fort Vancouver. -He was a capable administrator with an unnerving physical presence and was a fair leader. -He was a political realist and understood that the Americans were going to settle the region south of the Columbia River. -So he encouraged Americans to stay in the south and out of HBC territory with money and supplies. -
george simpson closed all HBC coastal forts exept simpson
-The beaver steam ship was used to bring supplies in to the Russian posts and was a mobile trading fort-George Simpson toured the area and discovered that the fur trade wasn’t expanding so he shut down -all coastal forts except fort Simpson and the beaver-McLaughlin believed that the forts made the hbc strong-McLaughlin was furious that he destroyed the 15 years of work he had done -
James Douglas
-Simpson ordered Fort Vancouver’s current Chief Factor James Douglas to establish a new depot on Vancouver Island. -It was named Fort Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria. -Fredrick Seymour and Arthur Kennedy replaced him -
Oregon boundary treaty
-The treaty that established the Canadian and US border. -James Polk tried to negotiate with the British Government but when they refused to give up their claim, the old boundary was extended along the 49th parallel to the Pacific Ocean -
Colony of vancouver island is established
-The British Government decided that its territory on the Pacific coast needed more official presence than the HBC. -They created the Crown Colony of Vancouver Island. -Britain gave the HBC a trade monopoly in the new Colony but they had to give land to British settlers who came to live there. -
Gold discovered on the Thompson River
-HBC trader came to Fort Victoria, along with his cargo of furs for the Company, he carried two vials filled with gold dust and some small nuggets that he had panned along the banks of the Thompson River. -He presented them to Governor Douglas who feared that a gold strike would unleash an influx of greedy minors in the colony.-His fear was borne out during the winder of 1857 to '58. -
Colony of British Columbia (mainland) is established
-James Douglas saw that majority of miners were American so he realized that BC had become extremely vulnerable to US territorial expansion. -Douglas communicated his concern to the Colonial office in London.-Soon Douglas became the governor of the new Crown Colony of British Columbia which encompassed as for north as 54 40'N. -
Fredrik Seymour
-After James Douglas retired as the governor of the two colonies (Vancouver Island & BC ) Seymour took over as governor for British Columbia and Arthur Kennedy on Vancouver Island.- Frederick Seymour was an active, enthusiastic man who quickly took charge of the colony and seemed to have the best interests of the inhabitants at heart. -
Caribou wagon road completed
-The Caribou Road construction began in 1862 and took 4 years to make. -The road was made to make money from miners who were coming and going on to Baskerville during the gold rush in the 1860's. -Unfortunately, the gold rush was beginning to end by the mid to late 1860's and the road wasn’t built till 1866. -The road took more than $750,000 to complete. -
Union of Vancouver Island and British Columbia
-The rapid loss of population and revenue was a huge financial hit on Vancouver Island and BC's governments especially BC because of the money spent on the Caribou Road.- Elected Representatives began pushing the governors for a union of the two colonies because it would make more sense on an economic standpoint.- The colonial office in Britain agreed with the idea of union and the two colonies were formally united together as British Columbia. George Seymour became the new leader for BC. -
Anthony Musgrave
-While on tour of northern communities Governor Seymour died suddenly. - Anthony Musgrave was chosen as a successor. -Musgrave was a personal friend of John A. Macdonald- John A. McDonald recommended him-Musgrave's only instructions from the British Colonial Office were to get British Columbia to join confederation as soon as possible. -
British Columbia joins confederation
-The Canadian Government agreed to build a railroad that would connect BC with the rest of Canada.-They planned to begin building in two years and finish within ten. And on July 20th 1871 BC joined Confederation. -
CPR moves terminus to Vancouver
William Van Horne arrived in Port Moody to establish the exact location of the CPR terminus. -He realized that the harbour couldn’t accommodate deep-sea vessels. -He travelled farther to Gas town and found what he was looking for, deep water anchorage with an expanse of flat land and ideal for rail yards. -He named it Vancouver