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July 23, 2015
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100milefreepress.net
COPS TOO HOT FOR FIREFIGHTERS VOL. 1 Issue 1
Special Souvenir Edition
July 23, 2015
Bona fide Village born from incorporation
Incorporation was hot-button topic for whole community By Carole Rooney, Free Press
Reprinted from the August 5, 1965 issue of the 100 Mile House News-Herald THIS IS THE VILLAGE. Word has been received here by Ross Marks, interim village chairman, from the department of municipal affairs, that incorporation of 100 Mile House has been approved by the government. The news was contained in a copy of minutes approved July 27 by the Lieutenant-Governor recommending that letters patent be issued incorporating the inhabitants of the area as a village municipality under the name of The Village of 100 Mile. This picture shows evidence of the tremendous growth currently underway. In the foreground is the old Cariboo Trail over which men in search of gold travelled north. Below is the recently laid four lanes of pavement and at right the Exeter Road leading to the Pacific Great Eastern Railway station. Large building under construction is the ultra-modern Red Coach Inn. Towering in central background is the 100 Mile Secondary School with a 30-bed dormitory in the striped building at left. At right of school is the three-storey Emerald Apartments; large building centre right, the Exeter Arms Hotel; third white building at left of pavement is the new home of The News-Herald. — Carl Mellander photo, August 5, 1965
100 Mile House – A legacy from the past By Sherry Stewart First on the scene, before the town of 100 Mile House even existed, was the long dirt road leading from Lillooet to the gold rush frenzy in Barkerville. Stagecoaches rattled up and down the old Cariboo Wagon Road, and the stopping place designated “100 Mile House” (100 miles from Lillooet) boasted ramshackle accommodation for horse and man. Dusty travellers ate and slept in the old roadhouse, and their horses were stabled in the old 100 Mile barn, still in existence today, though moved to a field at the north end of town on 100 Mile Ranch property. Through the years various
people owned the stopping house, now named Bridge Creek House, as well as the surrounding land. In 1912, an Englishman named William Cecil, the 5th Marquess of Exeter, purchased Bridge Creek House and the 12,000 acres of ranch land surrounding it. The arrival of the railroad line in 1917 saw the end of the stagecoach era, and the Red Coach Inn at the north end of town is today the resting-place for what is said to be the last surviving wagon of the Barnard Express and Stage Line. Apparently that stagecoach, recently given to the District of 100 Mile House by the Cecil family, came along with
MARTIN CECIL
the purchase of The Lodge property in 1912. The actual town of 100 Mile House began to come into existence in 1930
with the arrival of William Cecil's son, Lord Martin Cecil, a 21-year-old English nobleman who came to oversee the property and its 2,000 head of cattle. Fresh from the Royal Navy and an elegant life in England, Lord Martin was known for rolling up his sleeves and working hard right alongside the seasoned ranchers. It is said “He wore patches on his trousers just like everyone else,” and he eventually became known as “The Father of 100 Mile House.” By the time Martin first arrived to oversee his father's holdings, the 15,000 acre ranch was called Cont'd. on page C15
Fifty years ago, a milestone in local history was made when the Village of 100 Mile House was incorporated. The first Interim Council was nominated, and then elected by acclamation, in the 100 Mile Community Hall in July 1965. Headed by chairman Ross Marks (who won the nomination by a landslide over candidate Spud Speers), its four original commissioners were David Ainsworth, Chuck ShawMacLaren, Cas Copec and Russ Fraser. Prior to incorporation, when it officially became the Village of 100 Mile House, the community land was entirely owned by Lord Martin Cecil (its modern founder), under his Bridge Creek Estates holdings. Dating back to more than a century ago during the Cariboo Gold Rush days, the 100 Mile roadhouse, now called The Lodge, was a stopping point on the Cariboo Trail. It was built in 1937, after a fire destroyed the original roadhouse in the same location. As more and more houses and amenities appeared in 100 Mile, business was really booming in the 1950s-’60s. By 1965, incorporation had become a hot topic in the community. Shaw-MacLaren
has lived in 100 Mile House since 1955, and clearly recalls its formative days when, along with other “movers and shakers” of the time, he was very involved with the whole process.
ROSS MARKS
He was among the volunteers on an incorporation committee working diligently toward determining which direction the community wanted to go. Numerous public meetings eventually led up to a 57/36 vote supporting the change in June 1965. It squeaked in at 61.5 per cent, with 60 or better needed for incorporation. Shaw-MacLaren explains a group of businessmen that held leases wanted to have a village run by local government, primarily to have an option open to buy land downtown. Once the candidates were identified, they began working on the legal process with the provincial government to be prepared for the July 5 nomination elections. Cont'd. on page C3
LOOKING BACK ON FIFTY YEARS C1
Gaven Crites photo
FANTASTIC SHOW FOR HOT JULY NIGHTS B1
INSIDE
opinion A8 letters A9 entertainment A18 sports A19 community B1 classifieds B8
The voice of the South Cariboo since 1960 How to reach us: Ph: 250-395-2219 Fax: 250-395-3939 www.100milefreepress.net mail@100milefreepress.net
Sgt. Don McLean manned the blue line for the 100 Mile House RCMP team, which won the Guns & Hoses Ball Hockey Game, 6-2, over 100 Mile House Fire-Rescue at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on July 21. The fun charity event saw plenty of fans in the seats and raised funds for the 100 Mile House Water Park Society and the 100 Mile & District Palliative Care Society. More 50th Anniversary events continue all week. See page A10.
Museum dream revives at council Foundation OK, but newer wing prospect for demolition
Carole Rooney Free Press
District of 100 Mile House council and Cariboo Regional District (CRD) directors are considering a revised plan to revive The Lodge and open a museum in the historic building. Back in January, the South Cariboo Joint Committee (SCJC) asked staff to investigate what renovations and repairs would be needed to facilitate a walk-through museum in the closed facility. District director of operations Phil Strain updated the committee on the progress of this investigation, as summarized in an April 21 letter from Bluegreen Architecture Inc.
“Obviously, from the washrooms would need report we got from the archi- to be dismantled, but the tect, this would be the most extent of the required work cost-effective way to go – to will be narrowed down once make it similar to a SCJC provides furBarkerville house, ther direction, he or the 108 [Heritage added. Site], where you put “I’m estimating historical artifacts between $100,000in there and secure $150,000 to put them behind, say something like this wrought iron. So together. Of course, people could walk that would include PHIL through there and all the demolition STRAIN you don’t necessarily and disposal of the have to manage it.” part of the facility that isn’t CRD Area G Director (and historical.” SCJC co-chair) Al Richmond Strain said that would asked about the strength of involve removing a norththe floor structure. side addition added in Said Strain: “You would not the 1960s, which includes have to re-support the floor a small kitchen and office for this type of occupation.” space (currently rented by Some office space and the Agri-Culture Enterprise
Centre), and a very small addition at the south side. However, the original circa-1933 shell of the facility would be preserved, including the main building, Valley Room and commercial kitchen, he explained. “I’m not sure what the historical artifacts would be, but I certainly don’t have any idea on costs of obtaining them, or if they would be donated, or whatever.” Strain noted there is no plan to apply for a historical site registration, so he doesn’t believe any heritagerelated restrictions will apply to what can be done to the building. Mayor Mitch Campsall (also SCJC co-chair) said it
was good to have all this information, and the next step would be for the committee to take a closer look at The Lodge. “There’s not enough information here to do [anything], and just so the public knows, that this is only the report, this is not [necessarily] what we’re doing.” The committee decided to walk through The Lodge at take a look at the potential issues and impacts prior to an upcoming meeting, which will then be held in the Valley Room. A schedule and agendas of SCJC meetings, which are public, is online at www.cariboord.bc.ca/ agendas-minutes/agendas/ scjc-agenda.