Tasu “Lake of Plenty” According to Haida legends, 180 years ago, the great-great-great Grandmother of Skidegate Haida, Albert Jones was gathering soft inner bark from cedars for basket weaving. Suddenly she noticed a strange, black stone glistening in what is now known as “Contact Creek” which is located on the west coast of Albert Jones Picture taken in Haida Gwaii. She placed it in her canoe July, 1966 and paddled to her family’s summer, black cod fishing camp. Her Father was mystified by the heavy, alien stone and, in accordance with tribal custom, took it to the chief who was also at a loss for an explanation. The rock Albert’s ancestor found is called magnetite –chalcopyrite, a mineral rock that often contains iron, copper and sometimes a bit of gold and silver. The area this rock was discovered is called Tasu which is a Haida word for “Lake of Plenty” and pronounced with softness, Tass-soo. It was not until 1909, many years after this mysterious discovery, that a curious prospector from Grand Forks named Gowing asked a prominent Haida of Skidegate at that time, Henry Moody, and Moody’s Father, to show him their four staked claims where this rock was known to occur. Gowing purchased these claims and began a small mining endeavor. Throughout the years, various, small scale, commercial mining enterprises operated in the Tasu area, mining mainly for copper and a bit of Gold and Silver.
Tasu, 1971
From 1951 to the early 60’s, the BC Government prevented iron ore export from all but a few properties but when this restriction was removed, in 1964, Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd. began construction of one of the largest mines ever to operate on Haida Gwaii. Known as Wesfrob Mine, this large-scale enterprise included building an entire town with a population of around 400 people! This town had power, well graveled and lit roads, ninety living units that included single homes, row houses and apartment blocks, a sixty room hotel (rates ranged from $3$3.50/day), school, co-op general store, recreation center with a swimming pool, a six bed hospital, post office, a CIBC bank that opened on pay days, a Laundromat and dry cleaner and a church.
Tasu playground and residences, 1974
If you were to travel to the Tasu mine site today, you would see that the mountain has an altered side to it but you would hardly guess there was ever a town there…just goes to show you how quickly Mother Nature reclaims her wild state….lickety split! The Tasu mine and town site (1964-1977)
Photo of Tasu map from Go Haida Gwaii | All other photos courtesy of the HG Museum Archives. The museum archives are open to the public by appointment. Call 250-559-4643 or email museum@haidagwaii.net
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