1

Waiting for the first Great Northern train to arrive
July 1907
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

2

The first Great Northern Railway train at the station
July 1907
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Taken by Rev. A.H. Cameron

3

It was with a great deal of excitement that the first train into Keremeos was greeted. On July 19, 1907, many of the townspeople, dressed in their good clothes, came to the station, where their presence was recorded by the camera of Reverend A.H. Cameron. The coming of the train, long awaited by miners, cattlemen, and farmers, had caused changes to local affairs, prompting the removal of the town site to the lower flats. This area was timbered, swampy, and subject to flooding, one reason why most of the original homes were settled on the upper bench. By 1906, however, many of the buildings from the upper towns had been moved to meet the rails.

4

Another scene at the arrival of the first train, showing the town
July 1907
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Taken by Rev. A.H. Cameron

5

Grading the Great Northern Railway railbed west of Keremeos
Circa1908
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

6

The area's residents had felt the need for transport for some years before any company showed signs of interest. This was surprising, since there was some competition at the actual time of construction. The Canadian Pacific Railway needed an outlet to the coast, as did the Great Northern Railway. The Vancouver, Victoria & Eastern held a charter for the area. James Hill, with his Great Northern, proposed to construct a branch line from Oroville to Keremeos, and past, which connected to Spokane.

7

Red Bridge, one of the Keremeos landmarks
Winter 1977
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

8

Construction of a Great Northern Railway bridge
Circa 1907
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

9

Steam shovel working on railway bed at Starvation Flats, west of Keremeos
Circa 1908
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

10

Teams grading the Great Northern railway bed west of Keremeos
1908
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Taken by Rev. A.H. Cameron

11

Last pile for Great Northern Railway line being driven at Manerys
1907
Cawston, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

12

Ballast pit along the railway line near Keremeos
1907
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Keremeos Museum

13

Jim Hill had his training with the Canadian Pacific, the company which put through that great engineering feat, the Kettle Valley Railway, a few years after the Keremeos line was finished. Hill left the C.P. to form his own company, which included river steamers and hotel chains. Winning out over the other railways, he took over the charter from the V.V.&E. (Some of the pictures are mistakenly inscribed "First V.V.&E. train.)
On April 11th, 1907, the crew of 145 men reached the Canadian border; by May 2nd, they had laid steel across the Armstrong bridge, south of Cawston, one of three covered bridges on the line, of which only one, the Red Bridge, remains. Although delayed by high water from the spring flood, which damaged the bridge, they pushed on to Keremeos.
Grading continued towards Hedley, while part of the crew remained behind to ballast the railbed, erect telegraph poles and set up a water tower at the station.

14

Hill's Special
1907
Keremeos, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada