1
Hudson's Hope owes it's existence to its position on that great thoroughfare which linked Eastern Canada to the country west of the Rockies. The Peace River is the only waterway in North America which cuts a passage completely through that majestic range.2
Hudson's Hope Area Map1920
Hudson's Hope, BC
3
To the west of Hudson's Hope was a canyon in which the water drops 215 feet in twenty miles, making water transportation through this stretch practically impossible. Voyageurs were forced to portage fourteen miles to avoid this treacherous stretch.4
Peace Canyon1935
Hudson's Hope, BC
5
Alexander MacKenzie , after talking to Peter Pond, went looking up the Peace River. He was the first explorer to discover our valley and later followed Simon Fraser in 1805 to open a trading post for the Northwest Trading Company. Calling the new settlement on the south side of the Peace River, Rocky Mountain Portage House. After years of being a trading post, in the 1860's, the trail opened up to more and more men. Men like Charlie Paquette pictured here. After passing through the country on hunting expeditions, and trapping the surrounding area, he finally came to stay in the spring of 1912. An Edmonton member of Parliament, who knew Charlie, feared that Charlie would be squeezed out, so persuaded the government to Crown Grant him a piece of land on the north side of the river. Which later turned out to cover most of what is now Hudson's Hope.6
Paquette, Charlie1930
Hudson's Hope, BC
7
In 1888, Harry Garbitt, came to Canada from Aberdeen. As a horse trader he travelled west from Edmonton and found his way to the Peace River. After making several trips through Rocky Mountain Portage House, in 1912 he returned and took up a quarter section of land. He freighted and trapped for several years before moving a few miles south to Moberly Lake and opening a general store.8
Garbitt, Harry and Mrs., and grandchildren1950
Hudson's Hope, BC
9
Rocky Mountain Portage House was changed to Hudson's Hope and moved to the north side of the river in about 1868. The Hudson's Bay Company say that the first mention of the name was in a letter sent to York Factory by a James Forsyth in 1869. Why Hudson's Hope? It remains a mystery to this day. The hope of Henry Hudson? A gold prospector named Hudson? The hope of the Hudson's Bay Company? No record has ever been discovered. |
 |
 |
 |