Who rode sidesaddle 300 miles a century ago to become Chilcotin's first housewife? What rancher carried a portable piano in his buckboard? Who started the Williams Lake and the Ahaheim Lake Stampede? A vivid text and over 200 photographs recall pioneer life in the ranching country that extends westward some 200 miles from the Fraser River to Anahim Lake.

This is Irene Stangoe's third collection of historical stories and great yarns about the people and events that shaped the Cariboo-Chilcotin. Read about: Farwell Canyon's pioneer families and ranches; Chief Anahim, who left the misty Bella Coola Valley for the high Chilcotin country many moons ago; the Lord of 100 Mile House, who moved from a grand mansion in England to a bug-infested stopping house in the Cariboo; the Hub of the Cariboo, tracing 140 years of Williams Lake history, from tiny settlement to modern city; the Great Bank Robbery, and a bank manager's nightmare ride with a gunman wanted for murder; Homer, the basset hound who played the part of a French poodle in a 1920s musical; and other events that could happen only in the Cariboo.

"From historical files and the memories of those who were there, pioneer days in Williams Lake, Dog Creek, Likely, Soda Creek, Horsefly, Riske Creek, 150 Mile and other areas of Central Cariboo-Chilcotin."--Cover

As a complement to her popular book Cariboo-Chilcotin: Pioneer People and Places, Irene Stangoe has crafted a second collection of stories about the BC Interior's pioneers and the trails they blazed. In 26 separate tales she introduces a mosaic of personalities and events that spans 120 years. Stangoe fondly recalls the Indian Girls' Pipe Band, the world-famous MacKinnon sisters, the amazing ice-fishing secrets of Lac la Hache and more. Irene Stangoe has been "looking back" at the Cariboo-Chilcotin for almost half a century. Originally drawn to the region from her Burnaby-New Westminster roots in 1950, when she and her husband, Clive, bought the Williams Lake Tribune, Irene filled in as reporter, community editor, columnist, advertising salesperson and just about anywhere else she was needed until the newspaper was sold in 1973. In 1975, unable to fully retire, Irene established her "Looking Back" column at the Tribune and soon gained recognition as one of the most readable history writers in the weekly newspaper field. Between 1986 and 1991, she was awarded a first place and two seconds in the annual Best Historical Writing Competition.

"The Heart of the Cariboo-Chilcotin anthology celebrates the story of this harshly beautiful and remote region in B.C.'s north. From the days of the gold rush through to modern times, this collection captures the spirit of a place whose beauty and wildness have inspired its people throughout its history."--BOOK JACKET.

Another installment in the story of British Columbia's Cariboo-Chilcotin region, this book is a delightful collection of spirited tales by the area's most talented authors, plus a couple of 'outsiders.' Joining well-known Cariboo favorites Rich Hobson, Paul St. Pierre and Eric Collier are Barry Broadfoot and his touching tribute to Cariboo legend Fred Lindsay, historian/journalist Bruce Ramsey and his description of Barkerville's Chinatown, and pioneer Bill Hong and his account of what was done with Barkerville's deceased Chinese residents.From Edith Beeson's Dunlevey comes a gripping eyewitness play-by-play of a near-fatal Aboriginal wrestling match in 1859. Other stories include pioneer and wilderness lover Lutie Ulrich Cochran's perky tale of her mischievous temporary pet Flash the Weasel, and a tender vignette about a loon family by Will D. Jenkins Sr., a Chilcotin pioneer who penned his memoir, Chilcotin Diary, at the age of 98. New stories by old favourites Irene Stangoe, Hilary Place and Eldon Lee mingle with gems of wry Cariboo humor by Doc Holley, Chilco Choate and Fred Lindsay.

Home to vast stretches of untouched wilderness, the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast is one of Canada’s final frontiers. With towering mountains scraping against the sky, sprawling steppes covered with wildflowers, remote valleys carved by ancient rivers and an untamed ocean coast teeming with wildlife, this region is a backcountry explorer’s dream. Reel in the catch of a lifetime on one of the Fishing Highway’s incredible lakes, explore the bays and inlets around Bella Coola on sea kayaking adventure or get away from it all amid the natural splendour of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park – there is lots to discover in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast! Features - Map Key & Legend - Topographic Maps - Detailed Adventure Section >> Backroad Attractions, Fishing Locations, Hunting Areas, Paddling Routes, Parks & Campsites, Trail Systems, ATV Routes,Snowmobile Areas, Wildlife Viewing, Winter Recreation, Service Directory, Accommodations, Sales & Services, Tours & Guides, Index, Adventure Index, Map Index, Trip Planning Tools,