Page 78 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

Fort Nelson
Location: Milepost 300 on the Alaska Highway
and BC 97; 232 miles (387 km) north of Fort St.
John. Population: 5,000. Visitor Information:
Fort Nelson Visitor Information Centre, open
year round; located in Recreation Centre at the
west end of town, 5500 Alaska Hwy; Phone:
(250) 774-6400; Fax: (250) 774-2958; Email:
visitorinfo@fortnelsonchamber.com; Website:
www.fortnelsonchamber.com.
Established as a fur trading post in 1805 by the
Northwest Company, where the Fort Nelson River
is formed by the confluence of the Muskwa, Prophet
and Sikanni Chief Rivers, Fort Nelson was named for
the British Lord Horatio Nelson who won the Battle
of Trafalgar that same year.
The city is presently located on its fifth site; the
previous four sites were plagued with floods, fires
and massacres. The community suffered a severe
scarlet fever attack and its population was seriously
Fort Nelson depleted at the turn of the century.
photo by: Disaster struck again and much of the community
Northern Rockies Tourism, Fort Nelson
was flooded, including the church, which floated
See Video downstream with its bell tolling. The village was
relocated on higher ground on the other side of
the river and from 1912 onwards a flourishing
community was established.
Originally, Fort Nelson was linked to the region
through the five surrounding river systems, then
when the Godsell Trail opened in 1922, overland
connection was established with Fort St. John.

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