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Fort Vancouver Constructed
George Simpson is the leader of the new HBC. During one of his regular checkups on the posts in the areas he decides that the company isn’t taking advantage of the resources of the Oregon Territory. So, he then creates a new post, Fort Vancouver. -
John Mcloughlin
John Mcloughlin, the chief factor of the new post (Fort Vancouver), is a capable administer with an unsettling physical presence and fair leadership. He is a political realist and understands that the Americans were going to settle the south of the Columbia River. He encouraged the Americans to stay in the south and out of HBC territory with money and supplies. -
George Simpson Closes All HBC Coastal Forts Except Fort Simpson
Once again, George Simpson tours the Oregon Territory and discovers that the fur trade has not been expanding as he had hoped. With the exception of Fort Simpson, all coastal posts are to be closed. The Beaver will be used as a floating fur trade post to trade with other villages on the coast. -
James Douglas
Simpson orders Fort Vancouver’s current Chief Factor, James Douglas, to establish a new depot on Vancouver in honor of Queen Victoria. Douglas is later replaced by Fredrick Seymour and Author Kennedy. -
Oregon Boudary Treaty
James Polk tries to negotiate with the British Government but they refuse to give up their claim. The old boundary is then extended along the 49th, parallel to Pacific Ocean establishing the Canadian and US border. -
Colony of Vancouver Island
It is decided by the British Government that the territory on the Pacific coast needs more official presence than the HBC. They create the crown Colony of Vancouver Island and give the HBC a trade monopoly in the new Colony. However, they also have to give land to British settlers who come to live here. -
Gold Discovered on the Thompson River
Along with his cargo of furs for the company, an HBC trader comes to Fort Victoria carrying two vials filled with gold dust and small nuggets that he had panned along the banks of the Thompson River. He presents them to Governor Douglas who fears that a gold strike will unleash an influx of greedy minors in the colony. His fear is borne out during the winter of 1857 to 1858. -
Colony of British Columbia (mainland) Established
James Douglas notices that a majority of miners are American so he realizes that BC has become extremely vulnerable to US territorial expansion. Douglas communicates this concern to the Colonial office in London. Douglas soon becomes the governor of the new Crown Colony of British Columbia encompassing as far north as 54 40’N. -
Frederick Seymour
After James Douglas retires as the governor of both Vancouver Island and BC, Seymour takes over as governor for BC while Arthur Kennedy, an active, enthusiastic man, quickly takes charge of Vancouver Island. He seems to have the best interests of the inhabitants at heart. -
Cariboo Wagon Road Completed
After being under construction for 4 years (starting in 1862) Cariboo Road is finally complete. The purpose of the $750,000 road had been to make money from miners who are coming and going to Barkerville as the gold rush continued. Unfortunately, the gold rush is coming to an end and after being built at such an expense, revenues are in steep decline. -
Union of Vancouver Island and British Columiba
Population and revenue has gone down and created a huge financial impact on Vancouver Island and BC’s governments. Building the Cariboo Road has cost BC a large sum of money and now the elected representatives have begun pushing the governors for a union of the two colonies. This would make more sense economically. The colonial office in Britain agrees with the idea of the union and the two colonies formally unite together as British Columbia. George Seymour becomes the new leader of BC. -
Anthony Musgrave
Suddenly, Governor Seymour dies on his tour of northern communities. Anthony Musgrave, a personal friend of John A. Macdonald, is immediately chosen as a successor. Musgrave is instructed by the British Colonial Office to get British Columbia to join confederation as soon as possible. He then works with the anti-confederationists to get them to agree on a policy together and presents it as a delegation in Ottawa. -
British Columbia Joins Confederation
The Canadian Government is given the terms by the anti-confederationists of having to build a railroad that will connect BC to the rest of Canada. They plan to begin building in two years and finish within 10. After immediately agreeing to these terms, BC joins Confederation. -
CPR Moves Terminus to Vancouver
William Van Horne arrives in Port Moody to establish the exact location of the CPR terminus. He discovers that the harbor could not possible accommodate deep-sea vessels needing to dock, load, and unload cargo. He travels further to Gastown and finds what he’s looking for; a deep water anchorage with an expanse of flat land ideal for rail yards. He names this site Vancouver.
