Arrowhead

The Brown Bag History talk this week was on Arrowhead, and 25 people showed up to hear the talk! Some of the people who came had grown up or gone to school in Arrowhead, so they were able to contribute their own stories.

Arrowhead was a small community south of Revelstoke, where the Columbia River widens into the Upper Arrow Lake. It was established in 1895, when the Canadian Pacific Railway built a branch line to that point from Revelstoke. From Arrowhead, there was steamboat traffic south to West Robson, near present-day Castlegar. The town developed quickly, with several hotels and stores popping up along Front Street. Two large mills were established there, and by 1911 the population was close to 500. The community had a school, two churches and a hospital, as well as a community hall.

On July 1, Dominion Day, in 1906, Arrowhead had a big celebration, and a photograph of Front Street shows it decorated for the event. Twelve days later, a fire broke out in one of the stores on Front Street, and within a few short hours, much of the business street was gone. The community had a water system, but no hydrants, and the hoses of the SS Minto and the two mills could not reach as far as the fire. The townspeople were forced to use a bucket brigade against the fire, and to try to salvage as much stock and furniture as they could from the buildings.

By the 1960s, there were less than 100 people living in Revelstoke, and with the opening of the Hugh Keenleyside Dam at Revelstoke, the remaining residents were bought out and forced to leave. The last remaining building was the old school house, located above the high water line, which was used as a church camp until it too was removed several years ago. The Arrowhead cemetery also remains, and in the museum we have a list of the burials there.

People who lived in Arrowhead have many fond memories of their days there. They describe it as a friendly community, where everyone knew each other and helped each other out. To hear more about people's memories of their lives in Arrowhead, we are starting a series called "Memories." Our first session, on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:00 pm, will focus on Memories of Arrowhead, and will give people who lived, worked or went to school there a chance to share their stories. Other "Memories" sessions will feature Sidmouth, Mount Cartier, and other outlying communities, as well as a session during Heritage Week in February 2010 to share stories about participating in sports in Revelstoke and the surrounding area. Watch for more details on these coming events.