Cedarvale, also known as Minskinish, is an unincorporated community in the Skeena River

Skeena River

The Skeena River is the second longest river entirely within British Columbia, Canada . The Skeena is an important transportation artery, particularly for the Tsimshian and the Gitxsan - whose names mean "inside the Skeena River" and "people of the Skeena River" respectively, and also during the...

 valley of northwestern British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. Located originally on the west side of the Skeena as a railway station of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway was a historical Canadian railway.A wholly owned subsidiary of the Grand Trunk Railway , the GTPR was constructed by GTR using loans provided by the Government of Canada. The company was formed in 1903 with a mandate to build west from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the...

 and nearby post office, in 1910, Cedarvale is now on the east side of the river along the Yellowhead Highway

Yellowhead Highway

The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Although part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, the highway should not be confused with the more southerly, originally-designated...

. The community's name in the Tsimshian language is Minskinish, meaning "under the pitch pines", which began as a missionary settlement similar in character to but much smaller than Metlakatla

Metlakatla

Metlakatla may refer to:* Metlakatla, Alaska* Metlakatla, British Columbia...

. The Indian reserve

Indian reserve

In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...

 comprising the community is Koonwat Indian Reserve No. 7.

This settlement began as Minskinish, a Victorian missionary village like William Duncan's Metlakatla. The benevolent despot here was the Reverend R. Tomlinson, who founded the village in 1888. The Sabbath was strictly observed in Minskinish; no work of any sort was done on Sunday, no visitor arrived or departed, and if a river boat arrived that day it merely left the mail on the bank of the Skeena, where it was not touched until Monday. It is not surprising that the village was nicknamed "Holy City". Minskinish means "under the pitch pines". Its present name of Cedarvale comes from the cedars which grow around the landing.

The Cedarvale railway station

Cedarvale railway station

The Cedarvale railway station is on the Canadian National Railway mainline in Cedarvale, British Columbia. The station is served by Via Rail's Jasper – Prince Rupert train as a flag stop.-History:...

 is served by Via Rail

VIA Rail

Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....

s Jasper – Prince Rupert train.