Houston, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Houston is a forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
town in the Bulkley Valley
Bulkley Valley
The Bulkley Valley is located in the northwest Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada.-Geography:The 257 km long Bulkley River runs through the valley which is bounded on the west by the Hudson Bay Mountain range and on the east by the Babine Mountains...
of the Northern Interior of British Columbia
British Columbia Interior
The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
, 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...
. Its urban population is approximately 3600 people, with approximately 2000 in the surrounding rural area. It is known as the "Steelhead Capital" and it has the world's largest fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
rod. Houston's tourism industry is largely based on eco-tourism and Steelhead Park, situated along Highway 16.
History
The Morice area was first charted by amateur historian, cartographer and geologist, Reverend Adrien-Gabriel MoriceAdrien-Gabriel Morice
Adrien-Gabriel Morice was a missionary priest belonging to the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He served as a missionary in Canada, and created a writing system for the Carrier language.-Early life:...
(1859-1938) known to Northern British Columbian locals as "Father Morice". In 1880 Father Morice came to 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...
as a missionary to the native people and was one of the first 'white man' to see most of the area. Rev. A.G. Morice wrote, "The History of the Northern Interior of British Columbia (formerly New Caledonia) [1660 to 1880]
Geography
West of Houston is Telkwa, British ColumbiaTelkwa, British Columbia
Telkwa is a village located along British Columbia Highway 16, nearly 15 km southeast of the town of Smithers and 350 km west of the city of Prince George, in northwest British Columbia, Canada....
(49), Smithers, British Columbia
Smithers, British Columbia
Smithers is a town located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, approximately halfway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Smithers is located in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako....
(66), Moricetown, British Columbia (97), New Hazelton, British Columbia
New Hazelton, British Columbia
New Hazelton is a community on Highway 16 in northwest British Columbia, Canada. It is situated east of Terrace and west of Smithers and in 2006 had a population of 627 people...
(130), Terrace, British Columbia
Terrace, British Columbia
Terrace is a city on the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada. The Kitselas people, a tribe of the Tsimshian Nation, have lived in the Terrace area for thousands of years. The community population fell between 2001 and 2006 from 12,109 with a regional population of 19,980 to 11,320 and...
(269), and Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Prince Rupert is a port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the land, air, and water transportation hub of British Columbia's North Coast, and home to some 12,815 people .-History:...
(413). East of Houston is Topley, British Columbia (30), Granisle, British Columbia
Granisle, British Columbia
Granisle is a village on Babine Lake in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, to the north of Topley between Burns Lake and Houston.- History :...
(79), Burns Lake, British Columbia
Burns Lake, British Columbia
thumb|309px|right|Burns Lake's welcome signBurns Lake is a rural village in the North-Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, incorporated in 1923...
(81), Fraser Lake, British Columbia
Fraser Lake, British Columbia
Fraser Lake is a village in northern British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the southwest side of Fraser Lake between Burns Lake and Vanderhoof alongside the Yellowhead Highway....
(150), and Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
(304).
- Location: latitude-54.39635,longitude-126.665497 http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=houston+bc&btnG=Search&ll=54.39635,-126.665497&spn=0.139112,0.43396
- Time Zone: Pacific Standard Time
Houston is located near the confluence of the Bulkley
Bulkley River
The Bulkley River in British Columbia is a major tributary of the Skeena River. The Bulkley is 257 km long with a drainage basin covering 12,400 km²....
and Morice River
Morice River
The Morice River is the outflow of Morice Lake south west of Houston, British Columbia, Canada. Morice Lake and Morice River are named after Father Adrien-Gabriel Morice The Morice River is a small river when it leaves Morice Lake but it converges with the Thautil and Gosnell Rivers...
s approximately 60 km (37 mi) south of Smithers
Smithers
Smithers may refer to:* Smithers , a surname* Smithers, British Columbia, a town in Canada** Smithers Airport, a public airport** Smithers Secondary School** Smithers railway station* Smithers, West Virginia, a city in the United States...
along Highway 16.
The area is in a rainshadow of the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
, however due to being dominated by a low pressure region, Houston receives a mid-range volume of precipitation annually.
Morice Lake is located just 80 km (50 mi) south along the Morice River Forest Service Road (FSR). Nestled into the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
, many Houstonites use this area for recreational camping and fishing.
Nearby communities:
- Perow
- Topley
- Buck Flats
- Barrett
- Quick
- Walcott
- SmithersSmithersSmithers may refer to:* Smithers , a surname* Smithers, British Columbia, a town in Canada** Smithers Airport, a public airport** Smithers Secondary School** Smithers railway station* Smithers, West Virginia, a city in the United States...
- Burns Lake
- MoricetownMoricetownMoricetown is a Wet'suwet'en village in Central British Columbia, Canada. The current village was built during early 1900s. Evidence of inhabitants date back to around 4,000 years ago. The original name of the village was 'Kyah Wiget...
Transportation
Via RailVIA 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 the Jasper – Prince Rupert train calls at the Houston railway station several times per week.
Politics
- Houston is located in the federal electoral district of Skeena-Bulkley Valley, which has been held since 2004 by incumbent Nathan CullenNathan CullenNathan Cullen is a Canadian Member of Parliament for the riding of Skeena—Bulkley Valley in the Canadian House of Commons. He is a candidate for the federal leadership of the NDP. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Cullen is fluent in English, French and Spanish and is married with young twin sons...
of the New Democratic PartyNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
of Canada. In the 2008 general federal election, Houston Mayor Sharon Smith ran as a Conservative PartyConservative Party of CanadaThe Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
candidate where she was defeated. She was also defeated a month later in the Mayoral Municipal election.
- Provincially Houston is located in the new Nechako LakesNechako Lakes (provincial electoral district)Nechako Lakes is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada. It was established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008, came into effect upon the dissolution of the BC Legislature in April 2009, and was first contested in the ensuing election...
electoral district as of the general election of 2009British Columbia general election, 2009The 39th British Columbia general election was held on May 12, 2009 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
the elected MLAMember of the Legislative AssemblyA Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
was John RustadJohn RustadJohn Rustad is a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Canadian province of British Columbia. He currently represents the constituency of Prince George-Omineca, which he has held since the 2005 election. In 2009, this riding was dissolved and he became the MLA for Nechako...
of the British Columbia Liberal PartyBritish Columbia Liberal PartyThe British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
. Previously the Bulkley Valley-StikineBulkley Valley-StikineBulkley Valley-Stikine was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada from 1991 to 2009.- Demographics :-MLAs:*Frank Arthur Calder, CCF/NDP ; Social Credit *Al Passarell, NDP...
electoral district was held by Dennis MacKayDennis MacKayDennis MacKay is a former Canadian politician, who represented the electoral district of Bulkley Valley-Stikine in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2001 to 2009....
, also of the British Columbia Liberal PartyBritish Columbia Liberal PartyThe British Columbia Liberal Party is the governing political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected for government in 1916, the party went into decline after 1952, with its rump caucus merging with the Social Credit Party for the 1975 election...
.
Recreation
- The Morice Mountain Nordic Ski Club is a volunteer Non-Profit Society. The MMNSC is responsible for all developments and trail grooming as well as maintenance of the facilities, and for trail users fee collections. The ski trails are situated 8 km (5 mi) south of Houston on Buck Flats Rd. Skiing enthusiasts are able to explore over 45 kilometres (28 mi) of challenging and beginner trails covering a rolling topography around Silverthorne Lake
- Many locals frequent the Nanika-Kidprice Lakes Basin canoe route. This basin lies on the eastern slope of the Coastal Mountain Range and forms the upper watershed of the Morice-Bulkley Rivers. The basin area is 920 metres (3,018 ft) above sea level and is surrounded by glaciated and snow-capped peaks that rise as high as 2400 metres (7,874 ft). The 30 km (19 mi) route takes about 3–4 days to complete. There is approximately 4 km (2 mi) of portages between three lakes.
- The recently constructed Houston Leisure facility holds a pool, hot-tub, sauna and fitness gym.
- Houston has two 9-hole golf courses
Schools
Houston is located in School District 54 Bulkley ValleySchool District 54 Bulkley Valley
School District 54 Bulkley Valley is a school district in northwestern British Columbia. Centered in Smithers, it includes the communities of Telkwa, Houston, and Moricetown.-History:...
and has three public schools and one privately run Christian denominational school.
Elementary Schools:
- Silverthorne Elementary School
- Twain Sullivan Elementary School
Secondary Schools:
- Houston Secondary SchoolHouston Secondary SchoolHouston Secondary is a public high school in Houston, British Columbia, part of School District 54 Bulkley Valley. The school enrolls approx 250 students and is the largest in the community. It serves as the secondary school for Houston and the surrounding rural communities....
The Houston Christian School teaches from K-12.
Trivia
- The Bulkley, a smaller stream running through Houston and the Morice RiverMorice RiverThe Morice River is the outflow of Morice Lake south west of Houston, British Columbia, Canada. Morice Lake and Morice River are named after Father Adrien-Gabriel Morice The Morice River is a small river when it leaves Morice Lake but it converges with the Thautil and Gosnell Rivers...
join just west of Houston. At the point of their joining they become the Bulkley RiverBulkley RiverThe Bulkley River in British Columbia is a major tributary of the Skeena River. The Bulkley is 257 km long with a drainage basin covering 12,400 km²....
, not the Morice despite the fact the Morice is larger. This was done by Poudrier, a government cartographer whom, it is rumoured, never saw the region.
- The Bulkley, is named for Col. S. Bulkley, one of the surveyors on the Telegraph line through the Pleasant Valley.
- Houston is named in honour of the pioneer newspaperman John HoustonJohn Houston (newspaperman)John Houston was born in November 1850 in Alton, Ontario.In British Columbia his career as a newspaper publisher and editor spanned twenty-two years, beginning in 1888 in the town of Donald. Later he would publish newspapers in New Westminster, Nelson, Rossland and Prince Rupert. His last paper...
. http://www.houston.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=19&bhcp=1