Springfield Ranch, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Springfield Ranch is a ranch
in the Cariboo
region of British Columbia
, Canada
, located between Williams Lake, British Columbia
and Soda Creek
on the former British Columbia Railway line (now part of the CN
rail empire).
men who kept up their English traditions on a certain field on the ranch still known as “the cricket
field”.
By 1865, Townsend had sold the property, which now contained about a thousand acres (4 km²), to John Colin Calbraith. Calbraith took on a partner, John Frances Hawkes of Springfield, Ohio
, and, between them, they produced large areas of hay and grain. By 1866, “the Springs,” as their home was known, had become a popular stop for travelers.
During the early 1870s, when John Calbraith left the Cariboo, he sold his interests in the ranch to his partner Hawkes, who renamed it “Springfield”, after his hometown in Ohio
. Prior to his departure from the Cariboo in 1890, John Hawkes sold Springfield Ranch to Herman Nichols, who continued to reside in the old house built by Calbraith until March 1897, when it was destroyed by fire.
By 1900, William Adams
, the new owner of Springfield Ranch, built a modern residence. Adams had a daughter Katherine, who married John Hargreaves
, a Remittance Man and when Adams retired, he sold the ranch to the young couple. The Hargreaves, who operated an efficient ranch, were also known for their lavish entertaining. Their most famous houseguest was Prime Minister
Mackenzie King, who visited there during the 1930s. When Hargreave’s dog barked at the distinguished visitor, King was told not to worry, for the dog only attacked Conservatives.
During John Hargreave’s tenure, Springfield Ranch grew to include over 2,000 acres (8 km²) of land. Upon his death in 1950, his son, Rae Hargreaves, continued the operation until 1963, when it was sold to C.W. Hoffman Jr. of Oregon
.
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
in the Cariboo
Cariboo
The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia along a plateau stretching from the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the woodland caribou that were once abundant in the region...
region of 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 between Williams Lake, British Columbia
Williams Lake, British Columbia
Williams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops and Prince George, with a population of 11,150 in city limits....
and Soda Creek
Soda Creek
Soda Creek is a rural subdivision 38 km north of Williams Lakein British Columbia, Canada. Located on the east bank of the Fraser River, Soda Creek was originally the home of the Xat'sull First Nation. Soda Creek Indian Reserve No. 1 is located on the left bank of the Fraser River, one mile...
on the former British Columbia Railway line (now part of the CN
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
rail empire).
History
In 1862, a large tract of arable land a mile south of Deep Creek was occupied by five returning miners. These were speculators who went by the name of Edward Packe & Company and who, very shortly, sold their pre-emptions to Frederick Townsend of Quesnelle Mouth. For a time, Townsend rented the land to the Beck brothers, two young EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
men who kept up their English traditions on a certain field on the ranch still known as “the cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
field”.
By 1865, Townsend had sold the property, which now contained about a thousand acres (4 km²), to John Colin Calbraith. Calbraith took on a partner, John Frances Hawkes of Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately west of Columbus and northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg...
, and, between them, they produced large areas of hay and grain. By 1866, “the Springs,” as their home was known, had become a popular stop for travelers.
During the early 1870s, when John Calbraith left the Cariboo, he sold his interests in the ranch to his partner Hawkes, who renamed it “Springfield”, after his hometown in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Prior to his departure from the Cariboo in 1890, John Hawkes sold Springfield Ranch to Herman Nichols, who continued to reside in the old house built by Calbraith until March 1897, when it was destroyed by fire.
By 1900, William Adams
William Adams (British Columbia politician)
William Adams was a farmer and political figure in British Columbia. He represented Cariboo in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1893 to 1898....
, the new owner of Springfield Ranch, built a modern residence. Adams had a daughter Katherine, who married John Hargreaves
John Hargreaves
John Hargreaves is the founder and chairman of the large UK out-of-town discount clothing and homeware chain Matalan. He went into the retail business when he was only 16, and opened the first Matalan store in Preston in 1985...
, a Remittance Man and when Adams retired, he sold the ranch to the young couple. The Hargreaves, who operated an efficient ranch, were also known for their lavish entertaining. Their most famous houseguest was Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Mackenzie King, who visited there during the 1930s. When Hargreave’s dog barked at the distinguished visitor, King was told not to worry, for the dog only attacked Conservatives.
During John Hargreave’s tenure, Springfield Ranch grew to include over 2,000 acres (8 km²) of land. Upon his death in 1950, his son, Rae Hargreaves, continued the operation until 1963, when it was sold to C.W. Hoffman Jr. of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.