Telegraph Creek, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Telegraph Creek is a small community located off Highway 37 in Northern British Columbia
at the confluence of the Stikine River
and Telegraph Creek. The only permanent settlement on the Stikine River
, it is home to approximately 350 members of the Tahltan First Nation
, as well as another 50 non-native residents. The town offers basic services, including Anglican and Catholic churches, two general stores, a post office, a clinic with several nurses on-call around the clock, two Royal Canadian Mounted Police
officers, and a k-12 school. Steep river banks and rocky gorges form the terraced nature of the geography.
The community includes Telegraph Creek Indian Reserve No. 6, Telegraph Creek Indian Reserve No. 6A, and Guhthe Tah Indian Reserve No. 11 which are under the governance of the Tahltan First Nation
of Telegraph Creek. Stikine Indian Reserve No. 7, which is one mile west (downstream) and on the opposite side of the Stikine River, is under the governance of the Iskut First Nation
of the settlement of Iskut
, which is on the river of the same name
. The two bands together comprise the Tahltan Nation
.
Tahltan
(or Nahanni) refers to a Northern Athabaskan people that live around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake
and Iskut
.
is the traditional home of the Tahltan
people, who have lived there for generations. The modern history of the Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake area dates back to the 1860s and 1870s with the Stikine
and Cassiar Gold Rushes. Telegraph Creek witnessed the discovery of gold by prospectors on the Stikine River in the 1860s and was the head of navigation. In 1866, the construction of an overland telegraph line to Yukon
gave Telegraph Creek its name.
As early as 10,000 years ago, the Tahltan people used obsidian
from the Mount Edziza volcanic complex
to make tool
s and weapon
s for trading material. This is the main source of obsidian found in northwestern British Columbia.
Author Edward Hoagland
wrote extensively about Telegraph Creek in his 1969 book Notes from the Century Before: A Journal from British Columbia.
The area surrounding Telegraph Creek holds five British Columbia Provincial parks:
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...
at the confluence of the Stikine River
Stikine River
The Stikine River is a river, historically also the Stickeen River, approximately 610 km long, in northwestern British Columbia in Canada and southeastern Alaska in the United States...
and Telegraph Creek. The only permanent settlement on the Stikine River
Stikine River
The Stikine River is a river, historically also the Stickeen River, approximately 610 km long, in northwestern British Columbia in Canada and southeastern Alaska in the United States...
, it is home to approximately 350 members of the Tahltan First Nation
Tahltan First Nation
The Tahltan First Nation, also known as the Tahltan Indian Band, is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main community and reserves are located at Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. Their language is the Tahltan language, which is an Athabaskan language also known as Nahanni, is...
, as well as another 50 non-native residents. The town offers basic services, including Anglican and Catholic churches, two general stores, a post office, a clinic with several nurses on-call around the clock, two Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
officers, and a k-12 school. Steep river banks and rocky gorges form the terraced nature of the geography.
The community includes Telegraph Creek Indian Reserve No. 6, Telegraph Creek Indian Reserve No. 6A, and Guhthe Tah Indian Reserve No. 11 which are under the governance of the Tahltan First Nation
Tahltan First Nation
The Tahltan First Nation, also known as the Tahltan Indian Band, is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main community and reserves are located at Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. Their language is the Tahltan language, which is an Athabaskan language also known as Nahanni, is...
of Telegraph Creek. Stikine Indian Reserve No. 7, which is one mile west (downstream) and on the opposite side of the Stikine River, is under the governance of the Iskut First Nation
Iskut First Nation
The Iskut First Nation is a band government of the Tahltan people. Their main reserve is Iskut IR No.6, located at Iskut, British Columbia; Kluachon Lake IR No.1 is in the same vicnity, while the band's third reserve, Stikine River IR No. 7 is located one mile west of, and on the opposite side of...
of the settlement of Iskut
Iskut, British Columbia
Iskut is a small, mostly aboriginal community in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia. It is located on Highway 37, at the north end of Eddontenajon Lake just south of Dease Lake and the crossing of the Stikine River...
, which is on the river of the same name
Iskut River
The Iskut River is the largest tributary of the Stikine River in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, entering it a few miles above its entry into Alaska....
. The two bands together comprise the Tahltan Nation
Tahltan Nation
The Tahltan Nation is a tribal council-type organization combining the governments of two band governments of the Tahltan people in the Stikine Country of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The two member governments are the Iskut First Nation and the Tahltan First Nation, which...
.
Tahltan
Tahltan
Tahltan refers to a Northern Athabaskan people who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut.-Social Organization:...
(or Nahanni) refers to a Northern Athabaskan people that live around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake
Dease Lake, British Columbia
Dease Lake is a small community located in the Cassiar Country of the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Located only a few hours south of the Yukon border, it is located on Highway 37 at the south end of the lake of the same name. Dease Lake is the last major centre before the Alaska...
and Iskut
Iskut, British Columbia
Iskut is a small, mostly aboriginal community in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia. It is located on Highway 37, at the north end of Eddontenajon Lake just south of Dease Lake and the crossing of the Stikine River...
.
History
The Stikine regionStikine Country
The Stikine Country, also referred to as the Stikine District or simply "the Stikine" , is one of the historical geographic regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, located inland from the central Alaska Panhandle and comprising the basin of the Stikine River and its tributaries...
is the traditional home of the Tahltan
Tahltan
Tahltan refers to a Northern Athabaskan people who live in northern British Columbia around Telegraph Creek, Dease Lake, and Iskut.-Social Organization:...
people, who have lived there for generations. The modern history of the Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake area dates back to the 1860s and 1870s with the Stikine
Stikine Gold Rush
The Stikine Gold Rush was a minor but important gold rush in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The rush's discoverer was Alexander "Buck" Choquette, who staked a claim at Choquette Bar in 1861, just downstream from the confluence of the Stikine and Anuk Rivers, at...
and Cassiar Gold Rushes. Telegraph Creek witnessed the discovery of gold by prospectors on the Stikine River in the 1860s and was the head of navigation. In 1866, the construction of an overland telegraph line to Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
gave Telegraph Creek its name.
As early as 10,000 years ago, the Tahltan people used obsidian
Obsidian
Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock.It is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimum crystal growth...
from the Mount Edziza volcanic complex
Mount Edziza volcanic complex
The Mount Edziza volcanic complex is a large and potentially active north-south trending complex volcano in Stikine Country, northwestern British Columbia, Canada, located southeast of the small community of Telegraph Creek...
to make tool
Tool
A tool is a device that can be used to produce an item or achieve a task, but that is not consumed in the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different designations such...
s and weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s for trading material. This is the main source of obsidian found in northwestern British Columbia.
Author Edward Hoagland
Edward Hoagland
Edward Hoagland is an author best known for his nature and travel writing.-Life:...
wrote extensively about Telegraph Creek in his 1969 book Notes from the Century Before: A Journal from British Columbia.
Recreation
Telegraph and its surrounding areas are known for their hiking, riverboating, camping, hunting and fishing. There are organized tours lasting from half a day to several days.The area surrounding Telegraph Creek holds five British Columbia Provincial parks:
- Stikine River Provincial ParkStikine River Provincial ParkThe Stikine River Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia. The park covers a total area of approximately 217,000 hectares. The main feature of the Stikine River Provincial Park is a portion of the Stikine River known as "The Grand Canyon"...
and Mount Edziza Provincial Park (both located near Telegraph Creek) - Great Glacier Provincial ParkGreat Glacier Provincial ParkGreat Glacier Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, created to protect the Great Glacier, one of the major sights along the lower Stikine River. The park lies on the river's west bank inland from the British Columbia-Alaska boundary, which lies a few miles downstream...
(100 km to the southwest) - Choquette Hot Springs Provincial ParkChoquette Hot Springs Provincial ParkChoquette Hot Springs Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Stikine Country region of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. Despite the park's name, the official and most commonly used name of the springs it was established to protect is Stikine River Hot Springs...
(southwest of Telegraph Creek) - Border Lake Provincial ParkBorder Lake Provincial ParkBorder Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on the right bank of the Unuk River and extending from that river's crossing of the Canada-United States border upstream.-External links:...
(180 km to the south)
Access
The road to Telegraph Creek is beautiful but rough, with 150 km (93 mi) of gravel, steep gradients (up to 20%), narrow passages along canyon walls with no guardrails, and sharp-angled switchbacks. This road is not suitable for a trailer. The community can also be reached by water and air.See also
- Telegraph Creek AirportTelegraph Creek AirportTelegraph Creek Airport, , is located near to Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, Canada....
- Telegraph Creek Water AerodromeTelegraph Creek Water AerodromeTelegraph Creek Water Aerodrome, , is located west southwest of Telegraph Creek, British Columbia, Canada....
- Iskut, British ColumbiaIskut, British ColumbiaIskut is a small, mostly aboriginal community in the Stikine Country of northwestern British Columbia. It is located on Highway 37, at the north end of Eddontenajon Lake just south of Dease Lake and the crossing of the Stikine River...
External links
- British Columbia.com - Telegraph Creek