East Kootenay is a recent addition to the world view of European explorers and cartographers. The Ktunaxa (Kootenay) people have lived and travelled the region since time began, but have left few maps. They have, though, constructed numerous pictograph sites which chart some of their movements through this region. We have borrowed a few representative drawings from John Corner's 1968 work, Pictographs in the Interior of British Columbia. David Thompson, beginning in 1807, left a more conventional record which has been added to and embellished by Blakiston, Palliser, Baillie-Grohman, the North-West Mounted Police, McVittie and countless other explorers, surveyors and intellectual organizers.

Fort Steele Heritage Town has approximately 4,000 maps in its archives, and we have chosen to present the following representative sample. This is another way of seeing and understanding the complex and intriguing topography that East Kootenay represents...

Site 74 Site Name: Washout Creek No 1. Direction in which main panel faces: West. Type of Rock: Granite outcrop. In the area of the Kootenay Language Group. This group is painted on an upright granite surface about 12 feet above the ground. It is easily reached by climbing a granite incline but is a most uncomfortable place to stand while sketching. Red was the only colour used. Note the large painting of a dog or wolf (fig. h) and the unique six-legged creatures (fig a).

Site 75 Site Name: Washout Creek No. 2 Sturgeon. Direction in which the main panel faces: West. Type of rock: Granite outcrop. In the area of the Kootenay Language group. This fine panel of pictographs is interesting of itself, and the pictographs have been painted with unusually perceptive and expressive exactness. These tiny, fine lined pictographs necessitated that the drawing be reproduced to twice scale size. Figs a and c may represent fish of the sturgeon species, since white sturgeon are not uncommon in Kootenay Lake and River. Fig. h could be another representation of a sturgeon with the oblique lines representing some of the dorsal shields. The anthropomorphic fig. b with a single feather headdress is apparently attempting to spear a fish. The panel is set in a protected recess about 20 feet above ground level. It is a tricky little climb to get close to the pictographs which are painted on a smooth panel of jointed granite.

Site 76 Site Name: Huscroft Mill. Direction in which main panel faces: South. Type of Rock: Granite outcrop. In the area of the Kootenay Language Group. The area surrounding the rounded granite outcrop on which these red pictographs are painted is typical of the Creston Flats. Before the advent of the dykes this whole area at the south end of Kootenay Lake was inundated during high water. The panel, 5 feet high by 4 feet wide is situated under a rock overhang about 12 feet above ground level and surrounded by a 50-foot high amphitheater of smooth granite rock. There are some badly worn pictographs on the panel and others around the west side of the rock. Smoke soot deposits suggest that this spot was used as a campsite during low water. The top of the rocky prominence would also provide a place for camping with good all around observation during high water. The fine-lined pictograph (fig. g) is painted in a light rusty red.

Site 77 Site Name: Canal Flats. Direction in which main panel faces: West. In the Area of the Kootenay Language Group. This site is situated at the base of a towering rocky cliff. An active imagination can visualize a hunting party or successful war party returning with prisoners, the red blobs (figs b, c, p and r). Note too, that some of the warriors are shown with their bows facing south (figs. a, f, g) whereas others face north (figs. e, h, k). Considerable damage has been inflicted on some of these pictographs by chipping, especially figs, j, m and q. All these pictographs are painted in red. Figs. r and t constitute a separate panel situated on a granite outcrop beside a trail leading east off the road about 400 yards north of the main site. The two large arrows look very much like directional markers. This is on private property so ask permission before entering.

Wild Horse Creek The Prospector's Map of Wild Horse Creek, East Kootenay, B.C. (1896). Drawn by A. B. Grace and published in The Prospector newspaper. Scale: 1/2" = 1 mile. A.B. Grace, editor and publisher of The Prospector, was a tireless promoter of Fort Steele and its mining potential. This map is very useful in listing the early claims on Wild Horse Creek. It also locates Fisherville, the early town at Wild Horse, and shows the system of ditches developed to service the claims located at a distance from the creek.

Kootenay District Map of the Kootenay District in British Columbia (1885). The sub-legend reads: "Lands covered by the Government Concession to the Kootenay Valleys Co. (Ltd.) of London, England." Scale: 1" = 10 miles. It is interesting that Fort Steele does not exist on this map (designated simply as a "Ferry") but Cranbrook is shown as being synonymous with Joseph's Prairie. The coal beds are located in the Crow's Nest Pass and the "Kootenay Lake and Crows Nest Railway" comes through the Pass to Cranbrook while the "East Columbia Railway Company (charter applied for)" runs from Cranbrook along the west side of Kootenay River to Golden City and the C.P.R. Also notice that Kootenay City is established at Canal Flat ("site of proposed canal which will connect the navigable waters of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers giving 200 miles of navigation controlled by Canal"). This is truly a map designed to promote a speculator's singular vision of development.

Baillie-Grohman Canal Plan No. 2 [Baillie-Grohman Canal] (c. 1885). Drawn by W.A. Baillie-Grohman. This plan shows the Canadian Pacific Railway going across the top at Golden and the Northern Pacific Railway going across the bottom through Sandpoint, Idaho. The top notation, on the Columbia River, says "At this point river is unnavigable on acct. of snags, etc.". The map lays out the Kootenay River bottom lands Baillie-Grohman was interested in claiming as a land grant for building the canal. It estimates the area of bottom land between the Canal and the United States boundary at 23,500 acres.The lower notation reads "this portion of the river is quite unnavigable on account of heavy falls - WABG". The map is very good for showing trail systems existing between East and West Kootenay.

Upper Kootenay [Plan showing proposed canal connecting Upper Columbia Lake with Kootenay River] (c. 1885). Drawn by W.A. Baillie-Grohman. Scale: 1" = 500 feet. [From Privy Council Office records]. This plan, which was part of Baillie-Grohman's submission to the federal government, shows the proposed location of the original canal which had no locks. The overall length was to be 5,230 feet. It was built largely with Chinese labour.

Baillie-Grohman's Canal (1976) View of Baillie-Grohman's Canal (1976). Drawn by David Morley. This view shows the overall position of the Kootenay River in reference to Upper Columbia Lake, the headwaters of the Columbia River system. When Baillie-Grohman constructed his canal he effectively turned East and West Kootenay into the largest island in North America.

Plan of a LOCK [Plan of a LOCK, as pertaining to Baillie-Grohman's canal at Canal Flat] (1976). Drawn by David Morley. This drawing demonstrates the facility Ottawa required W.A. Baillie-Grohman to construct at Canal Flat. A navigable canal in name only, the 45 foot wide ditch was negotiated twice - in 1894 by the Gwendoline which was brought south by Frances Patrick Armstrong to work the Kootenay River, and in 1902 when the North Star was taken north to work the Columbia River system.

East Kootenay by Sam Steele Map to Accompany Report of Supt. S.B. Steele, Commanding the Detachment of Mounted Police in British Columbia (1888). Scale: 2" = 25 miles. This map shows East Kootenay as Sam Steele knew it in 1887. The NWMP patrols are shown, as are many of the landowners present in the region. Cranbrook is designated simply "Col. Baker's". The document imparts a feeling of the importance geography had to the military-like operation conducted by Supt. Steele.

Townsite Plan of Dalgardno Plan of the Townsite of Dalgardno (1896). Drawn by Harry L. Cummins. Scale: 1" = 200 feet. Dalgardno was part of Robert Mather's ranch on the Kootenay River seven miles above Fort Steele. When the North Star mine started to high-grade its ore and ship to smelters in the United States, it constructed the McGinty Trail from the mine to North Star Landing. Mather, always awake to opportunity, was convinced that Dalgardno would eclipse Fort Steele. Unfortunately, Dalgardno never got past the paper stage, like so many other promotions in East Kootenay.

Mining Recording Division's MAP of KOOTENAY (1897) Mining Recording Division's MAP of the West Division of KOOTENAY DISTRICT and a portion of Lillooet, Yale And East Kootenay, B.C. (1897). Compiled by Direction of The Honourable G.B. Martin, Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works, Victoria, B.C. Scale: 1" = 8 miles. This sheet offers a good summary of East Kootenay prior to the development of mining and townsites which resulted from the hard rock development and the settlement boom spilling over from the prairies. Note that it is still Canal Flat, not the Canal Flats of today. Invermere and Kimberley do not exist yet, but Thunder Hill does as a stop on the stage road. Both the Walla Walla and Kalispell Roads are shown clearly.

Fort Steele Townsite (1897) Fort Steele Townsite [before addition], East Kootenay (May 10, 1897). Drawn by Thomas T. McVittie. Scale: 1" = 200 feet. This sheet clearly shows the bridge across the Kootenay River at Fort Steele, with Bridge Road coming up to connect with Main Street in Fort Steele. The size and shape of lots along the river side of Riverside Avenue are clearly shown, as is the full plan of the core townsite.

Fort Steele Mining Division (1897) Fort Steele Mining Division (1897). Drawn by Thomas T. McVittie. Published by Cann & Co., Fort Steele. Commissioned by the Fort Steele book and sheet music store, this map presents the idealized version of what Fort Steele residents wanted to have happen. It shows the Crows Nest Railway splitting at Rampart with a spur built into Fort Steele. This never happened. Note the spelling of "Kimberly" and the never realized townsite of Johannesburg up Perry Creek. Both of these placenames reflect the preoccupation of East Kootenay residents with the events of the Boer War in South Africa.

East Kootenay Triangulation Survey Triangulation Survey of Portion of East Kootenay / Plan Showing Position of Mineral Monuments (1898). Drawn by E.A. Cleveland. This is a good map for showing elevations and the arrangement of early mineral claims, including the very important North Star and Sullivan Groups. This sheet shows the full run of the CPR's Crowsnest Pass Branch, missing Fort Steele and heading directly to Cranbrook. Another important feature of this map is the very clear presentation of the drainages throughout the area.

Plan of Fort Steele Plan of Fort Steele, East Kootenay, B.C. - First Addition (1899). Drawn by Thomas T. McVittie. This shows the addition of the townsite, announced to once again focus attention on a fading town. It shows the addition of Government, Ida, La Rue, Ethel, Laura and Wild Horse Avenues, with the Kalispell Road feeding directly into Wild Horse Avenue. New streets include John, Herbert, James and Mary. The original mouth of the St. Mary's River is also clear here, allowing one to calculate the location of the original ferry which was just downstream from this mouth.

Fort Steele (1899) Fort Steele, East Kootenay, B.C. - Population 700 (July, 1899). Drawn by F. Goad. Scale: 1" = 50 feet. This plan is one of the most important documents we have at our disposal at Fort Steele Heritage Town. Fire insurance plans were drawn up to give insurance companies a record of what they were insuring. It indicates the materials used in construction, the number of stories, the size of the building, and much more very useful information. This particular plan shows graphically all the structures that existed in Fort Steele in 1913. By looking underneath the corrections we can also determine all the structures that existed in 1899. Section 1 - Section 2 - Section 3

Fort Steele Townsite, 1899-1913 Fort Steele Townsite, 1899-1913 (1985). Drawn by William Blaine. This is a composite map derived from the three sheets of the original Fire Insurance Plan [#14 above]. This document summarizes what is known about Fort Steele's buildings as they were in their original settings. The legend includes: buildings now in original location (1985); buildings moved to new location; no longer in existence; destroyed by fire. The size and sprawl of the original townsite is most easily determined from this document.

Canadian Pacific Railway - KOOTENAY DISTRICT Portion of Map of Canadian Pacific Railway - KOOTENAY DISTRICT BRITISH COLUMBIA, 1900 (1965). This map shows what happened to the railway after Colonel James Baker negotiated the final charter in Ottawa. The line that would have logically proceeded along the east side of the Kootenay River to the largest town in the district and seat of regional government, Fort Steele, was never built. Instead the main line crossed at Wardner, proceeded to James Baker's townsite of Cranbrook, and then south to Moyie. Fort Steele was without a railway connection until the Kootenay Central line finally arrived in 1915.

Townsite of Cranbrook (c.1905) Townsite of Cranbrook / The Divisional Point of the Crow's Nest Pass Railway in East Kootenay Dist., B.C. (c.1905). Scale: 1" = 200 feet. This early plan of the townsite of Cranbrook shows the original street names before they were converted to numbers. Van Horne Street (now Highway 3), Cranbrook, Kootenay and Baker Streets are all that remain. The names shown here represent a graphic history of turn-of-the-century East Kootenay pioneers. Watt Avenue: for Dr. Hugh Watt, early doctor of Fort Steele, and former member for Cariboo of the B.C. Legislature. Dewar Avenue: for Robert Dewar, an early prospector for whom Dewar Creek and hotsprings are now named. French Avenue: for William French, an early agriculturist and rancher in the Wolf Creek area. Clark Avenue: for one of the first Customs Inspectors and Fort Steele postmasters. Durick Avenue: for James Durick, early merchant and promoter at Fort Steele (of Carlin & Durick notoriety). Hanson Avenue: for Nils Hanson who developed a beautiful orchard/hotel/store/resort complex at Wasa before moving into Cranbrook to become a very successful businessman there. Armstrong Avenue: for J.F. Armstrong, early government official of East Kootenay. Norbury Avenue: for F.P. Norbury, son of an English lord who came to East Kootenay early, staying with Michael Phillipps before moving to Fort Steele and assuming several government positions. He developed a ranch east of Fort Steele at Norbury Lake. Fenwick Avenue: for Thomas Fenwick, an early English settler, trader, rancher, and a man who had a good spoken command of the Ktunaxa language. Edwards Street: for Charles Edwards, rancher, government official and active sportsman around Fort Steele and Cranbrook. Hyde Street: for Valentine Hyde Baker, son of James Baker and townsite agent for Cranbrook. Baker Street: for Colonel James Baker, English entrepreneur, member for East Kootenay and Cabinet Minister in the B.C. Legislature, and owner of Cranbrook townsite. It was he who coerced the Canadian Pacific Railway to bypass Fort Steele and make Cranbrook the divisional point.

East & West Kootenay (1902) Map of East & West Kootenay (1902). Scale: 1" = 8 miles. This map is useful geographically as it shows most of the major passes between southern British Columbia and Alberta. It also demonstrates the tremendous growth in the area post-1897. New towns like Galena, Athelmer, Canterbury and Swansea, all on the old travel corridor, are joined by Wardner, Jaffray, Elko, Morrissey, Coal Creek, Fernie, Hosmer, Sparwood, Michel and Crowsnest. Capital development has arrived and the country is filling up.

Game Map Game Map of the Elk River District - East Kootenay District, B.C.(c. 1920). Drawn by I. J. Brown, Provincial Constable. Scale: 1" = 2 miles. This is a delightful map that shows the distribution of game populations as known by one who walked the whole of the territory frequently. It is often used to settle arguments between ranchers and hunters as to whether or not historic populations of ungulates existed in a particular location.

Camp One Camp One - Otis Staples Lumber Company (June 14, 1976). Drawn by W. R. Selby. Scale: 1" = 50 feet. This is a mapping of a portion of one of the largest railway logging operations to operate in this area. With headquarters in Wycliffe, the Otis Staples Lumber Company ran spurs over much of the territory on both sides of the Kootenay River. This is a representation of the size and scale of lumbering operation that rose to take over from the mining industry in the twentieth century.