McLeod Lake, British Columbia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

McLeod Lake is a lake and a community located on Highway 97 in Northeast British Columbia, 88 miles (140 km) north of Prince George. It is notable for being the first continuously inhabited European settlement established west of the Rocky Mountains in present-day Canada. Originally named Trout Lake Fort, it was founded by the explorer Simon Fraser in 1805. The present name of the town and lake honours Archibald McLeod, an employee of the North West Company.

It currently has a population of just over 100, the main residents being an Athabascan Sekani people known as "Tse'Khene" (the people of the rock, in reference to the Rocky Mountains). Having signed Treaty 8 in the year 2000, the natives of the community are trying to direct themselves towards self government and employment stability.

The lake itself is 2290 ha. (5656.3 ac.).