Peace River Country

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The Peace River Country (or Peace Country) is prairie land around the Peace River. It spans from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia. It includes the incorporated towns of Grande Prairie, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, and Chetwynd. It has no fixed boundaries but covers an area of approximately 100,000 miles² to 150,000 miles².[1]

In British Columbia, the area extends from Monkman Provincial Park an Tumbler Ridge in the south, to Hudson's Hope and the Williston Lake in the west, to Fort Saint John and Charlie Lake in the north. In Alberta, the region stretches from Grande Paririe and Valleyview in the south, to High Prairie and Lesser Slave Lake in the east, to Fort Vermilion, High Level and Rainbow Lake in the north.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

The area was first explored by Sir Alexander MacKenzie in 1789, when he travelled along the Peace River, eventually reaching the Mackenzie River and the Arctic Ocean. In 1793 he used the same route to reach the Pacific Ocean.[3] Subsequently, the region saw a surge in fur trade, with forts built along the river from Fort Vermillion to Hudson's Hope.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the farming potential of the area was advertised by the federal government, but settlement was scarce due to difficult travel conditions through the muskeg. With the arrival of the railway in 1916, and following the opening of land for homesteaders in 1910, farming and ranching took off in the fertile Peace Country.

Economy registered a new boost with the discovery of oil and gas in the region. In 1952, gas was struck in the Fort St. John No. 1 well, and the first refinery was built in 1957 at Taylor.

[edit] Economy

The city of Grande Prairie and the prairie land
The city of Grande Prairie and the prairie land

Peace Country contains Canada's northernmost lands suitable for agriculture. Crops raised include canola, oats, peas and barley. Some cattle ranching and beekeeping is also done in the area.

Industry is mostly composed of oil and gas extraction and logging. Lumber, oriented strand board, and pulp are produced in many lumber mills throughout the region.

[edit] Infrastructure

Peace Country is crossed by the southern leg of the Alaska Highway, the western extremity of AB highway 43 and the southern portion of the Mackenzie Highway. Other important transportation routes include the northern part of AB highway 2, BC highway 29, BC highway 97 and AB highway 49.[2]

Regional air transport hubs are Grande Prairie Airport and Peace River Airport in Alberta and Fort St. John Airport in Fort St. John, British Columbia.

Health care is provided through the Peace Country Health Region in Alberta and Northern Health in British Columbia.

[edit] See also

[edit] Reference

  1. ^ Henry M. Leppard (January 1935). "The Settlement of the Peace River Country" Geographical Review, Vol. 25, No. 1 , pp. 62-78
  2. ^ a b Discover the Peace Country. Peace Country Map. Retrieved on 2006-01-07.
  3. ^ Les McLaughlin, Legion Magazine. Peace River Country. Retrieved on 2006-01-07.

[edit] External links

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