Fort Fraser, British Columbia

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This article is about the place in British Columbia. For other meanings, see Fort Fraser (disambiguation).

The Apostolic Lutheran Church in Fort Fraser

Fort Fraser is a community of about 1000 people, situated 54.06424° N 124.54823° W near the base of Mount Fraser, close to both Fraser Lake and the Nechako River. It can be found near the geographical centre of British Columbia, Canada, 44 km west of Vanderhoof on the Yellowhead Highway. Originally established in 1806 as a North West Company fur trading post by the explorer Simon Fraser, it is one of present-day British Columbia's oldest permanent European-founded settlements. The area around the community is also recorded as the site of the first land in British Columbia cultivated by non-First Nations people.

The original site of the fort is 4km to the west, in Beaumont Provincial Park. In 1911, the fort was relocated to nearby Nadleh Village, and later closed in 1915. The present community is located at the site of the last spike of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, driven on April 7, 1914. Today, Fort Fraser is an active community sustained by both forestry and tourism.

The Fort Fraser Fall Fair is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in BC. The event has run annually since 1928, on the Labour Day weekend in September.

Driving of the last spike of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway at Fort Fraser, April 7, 1914

Local facilities include:

3 churches - United Church of Canada, Apostolic Lutheran Church (est. 1928 by St. Mary's Anglican Church), and Church of the Nazarene
Petro-Canada gas station/grocery store/restaurant
Last Spike Pub, Cold Beer & Wine store
Fraser Mountain Restaurant (currently vacant)
Community hall
Post-office
Motel
Laundromat
Visitor information centre