Williams Lake

Williams Lake is a town of about 11,000 people in the Cariboo region of British Columbia. With many lakes and ranches in the surrounding areas, it offers many possibilities to visitors. It is also the gateway to the Central Coast of British Columbia.

Understand
The primary industries in Williams Lake are forestry, logging, sawmilling, mining and ranching.



History
Williams Lake is named in honour of Secwepemc (Shuswap) First Nation chief William, whose counsel prevented the Shuswap from joining the Tsilhqot'in in their uprising against the settler population in 1864.

Indigenous activity in Williams Lake (called T'exelc by local First Nations communities) began as much as 4000 years ago. Europeans came into the region in 1860 during the Cariboo Gold Rush when Gold Commissioner Philip Henry Nind and William Pinchbeck, a constable with the British Columbia Provincial Police, arrived from Victoria to organize a local government and maintain law and order.

At the time, two pack trails led to the goldfields, one from the Douglas Road and the other through the Fraser Canyon. They met at Williams Lake, which made it a good choice for settlers and merchants. By 1861, Commissioner Nind had built a government house and had requested the funds to build a jail. With the centre of local government being at Williams Lake, the miners and businessmen all had to travel there to conduct their business and soon the town had a post office, a courthouse, a roadhouse and the jail that Nind had requested. Meanwhile, William Pinchbeck had not been idle and had built his own roadhouse, saloon and store. Eventually he would own most of the valley.

In 1863, the construction of Cariboo Road was rerouted the original trail so that it bypassed Williams Lake and went through 150 Mile House instead. The by-pass doomed the city: Williams Lake was forgotten and wouldn't be reborn until 1919 with the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, now part of the Canadian National Railway. In July 2017, the province of British Columbia declared a state of emergency with more than 200 fires burning, mostly in the central region of the province. Residents from Williams Lake and other communities in central British Columbia such as Ashcroft and 100 Mile House were given evacuation orders.

Williams Lake is the hometown of Rick Hansen, a Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord injuries, who became well known during his fundraising Man in Motion world tour.

Climate
Williams Lake has a humid continental climate with warm summers. Spring is the driest time of year, and summer and winter are the wettest seasons respectively. Williams Lake receives about 2,000 hours of bright sunshine per year, which is more than most of the province. It is also in the rain shadow of the coastal mountains.

By car
Highway 97 passes through Williams Lake from Quesnel to Cache Creek. Williams Lake is at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 20.

Airlines
Canadian airlines operating to Williams Lake:



Drink
Williams Lake being a small town doesn't have a great nightlife but on the weekend the drinking establishments do pick up. Best plan is to start at Oliver Street Bar and Grill and then move on to the Overlander pub for dancing after 9PM. Looking for a more laid back environment? Oliver Street has more of a sports bar atmosphere. While those looking for a casual evening out could try The Point located above Chances Casino or The Laughing Loon which was featured on HGTV's Timber Kings.



Go next

 * Go camping at Horsefly Lake Provincial Park.