This geocache is part of the Gold Country GeoTour – The Prequel: Be A Guest. This GeoTour focuses on a step back in time to learn about before the Gold Rush ensued: languages of the region’s culturally diverse families, handed down traditions such as recipes, flora and fauna, historic sites of significance, and points of interest. These stories will help preserve the oral languages and traditions of the region as well as assist in educating visitors and locals alike to the cultural diversity and environmental sensitivity of the region.
Hat Creek
Historic Site of Significance
Since time immemorial, Hat Creek has been a central gathering place for the Bonaparte First Nations. Hat Creek is a tributary of the Bonaparte River in British Columbia, Canada, joining that stream at Carquile, which is also known as Lower Hat Creek.
The Hat Creek basin is located in the Clear Range and Cornwall Hills, which are surrounded by a broad upper plateau region encircled by the mild but towering peaks of the Clear Range to its east and the Cornwall Hills, respectively. Upper Hat Creek serves as a gateway to Marble Canyon for St'at'imc and Secwepemc peoples.
Hat Creek is important to First Nations people for many reasons. It is a place where they can access food and medicine, and it is also a place of great spiritual importance. The lands now known as Hat Creek, British Columbia, have a long and complex history. First inhabited by Indigenous people, the area was originally a part of the Shuswap Nation. However, in the early 1800s, the nation was divided into two parts: the northernmost section became the Nlaka'pamux Nation, while the southern portion became the Secwepemc Nation. Traditionally indigenous people summered in pit houses on Hat Creek.
It is also a place of great natural beauty, with hiking and camping opportunities abound. If you are looking to experience a taste of Canada's Indigenous history, Hat Creek is the perfect place to start. In the 1800s, Chief Trader Donald McLean and his family moved to the Kamloops area and began employing members of the First Nations community. The area changed hands several times over the next few decades, before finally being settled by European settlers in the 1840s.
Although gold was discovered in the area in 1852, it was not until 1858 that significant amounts of gold were mined. The first Europeans to arrive in the Hat Creek area were members of the Hudson's Bay Company, who established a trading post there in the 1860s. The Hudson's Bay Company employed many of the Bonaparte First Nations people, and there was a strong relationship between the two groups. However, this relationship began to change in the late 1800s when gold was discovered in Hat Creek. Thousands of prospectors descended on the area, causing great upheaval for the Bonaparte First Nations people.
The land is rich in resources that have provided the people with food and medicine. Hat Creek is a place of great historical importance and has been designated as a National Historic Site. To this day, there is still a strong relationship between the Bonaparte First Nations and Historic Hat Creek Ranch. Hat Creek is a key part of Indigenous history and reconciliation efforts in British Columbia. Visitors to Hat Creek can learn about the rich culture and history of the First Nations people. The resulting Gold Rush led to a boom in population and economic growth. Today, Hat Creek is a popular tourist destination, known for its scenic beauty and rich history.
Researched By Misty Antoine and Written by Brandy Cooper – Chardon
Sources:
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=2856
https://www.historichatcreek.ca/indigenous-interpret-site/
Hat Creek (British Columbia) - Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat_Creek_(British_Columbia).