Have you ever looked at a street name sign and wondered “where on earth did they come up with that”? Streets can be named for all sorts of things. Here in Barriere, we have a few streets named after trees: Birch Lane, Jackpine Drive, Lodgepole Road, and Spruce Crescent. We also have a couple named after birds: Oriole Way and Robin Drive. There are a whole bunch named after what the street runs next to, or ends up at; such as Airfield Road (next to what used to be an airfield), Dunn Lake Road (which you take to get to Dunn Lake), Power Road (which got you to where Barriere used to have a power station once upon a time), Leonie Creek Road… well, you get the idea. There are also around 16 or 17 Forest Service Roads, mostly named after the creeks or lakes that they run along. And then there are the roads named after people.
Armour Road was named for Samuel and Emily Armour who moved to Louis Creek in 1909, buying the Dixon Valley Ranch, then selling it after 1917. Armour Mountain was also named for them. Bannister and Carlson Roads were named for Ernest Bannister, and his sister Bertha and her husband Bernard Carlson. Ernest tried farming for a few years growing hay, then gave up and moved in with his sister and her husband. The Carlsons bought several parcels of land in 1918, turning them into a thriving farm before selling in 1981. Bartlett Road was named for the Bartlett family that came to Barriere around the early 1930’s. They were very active in the community and with the Anglican Church. The Church was built on land that they donated. Borthwick Avenue was named for the Borthwicks who moved into Barriere in 1909 on property near Dunn Lake Road. Some members of the family moved to Chinook Cove in 1929, and others to Louis Creek around 1939. Bradford Road was named for the Bradfords who moved into Barriere in 1947. They were very active, being involved with the Chinook Cove Hall Association, the Farmer’s Institute, the Chamber of Commerce, the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo Association, and the Barriere United Church. Genier Road was named for brothers Gilbert and Napoleon. Gilbert and his wife Adeline moved to Barriere in 1904. Napoleon and his wife Ada arrived in Little Fort in 1896. The two families were very active in the two communities and some of their descendants still live in the area.
Haggard Road was named for Fred and Annie Haggard, who moved to Barriere in 1911. Fred farmed and worked for the B.C. Forest Service and Annie volunteered as secretary for the Barriere School District for many years. McLean Road was named for Robert and Hellen McLean, who came to Little Fort in 1957. Robert go a job working on a gravel crusher for Dawson Wade Company, making ballast for the CN Rail. They were active in the community.
Mitchell Road was named for the Mitchell family. Thomas and Elizabeth moved into Barriere in 1933, establishing a cattle herd. Thomas was active in encouraging the formation of the Barriere Flying Club and building of the Barriere airstrip. The whole family was, and still is, very active in the community.
Nelson Road – there were two different Nelson families who came to Barriere, either may be the one the road was named for, but I’ve been unable to confirm which. One family was Theodore and his wife Elizabeth, and Theodore’s brother Charles. The other family was James and his wife Katherine Lily. Both families were active in the community and there are still Nelsons living in the area today.
Newberry Road was named for Norman and Rosanna Newberry, who moved to Barriere in 1938. They and their children have lived, worked, and volunteered in the area ever since. Price Road was named for Herbert and Isabella Price, who came to Chinook Cove in 1910. Herbert helped build the first Church in Chinook Cove. The family was very active in the area.
Salle Road was named for Ernst and Emma Salle and their family. They came to Canada in 1912, ending up in Chinook Cove, on Boulder Mountain Road. They and their children were very involved in the community of Barriere and the surrounding area and some of their descendants still live here.
Shaver Road – Clyde and Nancy Shave came to Louis Creek in 1919. In 1932, Nancy left the homestead, moving into Barriere, and moved again in 1935 to a home at the end of what is now Shaver Road.
There are over 30 more roads in Barriere that have been named after people other than those mentioned here. What is the story behind them?
You can learn a lot about area history by borrowing a copy of Exploring Our Roots from the TNRD Library on Barriere Town Road, or by dropping in to the North Thompson Museum on Lilley Road (call first to make sure they are open).