The name Squamish means, "Mother of the Wind", in Coast Salish, and is testimony to the winds, which rise from the north before noon and blow steadily until dusk. Before the white man came to the Squamish Valley, the Squohomish tribes inhabited the area. These tribes lived in North Vancouver and came to the Squamish Valley to hunt and fish. The first contact with the tribes had with the white man was in 1792 when Captain Vancouver came to Squamish to trade with the Indians near the residential area of Brackendale, (where the original Squamish Nations Reserve was first located).
During the 1850's gold miners came to find gold and an easier route to the Interior. After this, a cattle trail was built between Lillooet to the Lynn Valley, but it was only used for one year because it was too dangerous.
Van Bremner then staked land on the old town site to pasture his cattle and raised beef to feed the newly formed town of Moodyville, which is now Vancouver; he then travelled back and forth to Squamish by boat. Next the Norwegians came and tried to farm but were flooded out so they retreated to a different area to try again.
In 1888, the Robertson family settled on the banks of the Mamquam River. The route of Mamquam River at that time was quite different from what you see today because three floods drastically changed it's original appearance. The Robertson family encouraged the Rae family to come out from the prairies to settle and it was from the Rae family that the first white child was born in the Squamish Valley. Supplies for these families had to be brought in by boat from Vancouver (Moodyville).
In 1889, Henry Judd built a home in the residential area of Brackendale. After this, many other settlers started to relocate to the Squamish Valley, including the Magee's who took over the area that is now downtown Squamish, and operated a hay ranch.
Mr. Mashiter came and built the first store and became the first postmaster. Generally speaking, all the settlers that came to the valley were farmers.
The first school was built in 1893 and was located just north of the Mamquam Bridge, there were only nine children enrolled in the school at that time. A second school was built in Brackendale in 1905 just north of Leskie's crossing. You can still see the large Beechnut Tree that was planted by one of the pupils.
In the early 1900's Mr. Bracken moved to what is now Brackendale. The Thorne family settled just north of the Easter Seal Camp where they established a hop farm. A row of hardwood trees can still be seen from the highway where their farm originated. The majority of people at that time lived in the Brackendale area rather than the downtown area of Squamish. In 1902, Galbraith built the first established Hotel on the old dock in Squamish. At that time the upper Squamish Valley began to open up, it was a hard way of life for the settlers that came to the area.
During the 1900's logging began up in the Diamond Head area. Using oxen, they skidded logs into the Squamish River, which was their only way of transporting the logs at that time, the name of this logging company was Norton & McKinnon. Logging was and still is one of the primary industries in Squamish.
In 1927 the Pacific Great Eastern Railway connected Prince George to Quesnel. Years later, in 1954 the rail line was opened from Vancouver to Prince George. Until that time, the people whom settled in the Squamish Valley had to rely on boats that regularly came up the Howe Sound carrying passengers and supplies.
In 1958, Highway 99 was opened and shortly thereafter it continued on north through to Whistler and Pemberton. Squamish was no longer an isolated community and has since continued to grow and prosper. Squamish now has a population of approximately 15,000.
Place Names
ALICE LAKE- after Alice, wife of Charles Ruse who settled in the District around 1888
BLACK TUSK - (Garibaldi Park) Descriptive of this peak with its lava top. The Squamish Nation name for it signified, "Landing place of the Thunderbird". Squamish People believed that the magic Thunder Bird lived on top of black tusk, flapping its wings to cause thunder and shooting lightening bolts from his eyes at anyone who came to close.
BRACKENDALE - after Thomas Hirst Bracken, Squamish's first Postmaster, (1906-1912).
The Squamish Nation name for Brackendale is "See-Yea-Chum" meaning FULL.
BRANDYWINE FALLS- Two Explanations
1. In 1910, the Howe Sound and Northern Railway had a survey party here. Jack Nelson who was in charge, made a bet with Bob Mollison, an Axe man as to the height of the falls, Nelson wagered his brandy against Mollisons bottle of wine. When the height was measured with a chain Mollison won, Nelson handed over his bottle of brandy and named the falls "Brandywine Falls".
2. Around 1890 Charles Chandler and George Mitchell passed out here after lacing their tea too generously with brandy and wine.
BRITANNIA BEACH- takes its name from the Britannia Mountain Range, which rises behind it. Around 1859 Captain Richards of the Royal Navy Survey Ship, The Plumber, named these mountains after the H.M.S. Britannia.
CHEAKAMUS RIVER- Located north of Squamish. Derived from the Squamish Nation name meaning, "Salmon Weir Place".
CHEEKEYE RIVER- flows west into the Cheakamus River. Derived from the Squamish Nation name for Mount Garibaldi, meaning "Dirty Place" (perhaps due to the appearance of old snow on the mountain).
GARIBALDI MOUNTAIN- a colourful story states that Mount Garibaldi was named by an Italian serving as a sailor, Giuseppe Garibaldi. While on a survey ship, the mountain was in full view and being that it was Garibaldi's Birthday, the beautiful mountain was named accordingly. All that can be said for certain is that Captain Richards of H.M. Survey Ship Plumper officially confirmed the name, whatever the exact origins, sometime around 1860. Garibaldi Park was created in 1927. The Garibaldi Station on BC Rail was formerly known as the Daisy Lake Station.
Captain Vancouver named HOWE SOUND- after Earl Howe had won in his most famous battle in 1794, the battle that has gone down in the annals of the Royal Navy as the Glorious First of June. On that day he not only defeated a superior French fleet but also captured no less than seven ships of the line. When he returned from this great victory the royal family visited him aboard his flagship. H.M.S. Queen Charlotte and the King presented him with a sword with a diamond-studded hilt, valued at three thousand guineas. Because of the consideration Lord Howe showed his crew, he was known as "The Sailors Friend;" their nickname for him was "Black Bird". On the morning of his great victory, one of his seamen was heard to say, " I think we shall have a fight today. Black Bird has been smiling". In 1859-60 Captain Richard R.N. named many of the islands, points and mountains in Howe Sound after officers and ships which had been in service on, "The glorious first of June," as Captain Walbrun has noted, "This Sound is a reward of the Battle".
MAMQUAM RIVER- Flows west into the Squamish River. The meaning of the Squamish Nation Name is uncertain. One source says it is an onomatopoeia echoing the murmur of smooth-running stretches of the river.
PORTEAU- Meaning "Watergate" was suggested around 1908 by a Mr. Newberry of Deeks Sand and Gaud Company.
SHANNON CREEK (FALLS)- Named after William Shannon (1843-1928), who manufactured bricks here before World War 1.
SQUAMISH- this town and Squamish River take their name from the local Squamish Nation tribe and no meaning is known. Around 1912 some real-estate promoters, thinking a more "civilized" name would attract customers, renamed Squamish "Newport". The name was never popular with local people and a few years later the railway held a contest inviting school children throughout the province to select a new name and win a $500 reward. The prize-winning name was the old name, Squamish.
TANTALUS RANGE - North of the Howe Sound. According to the ancient Greek myth, the gods to punish tantalus afflicted him with thirst and hunger while keeping him lashed to a tree.
