Thompson Country
Encyclopedia
The Thompson Country, also referred to as The Thompson and in some ways as the Thompson Valley and historically known as the Couteau Country or Couteau District, is a historic geographic region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia
, based around the basin of the Thompson River
, a tributary of the Fraser
and focused on the city of Kamloops.
to the north and the Columbia District
or Oregon Country
to the south. It remains in use today, though not as an official designation, but in combination forms such as the Thompson-Okanagan or Thompson-Nicola Regional District or, in weather forecasts and tourism uses, Thompson-Shuswap. Although strictly referring to the entire Thompson basin, and potentially used in that context, more commonly it refers to the immediate vicinity of the Thompson River, with subareas such as the Bonaparte Country or Nicola Country
usually referred to separately, and the term "North Thompson" used to refer to the valley of the North Thompson River. The term "South Thompson" refers not only to the short valley of the South Thompson River but also to Kamloops and towns westward along the Thompson and the Trans-Canada Highway
as far as Spences Bridge
. The Thompson Canyon downstream from there to Lytton
at the Thompson's confluence with the Fraser, is usually referred to as being part of the Fraser Canyon, as is also the usual usage to mean the highway from Hope
to Spences Bridge or sometimes Cache Creek
.
and Thompson Plateau
respectively). Because of the low elevation of the valley's floor, winter temperatures are not too severe, and with the region in the immediate rainshadow or the Coast Mountains
and Cascade Range
, summer temperatures are among the hottest in Canada. The main image of the region is sagebrush and rangeland, with benchlands flanking the Thompson's deepening canyon from Savona
downstream, and desert and, higher up, pine-covered mountains and hillsides flanking the river and Kamloops Lake
, which lies at the heart of the region. Lytton vies with nearby Lillooet
for the title of "Canada's Hot Spot", with summer temperatures regularly above 40 °C (104 °F). Ranching is the historic core of the economy in the South Thompson and the adjoining Nicola and Bonaparte Countries, and also northeast of Kamloops in the Shuswap Highland
country towards Adams Lake
and the rest of the Shuswap Country
. Logging and tourism are other traditionally-important industries, especially in the North Thompson.
people. From Spences Bridge downstream the Thompson as well as the Nicola is the territory of the various Nlaka'pamux
nations.
The Thompson Country, the South Thompson in particular, was one of the first areas of the Colony of British Columbia
which were opened up to land alienation and active settlement. Originally traversed by fur traders using what was known as the Brigade Trail, which ran from the Okanagan
via Kamloops northwestward to Green Lake
, by the last leg of the Okanagan Trail
from Washington Territory
to the Fraser Canyon
, and its western extremity was the key section of the Cariboo Road
connecting the Fraser Canyon
to the Cariboo Plateau
and its distant goldfields, it has been the scene of many important episodes in the history of British Columbia. Many of the earliest ranches in the Interior remain today, with the Douglas Lake Ranch, based in the Nicola Country but spanning the Thompson and including some of the Shuswap, one of the world's largest. Near Cache Creek, the historic Ashcroft Manor and Semlin Ranch and others were British military land-grants, the Ashcroft and Semlin Ranches home respectively to a Lieutenant-Governor and a Premier. The Thompson's settlement and history and economy have been dominated by the presence of both transcontinental rail lines flanking the Thompson, with the Canadian National Railway coming down the North Thompson, the Canadian Pacific Railway along the South Thompson.
British Columbia Interior
The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
, based around the basin of the Thompson River
Thompson River
The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches called the South Thompson and the North Thompson...
, a tributary of the Fraser
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
and focused on the city of Kamloops.
Origin and usage
The term first originated in the days of the fur trade as lying between New CaledoniaNew Caledonia (Canada)
New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely coterminous with the present-day province of British Columbia, Canada. Though not a British colony, New Caledonia was part of the British claim to North America. Its administrative...
to the north and the Columbia District
Columbia District
The Columbia District was a fur trading district in the Pacific Northwest region of British North America in the 19th century. It was explored by the North West Company between 1793 and 1811, and established as an operating fur district around 1810...
or Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
to the south. It remains in use today, though not as an official designation, but in combination forms such as the Thompson-Okanagan or Thompson-Nicola Regional District or, in weather forecasts and tourism uses, Thompson-Shuswap. Although strictly referring to the entire Thompson basin, and potentially used in that context, more commonly it refers to the immediate vicinity of the Thompson River, with subareas such as the Bonaparte Country or Nicola Country
Nicola Country
The Nicola Country, also known as the Nicola Valley and often referred to simply as The Nicola, and originally Nicolas' Country or Nicholas' Country, adapted to Nicola's Country and simplified since, is a region in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada...
usually referred to separately, and the term "North Thompson" used to refer to the valley of the North Thompson River. The term "South Thompson" refers not only to the short valley of the South Thompson River but also to Kamloops and towns westward along the Thompson and the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
as far as Spences Bridge
Spences Bridge, British Columbia
Spences Bridge is a community in the Canadian province of British Columbia, situated 23 miles north east of Lytton and 32 miles from Ashcroft. In 1892, the population included 32 people of European ancestry and 130 First Nations people. There were 5 general stores, 3 hotels, one Church of England...
. The Thompson Canyon downstream from there to Lytton
Lytton, British Columbia
Lytton in British Columbia, Canada, sits at the confluence of the Thompson River and Fraser River on the east side of the Fraser. The location has been inhabited by the Nlaka'pamux people for over 10,000 years, and is one of the earliest locations settled by non-natives in the Southern Interior of...
at the Thompson's confluence with the Fraser, is usually referred to as being part of the Fraser Canyon, as is also the usual usage to mean the highway from Hope
Hope, British Columbia
Hope is a district municipality located at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Hope is at the eastern end of both the Fraser Valley and the Lower Mainland region, and is at the southern end of the Fraser Canyon...
to Spences Bridge or sometimes Cache Creek
Cache Creek, British Columbia
Cache Creek is a junction community northeast of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is on the Trans-Canada Highway in the province of British Columbia at its junction with northbound Highway 97...
.
Climate and terrain
The Thompson Country is semi-arid and desert-like, except in the upper reaches of the North Thompson and in the higher areas of the plateaus to the north and south of the river (the Bonaparte PlateauBonaparte Plateau
The Bonaparte Plateau, in British Columbia, Canada, is a subarea of the larger Cariboo Plateau which extends to the Quesnel River and lies between the Cariboo Mountains on the east and the Fraser River on the west. The Cariboo Plateau is a subarea of the Interior Plateau, aka the Fraser Plateau...
and Thompson Plateau
Thompson Plateau
The Thompson Plateau, also known as the Okanagan-Thompson Plateau, forms the southern portion of the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada, lying to the west of Okanagan Lake, south of the Thompson River and to the east of the Fraser River...
respectively). Because of the low elevation of the valley's floor, winter temperatures are not too severe, and with the region in the immediate rainshadow or the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
and Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
, summer temperatures are among the hottest in Canada. The main image of the region is sagebrush and rangeland, with benchlands flanking the Thompson's deepening canyon from Savona
Savona, British Columbia
Savona is a small community located at the west end of Kamloops Lake, where the Thompson River exits it. It is approximately halfway between Kamloops and Cache Creek along the Trans-Canada Highway...
downstream, and desert and, higher up, pine-covered mountains and hillsides flanking the river and Kamloops Lake
Kamloops Lake
Kamloops Lake in British Columbia, Canada is situated on the Thompson River just west of Kamloops. The lake is 1.6 km wide, 29 km long, and up to 152 m deep...
, which lies at the heart of the region. Lytton vies with nearby Lillooet
Lillooet, British Columbia
Lillooet is a community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver. Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate- of precipitation is recorded annually at the town's weather station,...
for the title of "Canada's Hot Spot", with summer temperatures regularly above 40 °C (104 °F). Ranching is the historic core of the economy in the South Thompson and the adjoining Nicola and Bonaparte Countries, and also northeast of Kamloops in the Shuswap Highland
Shuswap Highland
The Shuswap Highland is a plateau-like hilly area of in British Columbia, Canada. It spans the upland area between the Bonaparte and Thompson Plateaus from the area of Mahood Lake, at the southeast corner of the Cariboo Plateau, southeast towards the lower Shuswap River east of Vernon in the...
country towards Adams Lake
Adams Lake
Adams Lake is a large, deep, coldwater lake. The southern end of the lake is approximately north of the town of Chase in the Shuswap Country region of British Columbia, Canada. The lake's upper reaches lie in the northern Monashee Mountains, while its lower end penetrates the Shuswap...
and the rest of the Shuswap Country
Shuswap Country
The Shuswap Country, or simply "the Shuswap" is a term used in the Canadian province of British Columbia to refer to the environs of Shuswap Lake. The upper reaches of the Shuswap basin, southeast of Shuswap Lake and northeast of the Okanagan, are generally considered to be part of Okanagan or of...
. Logging and tourism are other traditionally-important industries, especially in the North Thompson.
History
Most of the Thompson Country is the territory of the SecwepemcSecwepemc
The Secwepemc , known in English as the Shuswap people, are a First Nations people residing in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Their traditional territory ranges from the eastern Chilcotin Plateau and the Cariboo Plateau southeast through the Thompson Country to Kamloops and the Shuswap...
people. From Spences Bridge downstream the Thompson as well as the Nicola is the territory of the various Nlaka'pamux
Nlaka'pamux
The Nlaka'pamux , commonly called "the Thompson", and also Thompson River Salish, Thompson Salish, Thompson River Indians or Thompson River people) are an indigenous First Nations/Native American people of the Interior Salish language group in southern British Columbia...
nations.
The Thompson Country, the South Thompson in particular, was one of the first areas of the Colony of British Columbia
Colony of British Columbia
The Colony of British Columbia was a crown colony in British North America from 1858 until 1866. At its creation, it physically constituted approximately half the present day Canadian province of British Columbia, since it did not include the Colony of Vancouver Island, the vast and still largely...
which were opened up to land alienation and active settlement. Originally traversed by fur traders using what was known as the Brigade Trail, which ran from the Okanagan
Okanagan
The Okanagan , also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as Okanagan Country is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. As of 2009, the region's population is approximately 350,927. The...
via Kamloops northwestward to Green Lake
Green Lake (Cariboo)
Green Lake is a lake in the South Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada, located east of 70 Mile House. The lake is a popular recreational residential area frequented by owners from the Lower Mainland. Several locations around the lake are part of Green Lake Provincial Park.-References:*...
, by the last leg of the Okanagan Trail
Okanagan Trail
The Okanagan Trail was an inland route to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush from the Lower Columbia region of the Washington and Oregon Territories in 1858-1859...
from Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
to the Fraser Canyon
Fraser Canyon
The Fraser Canyon is an 84 km landform of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley...
, and its western extremity was the key section of the Cariboo Road
Cariboo Road
The Cariboo Road was a project initiated in 1860 by the colonial Governor of British Columbia, James Douglas...
connecting the Fraser Canyon
Fraser Canyon
The Fraser Canyon is an 84 km landform of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley...
to the Cariboo Plateau
Cariboo Plateau
The Cariboo Plateau is a volcanic plateau in south-central British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Fraser Plateau that itself is a northward extension of the North American Plateau...
and its distant goldfields, it has been the scene of many important episodes in the history of British Columbia. Many of the earliest ranches in the Interior remain today, with the Douglas Lake Ranch, based in the Nicola Country but spanning the Thompson and including some of the Shuswap, one of the world's largest. Near Cache Creek, the historic Ashcroft Manor and Semlin Ranch and others were British military land-grants, the Ashcroft and Semlin Ranches home respectively to a Lieutenant-Governor and a Premier. The Thompson's settlement and history and economy have been dominated by the presence of both transcontinental rail lines flanking the Thompson, with the Canadian National Railway coming down the North Thompson, the Canadian Pacific Railway along the South Thompson.
