| Summary: | On verso of image: British Columbia Government Photograph. Prince George, B.C. Filed in British Columbia--Prince George Originally, this vast area was populated by the Carrier Sekani people who had lived here for thousands of years. The rivers formed natural trade routes which extended all the way to the coast and this fact became very interesting to the European explorers who recognized the potential for settlement in this region. In June of 1793, Alexander MacKenzie was canoeing southwards on his historic trip, and actually missed the join of the Nechako River entering the Fraser. It was not discovered until 14 years later in 1807 when Simon Fraser noticed this important river junction. He built a tiny outpost and named it Fort George after King George lll. After wintering here, he continued his famous journey down the river which now bears his name. Fort George remained a small trading post for nearly 100 years, until the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway 's route to the west coast passed through it. Prince George was officially incorporated in 1915. World War l brought the good times to an end and for 20 years the town remained dormant. However, Prince George was in a geographically pivotal position. The 1952 completion of the John Hart Highway opened access to the Yukon and the Pacific Great Eastern (now B.C. Rail) extended its line up from Quesnel, with plans to soon reach Dawson Creek and eventually Fort Nelson. Also around this time, the forest industry was undergoing changes. Portable "gypo" sawmills had begun to dot the surrounding forests producing rough cut white spruce for lumber. This process left much waste. The advent of the pulp mills in the 1960's changed the economy and the city forever. Lumber mills turned their leftovers into pulp which was utilized as paper and cardboard. Prince George Pulp and Paper, Northwood Pulp and Timber and Intercontinental Pulp triggered a population boom of 14,000 people to 50,000 in a very short decade. Prince George has steadily continued its upwards growth, aided by its superb location and abundance of natural renewable resources. It presently is the fourth largest city in B.C. and is the most important regional centre for the north.
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