Hidden Homesteads in the Grasslands
Between 1895 and 1915 settlers homesteaded in the hills around Kamloops. The Dominion Lands Act of 1872 provided a provision for free homesteads of 160 acres offered to farmers who cleared ten acres and built a residence within three years of a registered intent to settle a specific land claim. Access to these lands was supported by the railway which reached BC in 1885. The Prairies were settled first with better terrain and conditions for farming. The grassland hills and forests were homesteaded too, but later, and for a shorter period of time. Settlers came from around the world and built their homes and developed their farms, but the dry climate and periods of drought forced many to sell their lands. Many of these quarter sections passed over time to larger ranches and the homesteads were abandoned and fell to ruin. A few are still standing in hidden pockets in the hills. We can hike to these spots to enjoy them while they still stand. Two hidden homesteads are shared here.
In a small flat area among hills not far from a pond is an old farmhouse which is still standing, but half of the roof is falling in. The pond is a short walk north but was dry in November and the nearest pond or lake was about 1 km away. There were two standing buildings and one outbuilding with a collapsed roof.
About 1 km farther into the hills and hard to find is another homestead with 4 buildings, 3 of which are standing. This was probably an extended family site (possibly the Littles) since 2 of the buildings appeared to have separate sleeping rooms.
This building is one of the best examples of a homesteader farmhouse. The floor is still in place and an old desk still looks usable.
I hiked back on a loop route through the grasslands, passing another pond which was also dry. I did two hikes in the area recently and most were long-dry. Homesteading in drought years would have been nearly impossible.
A few photos of the first homestead are shared here. Click an image for a lightbox view.
Another gallery features photos from the second homestead, my favorite.
No location information is provided in this post. By keeping the locations of homesteads hidden, we can help them stand for a few years yet.
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Doug Smith
Doug writes for Kamloops Trails, a not-for-profit (and ad free) website, offering information on trails, waterways, routes, featured spots, viewpoints, and explorations in the outdoors in the Kamloops area (and beyond).
Doug started exploring this area in 1976 and continues to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, he chose to share this information.
The Kamloops Trails website has a massive number of interesting posts and would be of interest to anyone in Kamloops who enjoys the outdoors. Visit the Kamloops Trails website at: http://www.kamloopstrails.ca/
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