Page 249 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Pacific Northwest

BRITISH C OL UMBIA  247

BRITISH

COLUMBIA

British Columbia is one of Canada’s most strikingly beautiful
provinces. Tranquil islands grace its Pacific Ocean coastline
while awe-inspiring mountain ranges on the mainland include the
world-famous Rockies. Astounding natural vistas surround lively
urban centers, from the large, modern cities of Vancouver and
Victoria to small towns with a historic past.

Thousands of years before the first many communities today. Tourism,
Europeans arrived, the 366,254-sq-mile however, is now ranked second in
(948,600-sq-km) area that is now British the province’s economy, after forestry.
Columbia was home to First Nations tribes. British Columbia offers travelers an
Today, reconstructions of their cedar impressive array of breath taking scenery
longhouses and semi-subterranean pit and experiences. Vancouver Island’s sandy
houses may be seen in museums. beaches and rugged wilderness are a
Spanish and British ships explored short drive or ferry ride from the urban
the province’s 16,800-mile (27,000-km) pleasures of Victoria and of Vancouver,
coastline from 1774 onward. In 1792, from which popular ski hills are only
Captain George Vancouver – for whom minutes away. Inland, the interior’s many
the province’s largest city was later lakes provide glistening vistas and sunny
named – was impressed, describing playgrounds for water sports of all kinds.
“innumerable pleasing landscapes.” Nestled among the BC Rocky Mountains
British Columbia joined the are historic mining towns, and provincial
confederation of Canada in 1871, and and national parks offering exciting winter
the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived skiing and summer hiking experiences.
in Vancouver in 1887, joining the new In the north, the Skeena River, the “river of
West Coast province to the already mists,” travels through ancient tribal lands,
established eastern ones and bringing sprinkled with stunning First Nations
waves of new settlers. BC was built on totem poles. Prince Rupert is the port
logging, mining, and fishing, and while of call for the ferry to the remote, misty
these industries have seen hard times archipelago of Haida Gwaii, formerly
over the years, they continue to support known as the Queen Charlotte Islands.

The harbor in Masset on Graham Island, British Columbia
Grizzly bear by the edge of a river near Prince Rupert, British Columbia

US_PNW_246-247_BC_Intro_BC.indd 247 04/07/16 12:40 pm