It all started back in 1846 when the Oregon Treaty established the 49th Parallel as the international boundary between the United States/ Canada. In our neck of the woods there were trails from Fort Colville in what would become Washington State that traveled north and west, which followed a natural route into the British Columbia Okanagan region. Before the 49th Parallel was established, the Kettle River which is now shared with the state of Washington and the province of British Columbia, became the key to the naming of the Boundary Country.

It so happened that a creek flowed into the Kettle River along the 49th Parallel named Boundary Creek.

Early mining established the encompassing Boundary Country area in 1849 when the California Gold Rush brought hundreds of miners westward and northward. In 1859, placer gold was discovered at Rock Creek. The search for more minerals in the area had begun.

In 1884 the first hard rock claim was staked near Boundary Falls. Gold and silver were produced from it. Further north up Boundary Creek, two significant copper deposits were discovered. One was on the eastern slopes above Boundary Creek which would become Phoenix; the other was on the western slopes above Boundary Creek, which would become known as the Mother Lode near Greenwood. Hundreds of millions of dollars of ore were mined and smelted in the area. So significant was the Boundary Creek the area became known as the Boundary Mining District, soon shortened to “The Boundary,” and then later to be called “Boundary Country.”

For further information: Contact the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Grand Forks for more info: gfchambe@sunshinecable.com 1 866 442 2833
Websites to visit:
www.grandforkschamber.com - www.city.grandforks.bc.ca - www.boundarycf.com - www.boundary.bc.ca