 Fort Nelson Museum, Tara Forest photo
Fur Trade Such a bountiful wilderness was bound to attract interest, and fur traders were the first European explorers drawn to the northeast corner of British Columbia. The Northwest Trading Company established the first fur trading post in the Fort Nelson area in 1805, using local rivers as main transportation routes. A series of five trading posts were built as earlier ones were burned or abandoned. The Hudsons Bay Company built a fur trading post at Fort Nelson in 1865 near the present day airport. Visitors can tour the original Hudson's Bay store, which was moved to the Fort Nelson Museum.
Alaska Highway  The north remained largely isolated from development in the early 1900's until the early 1940's. In 1942 World War II precipitated a need for a route from Northern British Columbia to Alaska. The US Army built the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek to Alaska in just eight months. The Alaska Highway, first known as the Alcan Highway, changed life in the north forever. Today, the Alaska Highway is a living legacy of World War II. Travel along the Alaska Highway from Fort Nelson north to the Yukon border and maybe catch a glimpse of incredible wildlife.
Muskwa-Kechika Management Area In the 1990s, industry, conservation organizations, governments, First Nations, and others worked together to plan for land use in the region. Fort Nelson was one of three planning regions that identified a key wilderness area, and agreed it needed sustainable management into the future. In 1997, the BC Government designated the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area (M-KMA) in legislation, as a special wilderness area to be maintained forever. Just a small part of the M-KMA is accessible to vehicle travel. There are a number of routes designated for ATV travel, or travel along the Alaska Highway from Tetsa River to Liard River Hotsprings Provincial Park. Stop by the Visitor Centre for more information about the culture and history of Fort Nelson.
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