The Princeton region is rich in reminders of a heritage that extends into the mists of time with the ancient traditions of the local First Nations people and includes a host of colourful characters – prospectors, pioneers, railway builders and even a notorious bank robber.
Mining
While mining for coal, gold, copper and platinum played a huge role in the post-contact settlement of the Princeton area in the 1800s, mining for ochre predated this industry by thousands of years.
Similkameen People
The Similkameen people harvested the ochre pigment from red striped mountainsides and traded it as far south as Navaho territory and as far east as the lands of the Blackfoot on the Prairies. Locally, they used it to make the paint for artful pictographs (rock paintings), still visible in many places around the region. Ochre Bluff is a very popular site to visit. Hike or mountain bike to the cliff that stands right beside the Trans Canada Trail just west of Princeton.
Snaza'ist Discovery Centre
At Hedley, 33.7km/21mi east of Princeton, there are even larger deposits of ochre. The Similkameen people called the area Snaza'ist (sna-za-ee-st), which translates as "striped rock place." The Upper Similkameen Indian Band operates the outstanding Snaza'ist Discovery Centre in the former Hedley schoolhouse (1939 to 2004). Exhibits explain the death-defying mining practices required to extract precious ochre from the cliff faces along with chert for arrowheads and products like opals, quartz crystals and even gold for trade and personal use.
The video From Ochre to Gold chronicles the area's history through the transition to early 20th Century mining town.
Mascot Gold Mine
The Snaza'ist Centre serves as home base for a unique heritage experience. From mid-May to mid-October, guided tours depart from the centre via bus, climb up through the mountains to 1620m/5400ft elevation and drop people at the Mascot Gold Mine staging area. From here, descend 598 steps down the cliff face on a timber switchback catwalk to the mine buildings. Don hard hats with headlamps and enter the cool, damp, black world of a gold mine.
Railway Heritage
Successful modern mining operations would not have been possible without railway access. The Great Northern Railway reached Princeton in 1909 followed by the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) in 1915. Explore much of this railway history via the Trans Canada Trail, which runs through the region on the old KVR railbed. Hike or mountain bike across trestles and through tunnels that showcase the engineering skill it took to build a railway through the mountains.
Princeton Museum
Princeton boasts one of the best small town museums anywhere. Discover First Nations heritage and learn about fur traders and intrepid pioneers like Susan Allison. Follow the mining history of boom, bust and ghost towns throughout the region, see a 1900s stagecoach and a 1934 fire engine.
Joe Pollard Rock Collection
Exhibits like these are not uncommon in other museums, but Princeton boasts a highlight found nowhere else, the world-renowned Joe Pollard rock collection. Ask museum staff to dim the lights to showcase the brilliant colours of the mineral collection and don't miss the outstanding relics of plants and insects preserved in remarkable fossils. The museum is open from April through October and by appointment year round. The Princeton Visitor Centre, 105 Hwy 3 East, stocks brochures and staff can provide information on heritage sites including the town's historic walk.