| Campbell River’s logging area contains one
of the most valuable fir-cedar forests in the Pacific Northwest. The first
large logging operation in the area was that of the International Timber
Company, known locally as “I.T”.
It began logging operations in 1906, basing
its first camp on the hill behind the present downtown core. Logs were boomed
at the mouth of Campbell River. As miles of railroad track were laid to reach
the timber further inland, additional camps were established, which included
family houses and community buildings.
WILLOWS HOTEL The first major building in early Campbell River, the Willows Hotel was a waterfront landmark that stood in splendid isolation until the town grew up around it. Built in 1910, it succeeded an earlier hotel, built in 1904, to accommodate the growing number of sports fishing enthusiasts traveling to the area. Business boomed with both the sportsmen’s and loggers’ trade, and a larger hotel was soon needed. A new four-story building was barely completed when it burned to the ground, but construction immediately began on the “third” Willows Hotel. A modern, first-class facility for its day, the Willows Hotel served international travelers and was Campbell River’s center of activities for many years. Half a century later, it too was destroyed by fire. |
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ELK FALLS
Elk Falls on the Campbell River was, and remains, still is a spectacular site to visit. Early residents packed their lunch and spent a leisurely day hiking to “The Falls” with friends. With the advent of cars and roads, every motorist’s itinerary included this scenic spot. Photographers never tired of recording its turbulence and grandeur. In 1940, Elk Falls and its neighboring forest became an officially designated provincial park. A few years later, the long recognized power potential of the falls was at last harnessed through the development of a massive hydro-electric plant. Although dramatically reducing the legendary volume of the Falls, the power plant had a significant effect on the economic growth of the area.
FORBES LANDING
James and Elizabeth Forbes ran their own business on Campbell Lake. James had experience with horses and packing, while Elizabeth had experience in the hotel business. Together they opened a lodge called “Forbes Landing Lodge”. This lodge became a popular wilderness retreat offering horseback riding expeditions into Strathacona Park. In July of 1938, Forbes Landing Lodge was destroyed in a large forest fire. However, this tragedy gave rise to the new Forbes Landing Hotel, which was larger and more luxurious than the first. It offered two levels of accommodation: the lower level was suited to the simple lives of fishers and loggers, while the upper level was suited to the more sophisticated visitors.