The Changing Faces of the North Peace Collection resides at the Fort St. John Museum in Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada. Reprints of the majority of the photographs in this collection may be ordered from the museum. Please quote the filename number when referring to any of the collection pages.
Owned and operated by the North Peace Historical Society, the Fort St. John North Peace Museum officially opened in 1984 and is a popular attraction for our out of town visitors and residents alike. The Museum highlights early life in the North Peace and houses well over 7,000 artifacts and photographs.
One of the important aspects of the Fort St. John - North Peace Museum is the emphasis on the archaeology of the area. The discovery of the 10,500 year old artifacts at Charlie Lake Cave by a team of archaeologists from Simon Fraser University makes it a historically significant site. A stone bead found during the dig is the earliest evidence of human adornment in North America. While the artifacts are still at the University, a replica of the bead is displayed at the Museum. Also on display are artifacts from the excavation of Fort D'Epinette, the second site of Fort St. John. Originally established in 1794, Fort St. John is the oldest white settlement on mainland British Columbia.
If you like to see things in a setting representative of how they were used, the Fort St. John - North Peace Museum is the place to visit. An old school house, an outpost hospital, a trapper's cabin, a dentist's office and many others have been re-created to give you a feel for 'the good old days.' Thanks to the dedication of many hard-working volunteers, exhibits range from the First Nations presence to early exploration and forts, to pioneering and homesteading, to the construction of the Alaska Highway and the development of the oilpatch.
There are many other interesting and educational aspects to the Fort St. John - North Peace Museum, including a wide variety of videos for viewing which cover a wide range of the area's vast history. The museum archives, map collection and reference materials are constantly expanding to meet the research needs of interested individuals. The Museum has been a resource point for many authors, publishers, film makers, amateur historians, archaeological consultants, students and those simply interested in family history.
Located at the foot of a 136 foot oil derrick on 100th Street, the Museum is easy to find. During the winter, the Museum is open 9am - 5pm Monday through Friday and 11am - 4pm on Saturdays. In summer, it is open daily at 8am. Closing hours are extended but vary throughout so please contact the Museum for details. A well stocked Gift Shop is located in the lobby.
History belongs to everyone. Visit the Fort St. John - North Peace Museum and experience what life was like in the early days of the North Peace.