We have a remarkable statue sitting atop a tower in the middle of the traffic circle in the center of Dawson Creek. You can't miss it.
Known as"The Surveyor" he was created by one of our local artists, Karl Mattson. Karl used old rusty scraps of metal he found laying around the region to create this monument to the building of the Alaska Highway.His clothes and transit are iron replicas of those from the 1940's.
Powerful and haunting, "The Surveyor" stands outside in all elements, pointing north showing everyone the way to Alaska just as his real life counterpart did all those years ago.
Dawson Creek is proud of the artistry behind our landmarks. You'll see for yourself when you get here.
Anyone who lives here in Dawson Creek is used to driving carefully through the downtown core so as not to run over the frequent tourists jaywalking into the middle of the intersection to have their photo taken on our world famous Mile O Post.
Its quite common to see local residents offering to take the photo so that everyone gets in the picture. I wonder how many photos of our post exist. I know I've taken my fair share for all of our out of town guests.
The Mile O Post is one of the most recognizable and frequently photographed landmarks in Canada. It symbolizes the beginning of the Alaska Highway and lists the distances to major destinations along the highway in miles.
Fort St. John 48
Fort Nelson 300
Whitehorse 918
Delta Junction 1398
Fairbanks 1523
The original post sat a couple of blocks away at the traffic circle, but apparently someone ran into it in 1946, so it was replaced and moved to the center of town especially for visitors to our community.
Make sure you touch a piece of history when you come to Dawson Creek and have your picture taken at the Mile O Post.
Don't hesitate to ask one of us to take the photo for you, we're always glad to do it.
Saturday mornings in the summer finds me headed out armed with my reusable bags early to stock up on the bounty at the Farmers Market.
There is no comparison between fresh, homemade goodies and produce bursting with flavor and nutrients and their store-bought counterparts. I especially love the bread and eggs and local honey for our tea.
And of course, there is always a new lily variety or two to add to my collection!
There is a festive atmosphere at the market, a sense of community where old friends and new friends meet and visit and shop and sell. There are a wide variety of vendors selling everything from wire jewelry to local beeswax candles and everything in between.
Last Saturday I found a couple of amazing pottery mugs to take home for our morning coffee and all the fresh food we needed for our weekend at the lake. The family favorites are fresh salads for lunch and thick sliced bread, roasted over a campfire with a dollop of homemade Saskatoon jam on top. Camping just doesn't get any better than that for us.
The market is open on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm from May to October. Look for the big white tent at the Co-op.
A favorite place to take our out-of-town visitors is the big brown grain elevator Art Gallery right in the heart of the city.
Located in the N.A.R. park which is also the home of the Mile "O" Cairn and the Museum and Visitors Center, the Art Gallery is a must see when you come to visit.
The building itself is a renovated grain elevator that was moved to its present location in 1982 by the City of Dawson Creek with the help and support of a group of dedicated Art Society members to save it from demolition.
When you walk in the front doors, you enter the actual belly of the elevator, where the grain was kept all those years ago. I love the original wooden floor.
A ramp was built that spirals up and around the walls to the top.The walls themselves are the gallery space and you simply stroll along, enjoying the art, going higher and higher.At any time, you can stop and peer over the sturdy railing for a great view of the whole space.
The Gallery also has a great gift shop with lots of local treasures.It's a favorite shopping spot for both locals and visitors looking for something hand crafted and unique.
The back staircase of the building is a gallery within a gallery.It is chock full original photos of the building of the Alaska Highway.Make sure you remember to check it out.
As a side note: there is plenty of RV parking at the N.A.R. park.It's the best place to stop and stretch your legs and explore the city.
Ask anyone who lives in the Mighty Peace River Country and you'll hear that we've always had plenty of wind.
We decided to do something worthy with all that power...
The next time you are driving into Dawson Creek on the Hart Highway, from Prince George, Vancouver and all points south, you'll know you are getting really close when you see our Bear Mountain with its 34 brand new wind turbines... turning... turning... producing clean, renewable energy.
Along with everyone else in our city, I watched the installation with fascination and amazement.The turbines are very impressive to say the least.They stand like bright sentinels on our ridge and you can see them from practically everywhere around.
Each one stands 78 meters (256 feet) to the hub with a rotor diameter of 82 meters (269 feet) The equivalent of 50 loads of concrete was poured for each foundation.
The land they sit on has been used for hikers, cross country skiers and other recreational users for years as well as providing both private and community cattle grazing as well.
Great care was taken to respect the environment and leave as little impact as possible. Cattle still graze there, restoration of the habitat is ongoing and the public is very welcome to visit.
Make sure you plan your own trip to experience the Wind Turbines up close and personal... feel the wind on your face and enjoy the awesome view.
I love history. I just learned the great story about how Dawson Creek came to be in its present location.Quirky indeed!
Back in 1930, Northern Alberta Railway (N.A.R.) decided to extend the railway beyond Alberta and into British Columbia.
They originally wanted to build the rail end and depot in Pouce Coupe, a small town about 6 miles south of present day Dawson Creek but couldn't come to an agreement over price of the land with its owner.
Tired of the money dispute, the railway decided to pass on the Pouce Coupe land and go another 6 miles north within 2 miles of the village of Dawson Creek.They bought a prize oat field from a local farmer.
The pioneers were thrilled to have the railway, but knew they needed to be closer than 2 miles, so what did they do? They simply moved the whole town. The put all the buildings on skids and moved them by horse and by caterpillar to the rail end. The whole kit and caboodle!
The original town site slowly melted back into the forest and only hints of it remain today.Present day Dawson Creek has grown around the center point of the rail-head.
Our beautiful Visitors Center and museum is located in the original (1931) structure of the railway station and stationmasters residence.
Make sure you stop in and visit when you come to Dawson Creek.Parking is free and plentiful in the N.A.R. Park and the welcome mat is always out for you.
Win $1000 in free gas and more by visiting Dawson Creek’s local attractions!That’s right, pick up a Summer Staycation passport at the Dawson Creek Visitor Centre; receive a total of six stamps on the passport by visiting each of the six passport destinations and be entered to win $1000 gas card. Stamps can be collected at the Dawson Creek Visitor Information Centre, Pioneer Village, Dawson Creek Art Gallery, the Safeway Gas Bar, Pouce Coupe Museum, and the Alaska Highway House. The contest goes until August 31st, so don't delay. For complete contest rules, and more information on the attractions and events in Dawson Creek visit, www.stayandplay.ca
