Stewart (British Columbia)
| Stewart | |||
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 Stewart's main street |
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| Location in British Columbia | |||
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| State : |
 Canada
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| Province : | British Columbia | ||
| Regional District : | Kitimat stikine | ||
| Coordinates : | 55 ° 56 ′ N , 129 ° 59 ′ W | ||
| Area : | 552.08 km² | ||
| Residents : | 494 (as of 2011) | ||
| Population density : | 0.9 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Time zone : | Pacific Time ( UTC − 8 ) | ||
| Postal code : | V0T | ||
| Foundation : | 1930 ( incorporated ) | ||
| Mayor : | Galina Durant | ||
Stewart is a small town at the end of the Portland Canal in the district of Kitimat-Stikine in the western Canadian province of British Columbia .
history
The Nisga'a who settled in the Nass River area called the plains around the confluence of the Bear River in the Pacific Ocean as Skam a Kounst - Safe place, as it protected them from the attacks of the Haida, who ruled the other coastal regions. The area at the eastern end of the Portland Canal was an important seasonal settlement, especially in early fall for berry gathering, salmon fishing and hunting.
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It was not until 1896 that Captain David du Bose Gaillard (1859-1913) of the United States Army Corps of Engineers undertook a research trip to explore the areas in the extreme south of Alaska . The closer exploration of the area, which began soon after, led to the discovery of gold and silver deposits in the Salmon River valley in 1898. The Stewart brothers had settled in the area since 1902 and after the opening of a post office in 1905 , the postmaster Robert M. Stewart named them still nameless settlement after itself.
The mining industry let the population grow to around 10,000 people by the time of the First World War . Since there was little space available for the construction of houses, pile dwellings were built in the mudflats and in the sea , the remains of which are still visible today. Since the mines were not very productive, the population decreased to about 500 by the end of the twenties. It was not until the Granduc copper mine opened in 1956 that the population rose to around 2,000; however, this value has been falling continuously since the mine was closed in 1984.
The granting of local self-government for the municipality took place on May 16, 1930 ( incorporated as Village Municipality ).
The Stewart Historical Museum, opened in 1976, also explores the history of the community and the region .
Demographics
The census in 2011 showed a population of 494 inhabitants for the settlement. The population of the settlement decreased by 0.4% compared to the 2006 census, while the population in British Columbia increased by 7.0% at the same time.
economy
The main sources of income are small mining companies, the timber and fishing industries, and tourism.
The median income of Stewart workers in 2005 was well above average C $ 29,991 , while at the same time the average for the entire province of British Columbia was C $ 24,867. The difference in income between men (C $ 41,349) and women (C $ 23,405) is also very pronounced in Stewart and is partly explained by the different pay in the respective main employment areas (men = wood processing, forestry and manufacturing and mining; women = Trade and catering) and, on the other hand, also through the different levels of employment of men and women.
traffic
The port, which is only of regional importance, is Canada's northernmost, year-round ice-free Pacific port, the expansion of Highway 37 , whose branch at Meziadin Junction leads as Highway 37A via Stewart to the border near Hyder , but its importance is waning in favor of Prince Rupert .
Stewart Airport is located between the city center and the Bear River ( IATA Airport Code : ZST, ICAO Code : CZST, Canada Identifier: -). The airfield only has an asphalt runway 1,189 meters long.
The local seaplane base is located on the Bear River and just south of the municipality ( IATA airport code : -, ICAO code : -, Canada Identifier: CAC9).
literature
- Ian McLeod and Holly NcNeil: Prospectors, Promoters and Hard Rock Miners. Tales of the Stewart, BC and Hyer, Alaska Camps , Kelowna 2004.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Origin Notes and History. Stewart. In: GeoBC . Retrieved August 5, 2012 .
- ^ Stewart Community Profile. Census 2011. In: Statistics Canada . June 6, 2012, accessed August 5, 2012 .
- ^ Stewart Community Facts. BCStats , accessed February 12, 2013 .