People and the River

People have lived along the Fraser River's Gravel Reach for over ten thousand years. The history of human activity includes an ancient hunter-gatherer culture, a rush of gold prospectors, a steady influx of immigrants, and commercial and industrial development of the natural resources of the river and its uplands.

This timeline is a selection of events and stories that will take you from 10,000 years ago to 10 years ago. You can also listen to stories and legends as told by Willie Charlie, Chief of the Chehalis First Nations.

Explore!
Use your mouse to move the boat to any decade along the river.
When you reach the decade you want to explore, click to open that page in history.