History

The name "Pouce Coupe" is both musical and intriguing, and various tales are told of it's origin. The most authentic is that given in "The Land of Twelve Foot Davis" by J.C. MacGregor, McLeods Fort Dunvegan Journal, 1806 reads: "Sunday 17 August, Pouce Coupe with a few others arrived. They have made a poor hunt", referring to an Indian Chief Pooscapee of the Beaver Tribe.

This is the first reference to Pouce Coupe whose name has been commemorated in that of a town and river in the Peace River Country.

The first white man to settle on the Pouce Coupe Prairie was Hector Tremblay. a French Canadian on his way to the Yukon gold diggings in 1898. Tremblay was very impressed with the Peace River Country and he decided to stay on a flat where the Dawson Creek runs into the Pouce Coupe River. Here he set up a trading post and brought his wife and family from Kamloops in 1908. He soon set about cutting trails south to Grande Prairie and north to Fort St. John.

The Edson Trail was cut out of the wilderness in 1911 which started the main influx of settlers from Edmonton in the years 1912, 1914 to the Pouce Coupe Prairie over the Grande Prairie Trail.

In 1916 Bank of Commerce opened it's doors for business.

In 1917 Constable G.J. Duncan moved to Pouce Coupe to establish the Police Barracks. Here he registered all births, deaths, and marriages etc..., acted as official Administrator, Mining Recorder, Game Warden, etc... This building still stands as the office of Hillcrest Motel.

The first Pouce Coupe Post Office was granted by the Dominion Government in 1914 with C.B. Duke as postmaster, later the Post Office was moved to Frank Haskin's store.

In 1915 George Salway was appointed Lands Agent. This was a welcome arrangement as it saved the long 100 mile trip to Grande Prairie where the first settlers filed on their homesteads.

In the early twenties, part of Charlie leRoy's homestead was subdivided into a town site. Prior to this the settlement had all been on Frank Haskin's land, clustered around the store known as the "Pouce Coupe Trading Coy".

Buildings began to go up on the new town-site. In the winter of 1920-1921 a Government Agency was established. Lester Harper was appointed Provincial Assessor. The court cases beyond the jurisdiction of the local Magistrate were dealt with once a year when Judge Robertson came by outboard motor up the Parsnip River and into the Peace River where he was met at Hudson Hope by the Government Agent and brought down the Peace to Rolla landing and then by road to Pouce Coupe.

October 17, 1921 Red Cross Out Post Hospital serving all the settlements in the northern Peace River District was completed overlooking Bissette Creek. On January 30,1954 the new Pouce Coupe Community Hospital was finally opened which is used as an extended Care Unit today serving all of the B.C. Peace River Block.

In 1933, a Women's Institute was formed as the first in the Peace River Block.

The United Church was built in 1929 and the building is now used as Senior Citizens Hall. Christ Church Anglican was built in 1932 and is three Sundays at 9:30 am for regular services and the fourth Sunday of the month at 7:00 pm for Evening Prayer.

The first passenger train arrived in Pouce Coupe on January 15, 1931, and served the north until May 31,1974 when the service was discontinued. The old railway station was moved to main street in 1972 and now houses the Pioneer Museum.

The clean, bright, well arranged exhibits and displays give a true picture of early days in Pouce Coupe.

Timelines

1889
The first white settler, Hector Tremblay, stayed on a flat where the Dawson Creek runs into the Pouce River.

1908
Hector Tremblay set up a trading post and began cutting trails to Grand Prairie and Ft. St. John.

1911
The Edson Trail was finished and settlers could travel by train to Grande Prairie.

1914
The Pouce Coupe Office was granted by the Dominion Government.

1915
Frank Haskins opened the Pouce Coupe Trading Co.

1916
The Bank of Commerce opened.

1917
Constable W.A.S. Duncan established the police barracks.

1919
Baxter's Livery Barn, Mrs. Laloge's Hotel, and the Government Liquor Store opened.

1920-21
The Government Agency for the district was established in a small log building next to the police barracks.

1921
Pouce Coupe Hospital was founded.

1930
Pouce receives electricity from Light and Power Co.

1932
Pouce Coupe was incorporated as a Village.

Timelines from Lure Of The Peace, Copyright 1981