B.C. municipal election 2018: Cranbrook

By Jesse Ferreras and Richard Zussman Global News

A ranch hand at Three Bars Ranch wrangles horses near Cranbrook BC.

File photo

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Candidates

To be announced.

Boundary

Cranbrook is located in the East Kootenay region, about 150 kilometres from B.C.’s border with Alberta. It’s south of the St. Mary River and communities such as Kimberley and Fort Steele.

Population (2016)

20,047

History

One of Cranbrook‘s earliest settlers was Col. James Baker.

In 1883, he had bought up much of the land around an area known as Joseph’s Prairie, which he renamed Cranbrook after his hometown in England.

Chief Isadore of the Ktunaxa would run his cattle through that land, and he seethed after Baker came along and shunted him aside.

Baker, meanwhile, was bothered that Isadore wouldn’t just leave.

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Tensions grew until 1887 when Superintendent Sam Steele arrived with almost 80 North-West Mounted Policemen to confront what was believed to be a potential uprising among the Indigenous people.

Two Indigenous people were arrested amid allegations of killing a miner. Isadore released them, and Steele urged that they be brought back for trial.

They were acquitted over a lack of evidence. Steele also found that no one carried out an inquest, that the miner hadn’t been buried and no one had pushed for justice in the miner’s death for years.

Baker would go on to serve as a member of the legislature for 15 years.

The railway is also a key feature in the history of Cranbrook.

Baker played a key role in ensuring that the BC Southern Railway would be routed through Cranbrook instead of nearby Fort Steele.

Tracks began to be laid in 1898, and Cranbrook started to grow as a rail depot and a hub of business activity.

The early 20th century also saw forestry activity rise up alongside other industries.

Cranbrook was incorporated as a city in 1905.