Giscome Portage - 1900s and Today

1900s and Today

In 1903, two men from Ontario, Albert Huble and Edward Seebach established a trading post at the south end of the Giscome Portage. Huble pre-empted the land, and the men built cabins, a barn and a store. They also re-cut the trail, making it wide enough for a horse drawn wagon. They got their supplies from Fort George, on horseback in the summer or by dog team or snowshoes in the winter. Then, in 1909, the area experienced new growth with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway's plans to cross the province at Fort George and the Fraser River became easier to travel with the arrival of the Chilco, one of twelve sternwheelers that would work on the upper Fraser River.

In 1914, the outbreak of World War I brought a dramatic decrease in business and by 1919, the store at the Giscome Portage was closed.

In 1983 the Giscome Portage Historical Society was formed and with the aid of government grants and local fund-raising events the store and homestead was restored. Today, the Huble Homestead Historic Site is a popular tourist attraction, entertaining thousands of visitors each year.