On Wednesday afternoon, May 27, 2015, an old tree by the Clearwater Fire Hall was hit by lightening.
The strike took wood and bark, up to eight inches wide, from the base of the tree up to about 10 m high. It was estimated that this tree was about 200 years old. It had stood on the bank overlooking Clearwater Flats for all those years. Observing many things and events that went on in our community.
In its lifetime it had observed many things, from fur traders, miners, paddle wheelers, trains, and wagons to fast cars, from when there were only about three phones in the area to where almost everyone has a cell phone, from the old quiet days of kerosene lamps and now to our area being incorporated.
In 1862, at the age of 47 it observed the Overlanders travelling down the North Thompson River towards their destination of Kamloops.
The next year in 1863, it would have observed Milton and Cheadle as they travelled from their camping place on the Raft River towards the Clearwater River where two natives helped them cross the “river of clear water travelling from the north.”
From 1887 to 1915, it witnessed many paddle wheelers travel on the North Thompson River, carrying passengers and freight upriver.
In 1915, at about 100 years of age, the Canadian National Railway travelling over the newly laid tracks, from the East to Kamloops and beyond
In 1925, the start of the Clearwater Station Post Office that was transferred from the old Raft River Post Office
In 1939, it heard about the proclamation to have a park in the Upper Clearwater Valley named Wells Gray Provincial Park.
In 1948, at the age of 133, a flood on the Clearwater Flats surrounded stores, houses and the planer mill with water from the North Thompson River.
On April 17, 1966, it witnessed the B.C. Centennial passenger train stop at Clearwater Station and watched the newly formed Raft River Riders perform a drill on horseback between the train tracks and the river.
Starting in the 1960s and to this day, it watched the many events that took place at the Clearwater Ball Park.
In late 1960s and early 1970s, the building of the first Clearwater Volunteer Fire Department fire hall that housed their equipment. It was just over 200 feet from where it stood.
In 1972, age 157, viewed, from its lofty place on the hill, some flooding of the Clearwater Flats area by the North Thompson again. This time partially protected by a dyke.
1973 and onward, witnessed the launching of many rafts for the Annual Clearwater to Kamloops Raft Race.
October 1988, the Royal Hudson and Engine 6060, again travelled the CN tracks on an historic ride through Clearwater. People crowded the area of Clearwater Station. Clearwater Fire Department supplied water from many fire trucks for the train to continue its journey northward.
In 2007 it saw the incorporation of District of Clearwater.
The tree, although only 200 years old, stood at the top of Steeg’s Hill. It witnessed the many who travelled from the south, through Clearwater Flats towards Birch Island and Vavenby. Everyone that travelled on the road from the beginning up until about 1955, had to drive past this tree as it grew. There were years when it did not get much rain for several years in a row. It also had many years where, even though it was at the height of land, received a lot of moisture and it grew larger much faster in the good years.
Did anyone of those thousands of people ever guess that one day it would get struck by lightening and have to be destroyed by a chainsaw? This tree was not a beauty in any manner of the word. It had a twisted trunk, large ugly branches, was not as tall as its brothers and sisters over the bank, but it stood proud and tall for all to see.