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Grand Forks: Development

The area was known as Grand Prairie and was a camping spot for many different people over the years. It was an important campsite for the Natives who followed the seasons for their livelihood until the imposed boundaries of the governments ended that way of life. It was also used by the British Boundary Commission as a base in 1859, the Hudson's Bay Company, and many others.

The first deeded land in the city of Grand Forks was awarded to Roger Moore in 1873. He was granted 160 acres on a military grant, as he was a member of the Royal Engineers. His land passed through a few hands until 1895 when it was laid out as a townsite and sold to a syndicate in 1896.

On April 15, 1897, Edgar Dewdney, now Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, returned to the city now known as Grand Forks for its incorporation.

The city of Grand Forks is built on a history of mining, smelting, forestry, railways and agriculture. The first fruit trees were planted by William Covert who arrived in the area in 1885 and pre-empted 320 acres of land that prospered under his care. The Granby smelter was built to process the ores from the wealthy Phoenix mines and became the second largest non-ferrous smelter in the world and the largest non-ferrous smelter in the British Empire.