BC’s First Village: 100th Anniversary of Smithers’ Incorporation

One hundred years ago, in 1921, Smithers become the first village in British Columbia to incorporate under the Village Municipalities Act. The Bulkley Valley Museum is marking this anniversary with a new exhibit that discusses the history of the pre-incorporation citizen government, the Smithers Citizens’ Association, how incorporation came to be, who was excluded from early municipal affairs, and how this anniversary has been marked in the past. This exhibit features documents, artifacts, and photographs from the museum’s collection, including the original 1920 petition to incorporate.