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BARRIERE
Legend has it that the name Barriere came from a group of
French Canadian trappers who, while blazing a trail along the North Thompson River in the late 1800's, came to the Barriere River while it was in flood. Realizing they could go no further, they named the spot 'La Barriere'. The town was officially named in 1914, but the early local people often referred to it as "The Barriere".

DID YOU KNOW?
Between 1914 - 1951, dams and a flume on the Barriere River provided electricity for Kamloops. It shut down and one of the dams dynamited in 1955 when a much larger power plant, built on Whatshan Lake near Needles, began operation. Ironically, it was after the power station closed down and the Whatshan grid began operating that people in Barriere received electricity.

MEMORIES
Special are the memories of the Louis Creek - Exlou communities that were devastated during the 2003 Firestorm. Many buildings that were destroyed are pictured in the history book.
tack room
inside building
corn
Barriere & District
Chamber of Commerce
Copyright 2006
North Thompson Museum
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