Kemano- Mt. Horetsky

Kemano, British Columbia, Canada

Horetzky Peak, Horetzky Creek, Horetzky St.

Horetzky Peak
Located 2 km Northwest of Horetzky Creek.
Highest Peak in Dubose massif, and situated about 3.5 km NE.
Height 2162 m, 7093 ft

Location- Lat-53:36:54- Long-127:51:09

Not to be confused with Mount Horetzky, north of Hazelton BC

8 km NE of Kemano, 3 km NE of Mount Dubose, the location of the Powerhouse and Tunnels, is Horetzky Peak,
named in honour of the Surveyor, Photographer, Explorer,
George “Charles” Horetzky
b- June 20, 1838 in Edinburgh, (Midlothian), Scotland,
d- Apr 30, 1900 in Toronto, York, Ontario, age 61
Polish Nationality, Catholic Religion,
spouse- Mary Julia Horetzky, nee Ryan,
(name shown later as Mary Jane)
b- ca 1846 in ON (1844 per marriage record)
d- ?
Irish Nationality, Catholic Religion.
Daughter of Roderick Ryan, an Ottawa Lumber Baron.
b- 1815 Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, Ireland
d- Apr 6, 1888 at home, 213 Maria St, Ottawa ON
mother- Cecilia Judge of Sligo Ireland, married in 1840
Ryans came to Canada in 1831
had 4 daughters and 1 son.
Charles married Mary Jane in the Spring of 1865 in Canada
3 children:
Sofita Horetzky,
b- ca 1867 at Hudson Bay, NWT
Roderick F. Horetzky,
b- ca 1874 in ON,
I believe he ended up in Clinton, New York
George Horetzky,
b- ca 1879 in ON

1881 family living at Wellington Ward, Ottawa, Carleton, ON

Only child of:
Father- Felix Horetzky
b- Jan 1, 1796 in Horyszów Ruski in Poland
d- Oct 6, 1870, in Edinburgh Scotland
He was a very famous, World renowned guitar player.

Mother- Sophia Horetzky, nee Robertson
daughter of William Robertson
they married June 8, 1835 in Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

G. Charles Horetzky travelled, starting Sept 2, 1872,
from Fort Edmonton, (Edmonton AB)
to Fort Simpson, (later Port Simpson BC),
(now called Lax Kw’alaams).
Hudson Bay Company set up Fort Simpson in 1834
Originally set up their trading Post,
at the mouth of the Nass River in 1831.
Mr. Horetzky was the official photographer for Sir Sanford Fleming,
travelling with his cross-country CPR survey crew, from Upper Fort Garry (Winnipeg, MB) to Fort Edmonton (Edmonton AB).
looking for a mountain pass for a transcontinental railroad to BC.
He was an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, before Fleming and the CPR survey job.
He was the first person known to take pictures of what became Alberta.

He named Horetzky Creek after himself, a tributary of the Kemano River.


Horetsky Creek Valley 1953 Postcard courtesy Grant Walker, Mar 18, 2020
sent to Mrs Agnes Thompson, 963 Holly Rd., Ladner BC, by her husband

Horetzky St. in Kemano, was named in his honour.

M-K built a road from the Powerhouse area to the Horetzky adit, following along the Horetzky creek, from Camp 5 area.
Governor General Massey's group, were driven to the Adit in Jeep Stationwagons.

Lots of Horetzky's famous photos are on the internet.
the Glenbow Museum acquired most of his collection, and hold them under copyright.



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