Thornhill

Thornhill is an Unincorporated area, part of Kitimat-Stikine Regional District.

Area named after an early Pioneer to this area,
Thomas Job “Tom” Thornhill
b- 1855 in Kent England
d- July 15, 1910 in Prince Rupert, BC, age 55
buried on Garden Island, Prince Rupert

Memorial in Thornhill located off of Queensway Dr, just south of the Old Bridge approach from Thornhill.

ca 1907 Thornhill sold off some his property at Little Canyon to Charles W. D. Clifford
Note- Little Canyon the site of the Old Skeena Bridge, is named after the word “Little” the opposite of Big!

June 12, 1908 He was elected Commissioner for taking affidavits in the Supreme Court,
for the purpose of acting under the Provincial Election Act in the Skeena Electoral District until Dec 31, 1908

The area he lived at was referred to as Thornhill's Landing

Thornhill is just East, of Terrace BC, separated by the Skeena River.

In my history pages, when I say Terrace, I include Thornhill. And vice-versa.

Aerial, Thornhill
Intersection Highway 16 and Old Lakelse Lake Rd
Courtesy Brian Wolfe Collection

My Personal Opinion on Terrace-Thornhill Amagalmation

Full Disclosure- I live in Terrace, but lived in a trailer court in Thornhill, almost on top of the Tom Thornhill Monument spot, for a couple years before moving into this house. Anybody asked me where I lived, Terrace was the answer. Funny thing if you asked 100 people in Vancouver where Terrace and Thornhill were, only a few would know. We think we are a big wheel here, and we are barely a bump in the road!

Thornhills amalgamation with Terrace, has been an on going battle for years now. Not to get real political, this page is to acknowledge the existance of Thornhill, for history purposes.

As far as I am concerned we are all in the same boat, why have one set of oars facing one way, and another set facing the other?

It comes down to the divide and conquer thing, and if we were one, we would have way more power in the political world in my eyes. I think Victoria likes to see us divided.

In 2017 it even got so low, it came down to a big fight over signs entering the area on Highway 16! We can't even seem to agree to greeting signs? The most benign thing in the world. Now the Terrace bunch were stupid in not including Thornhill, Remo etc in their new sign. Then Thornhill went overboard the other way in my opinion. It took a letter to the Editor of the Local newspaper from a lady in Thornhill, to finally set the right tone, and they came up with a gentleman's agreement on the signs. But why not ONE SIGN with ALL the names, was that too hard for the great leaders of the Kingdom to figure out? Maybe in alphabetical order?, or draw names from a hat? ONE sign on each road entering the area??
Now I am not that smart of a person, no fancy degrees behind my name, not elected for even a Dog Catcher, but this makes sense to me. If we can't get along on some signs, how can we get along on anything else that might be important like a new hospital? We wonder why there are wars in the rest of the world??

In my personal opinion, it is time for the Provincial Government to step in and combine the whole thing with a new name for all. I suggest “Heaven” as the new name, who wouldn't want to go to Heaven to live or visit? Maybe those taking sides on the sign issue, would want the opposite name?
Enough of the Divisions, enough of the power trips!
King/Queen of Terrace Kingdom, and King/Queen of Thornhill Kingdom can maybe unite as one, once and for all! What is next toll highway to cross thru each others territory? One Local Government, combine it all, has to be cheaper for all the taxpayers. But everybody has their little “Kingdoms” to protect! Time to grow up on both sides of the river! Big cities still have the smaller sections, or subdivisions, but one main name. Time for “Heaven” name, and I am not even religious!! Imagine press we would get with that name?

I have heard the suggestion of “Skeena River” for a combined name for the area. I think that would be perfect.

Thornhill Community Association are trying to Incorporate the area, and pamphlets have been sent out, ca Jan 2023

Little Canyon (Sipkiow)

Skeena River

Ext Link-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornhill,_British_Columbia

His photo at Little Canyon, from BC Archives site
http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/t-thornhill-pioneer-little-canyon-skeena-river

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