| 1842 |
Early Settlement of Shuswaps in the area of Glendale now known as Comer. |
| 1859 |
The beginning of the gold rush. Chief William welcomed Thomas Davidson, the first known white settler of this area. |
| 1860 |
The first Williams Lake settlement (Indian church, stopping-house, jail, government building, several homes and barns) in area now known as Cormer. First police Constable, William Pinchbeck. Columneetza Lake renamed Williams Lake. Philip N. Nind, the first gold commissioner. |
| 1862 |
Smallpox, two-thirds of the Indians died, including Chief William. Succeeded by his son, the second Chief William. Chief William and his people are forced to look for new land, more and more white settlers. |
| 1863 |
The Cariboo Wagon Road built from 150 Mile House to Soda Creek, bypassing Williams Lake. The little community eventually died. Pinchbeck stayed in partnership with William Lyne, Built up a magnificent farm. |
| 1866 |
St. Joseph’s Mission established by the Oblate Fathers in the San Jose Valley south of Williams Lake. The Indian Band lived nearby. |
| 1880 |
The government purchased 4,100 acres at the head of the lake. Indians moved on to this land. |
| 1884 |
The Williams Lake Indian Band officially established Sugar Cane Reserve. |
| 1888 |
Pinchbeck bought out Lyne and took over the whole enterprise. |
| 1893 |
Pinchbeck died, the ranch bought by Robert Borland, a pioneer packer and trader. |
| 1912 |
Borland sold the ranch to the Pacific Eastern Railway (PGE). |
| 1913 |
The population of WL approximately 20. |
| 1919 |
The coming of the PGE, the birth of Williams Lake. Bank of Montreal and Bank of Commerce. |
| 1920 |
Ranchers ship cattle from railhead at WL. First Official Stampede. Rough buildings along Railway Ave (now Mackenzie) and Oliver Street. |
| 1921 |
Disastrous fire wiped out half the business district. |
| 1925 |
Williams Lake’s first hospital. Stampede hall built on First Ave. |
| 1927 |
First airplane landed (on a cow pasture). |
| 1929 |
Williams Lake incorporated as a village, population approximately 300. |
| 1930 |
Williams Lake new electric power station and 18 streetlights. Tribune (newspaper) started. |
| 1931 |
J.A. Smedley, the village commissioner. Population 402. |
| 1934 |
First temporary airport on what is now Ninth and Tenth Ave. |
| 1938 |
First air service. (Cariboo to Prince George and Fort St. John) January 2, the first “Wrestling Day” holiday. |
| 1940 |
WL population 900. The war years, several businesses and War Memorial hospital had to close their doors. |
| 1942 |
First Fire Hall, 24-hour phone service, hospital reopens. |
| 1945 |
The first public library. |
| 1947 |
Daily mail service, Oliver Street paved. |
| 1948 |
Ranching backbone of community, lumbering started, Lignum Limited’s planer mill in WL. |
| 1949 |
Population of WL 1180. The building of the War Memorial Arena started. |
| 1950 |
Williams Lake Elementary School opened. The Cariboo Highway goes along Oliver Street and River Road to Soda Creek. Williams Lake – record for the largest single cattle shopping center in BC. |
| 1951 |
The New War Memorial Arena opened. |
| 1953 |
252 high school students in WL. |
| 1954 |
The RCMP moved into the new Federal Building. |
| 1955 |
Cariboo Highway paved between 150 Mile and WL. Shyline School opened. Williams Lake population was 1700. |
| 1956 |
PGE link to North Vancouver completed. 120 sawmills and 8 planers in WL. |
| 1958 |
87 sawmills and 14 planers in WL. |
| 1959 |
New high school opened (WLJHS). First concrete sidewalks. Homes received Street numbers. Construction of Glendale School. Bylaw passed making Wrestling Day (Jan 2). |
| 1961 |
New Chilcotin bridge – Sheep Creek Bridge opened. New million airport at Wildwood. |
| 1963 |
Population of WL 2120. |
| 1965 |
Williams Lake a town. Mountview, Popular Glade and Chilcotin Road Elementary Schools opened. |
| 1966 |
The new golf course opened. Old golf course becomes Boitanio Park. |
| 1968 |
Rudy Johnson Bridge completed, privately owned toll bridge. |
| 1969 |
New Provincial Building opened. Mineral explorations start at Gibraltar Mines. |
| 1970 |
Williams Lake Elementary School renamed Marie Sharpe Elementary School. |
| 1971 |
Boitanio Mall and new grandstands at the Stampede grounds constructed. |
| 1972 |
Copper production started as Gibraltar mines (270 employees). |
| 1974 |
Anne Stevenson Junior Secondary School opened. |
| 1978 |
Nesika Elementary School opened. |
| 1981 |
The Sam Kecham Pool opened. Glendale area part of the town. Williams Lake a city. |
| 1989 |
Both arenas in the Cariboo Memorial Complex are opened. |
| 1993 |
NW Energy Corporation’s Generating Plan, (burns waste wood to create electricity) operational. |
| 1998 |
New Williams Lake Secondary School. New cattle stockyards. New Canadian Tire store. Gibraltar Mines closed. |
| 1999 |
New Williams Lake Public Library. South Lakeside part of the city. Gibraltar Mines purchased by Taseko Mines Ltd., mines status is “care & maintenance”. |
