Merritt, BC History

History in Merritt, BC, Canada

MERRITT, BC  HISTORY IN THE 70’S AND 80’S

A little bit of Merritt, BC History in my view. I born and raised here in Merritt, BC ,  in the 70’s and 80’s a little bit of Merritt history in my view. I watched Merritt grow every year. In the beginning there was not much here because it was a logging town.  Every family in the town of Merritt knew each other in someway or another whether it be in the bars, or the Coldwater Hotel.

HISTORY OF SOME OF THE ORIGINAL FAMILIES

The original families that help build this town, have stayed, have lived, and died here because this was their home.

There was a point when the economy hit rock bottom, there was no food, so the Tessier family, the Harris family, and other families gathered together to help Merritt out when it hit its low points.

This town was lost. I believe at the time the mills and logging companies hit a dead end. They ended up closing down, the food ran low. The Tessier’s,  the Harris, and others went out and started hunting every day, all day, until there was enough food for the whole town, that is how close this town was.

MERRITT,BC IN THE 90’S

The families regained their strength and with a little help, BOOM! Merritt went from being a small village, to a town, to a city then everything started to change! Different stores, fast food restaurants, and grocery stores started to work themselves into the community. From then on Merritt started to grow fast!

MERRITT, BC GROWING PERIOD

Eventually the town started to expand because the out of townees eventually decided to live here. “No place like home”, I have heard a few times growing up here in the Nicola Valley. My family the Tessiers, and the Nixon, as well as the Harris family and a few others would all hangout and socialize in the bars, the Cold Water Hotel, or just gather around a fire pit in their back yards.

MERRITT, BC  NOW AND LEADING TO A FUTURE WE CAN NOT SEE YET!

Life happened here, business grew here and new ones kept coming. The best part about our town are that the  old ways still exists. When we are in need, the community, the town of Merritt, we all stand up together and help those who need us. The support is here. Love and kindness, encouragement, it never left. Standing strong and proud to be a Merrittonian we all will win in the end.

History in Merritt, BC and the Nicola Valley