It is small wonder Marysville residents squirm when they hear their village referred to as South Kimberley, for they existed before Kimberley. The Marysville area was first staked as a townsite in 1894 by Bill Meecham. In 1897, when word of a proposed smelter got around, it was surveyed as a townsite, and the place began to boom.
Further hopes were raised by news that the railway under construction from the Crow would go up the St. Mary's River and cross into the West Kootenay via one of the passes.
The early settlers did not purchase lots. They just "chose" them and their homes were built by work "bees". Hotels followed; the first, the Marysville Hotel, being erected in 1900. Others followed; the Central Hotel in 1903 and the Royal and the Falls View in 1906. The Royal burned down in 1908 and was rebuilt only to suffer the same fate.
Early-day residents, with descendants still living in the area, included the Mellors, the Lundeens, the Bidders, the James, the Keers, the Pighins and the Cimolai family. Logging was a major industry, thanks to the Staples mill at Wycliffe. St. Mary's River provided excellent transportation, the last log drive, to Wardner, taking place in 1910.
One enterprising saloon keeper saw that Marysville was closer to Staples' Camp 4, than were the Kimberley hostelries, and cleared a trail to accommodate the thirsty loggers. His work is reported to have "paid off".
E. J. Clayton was the first storekeeper, post-master and editor of the "Marysville News". Pete Woods of Cherry Creek was the first butcher.
The promised smelter was built in 1904 but the complexity of the ore forced its closure a few years later, and in 1910 it was dismantled.
After some very slow years, Marysville was reborn as a residential area for Cominco employees, with village status.
In 1968, not without some opposition from its residents, came approval of amalgamation with Kimberley.
Today, it is a thriving centre with businesses, two churches, an excellent school, a beautiful new trailer park area, ball parks and arena - a very pretty and pleasant place to call "home".
Chapman Camp owes its being to the Company. When its assayers and chemists solved the problem of handling the Sullivan ore through a flotation process, work began on building a concentrator. This was in 1921, and soon a cookhouse and 5 bunkhouses, each accommodating 56 men, were built on the flat just below the concentrator site. These buildings were soon joined by the "Rams' Pasture" which housed additional men.
A beautiful recreation hall was built, mail being brought in by truck from Kimberley and dumped on the floor to cries of "Come and get yours."
By 1923, six homes had been built on 2nd Ave., Mrs. Ross Doran being the first lady to live in Camp and Mrs. K. J. "Sis" McKenzie being the first girl born there.
In 1923, the village green was laid out by baseball enthusiasts and in 1924 football began. Early day soccer players included Bob Eccleston, Jack, Chris and Hoary (Harry) Evans and Jim Russell. Curling was also a ma-jor sport.
In 1937 Chapman Camp was incorporated as a village with J. T. Knighton as Chairman Commissioner. Amalgamation with Kimberley was accepted by residents in 1968, but this lovely little purely residential settlement was fortunate enough to keep its own name and identity.
In 1906-07, the Meadowbrook area was logged off by the Staples Lumber Company of Wycliffe and signs of their narrow all-logging railway lines and of their camps are to be found here and there in the bush.
In 1914 the area was preempted for settlement and a Mrs. Clarence Connover named her ranch Meadowbrook Ranch, a name now applied to the whole area.
A scattered settlement of farm homes — beautiful log buildings — grew up complete with School. The first teacher was a Miss I. S. MacKenzie.
Most of the men worked at the mine in Kimberley, riding in on saddle horses.
Today a growing Meadowbrook is a residential area for the Company workers seeking a country-type life.
List Of 1944 Merchants
A list of Kimberley Merchants that sponsored local advertising for the 6th VICTORY LOAN in 1944, the year of incorporation of the City of Kimberley.
Mark Creek Store - Kimberley Hardware - Lloyds Hardware - Fink Ltd.
Local 651 - Foodland - Union Cleaners - S. Norton Real Estate & Insurance
Ritz Cafe - 3 Star Service - Enterprise Dairy - McDougall Hall
Globe Hotel - Whistlecroft Jewelers - Uptown Meat Market - City Meat Market
Blarchmont Grocery - Mrs. F.M. Phillips - Mrs. Caldwell Ladies Wear - Orpheum Theatre
Chas. Morrison Furniture - Ideal Bakery - Williamson's Thrift Shop - The Stand
Elk's Lodge - Home Inn Cafe - Kimberley Billiards - C.A. Foote
M.J. Halpin - C.M. & S. Company - Fabro Building and Supply - Kimberley Transfer
A. Muraca - J.C. Adams - Selkirk Motors - McClure and Cushing
Sullivan Motors - T.A. Martin Real Estate - Star Bakery - George Ross Blacksmith
J.J. O'Neill Drugs - Mac's Confectionery - Kimberley Motors - Brown's Garage
Kimberley Drug & Meat - B.C. Electric & Music - Eaton's - Walkley's Meat Market
Meadowbrook Dairy - Kootenay Transfer - M. Koper - Kimberley Trading Company Canadian Hotel - A.Zenkewich Company
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