Series GR-1499 - Dominion timber berth administration files

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Dominion timber berth administration files

General material designation

  • textual record
  • microform

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  • Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the series.

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Series

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GR-1499

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1896-1932 (Creation)
    Creator
    Canada. Department of the Interior

Physical description area

Physical description

85 microfilm reels and 12 cm of textual records and maps

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Archival description area

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Administrative history

Custodial history

Accession G84-158 was transferred to the BC Forest Service ca. 1956 and to the BC Archives in 1984.
Accession 91-3035 transferred from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in 2016.

Scope and content

The series consists of Dominion Lands Branch timber berth administration files created by the Canadian Department of the Interior from 1896 to 1932. Timber berths were an area based system of timber tenure established by the Dominion (Federal) Government in 1872. Most of the records are on microfilm and arranged by land district and section. Records from the following land districts are included: New Westminster, Kamloops and Revelstoke.

The series also includes several paper files of similar records which were likely transferred to the custody of the Provincial government after the return of the railway belt. The records are primarily homestead inspection reports for timber berths. Other records include correspondence, applications, statistics on timber volumes and maps. The records are in no discernable order; they contain a variety of dates, names and timber berth numbers. Some of these records may be duplicated on the microfilm in this series.

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No access restrictions apply.

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Associated materials

For related records see:
GR-1500 Dominion Timber berth licences 1931-1951
GR-1501 Dominion timber marks register 1949-1954

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Accruals

General note

Accession number(s): G84-158 (94-4575), 91-3035

General note

Under the British Columbia Terms of Union that were passed in 1871, the BC Government agreed to convey to the Dominion Government “public lands along the line of railway throughout its entire length in British Columbia, not to exceed, however, twenty (20) miles on each side of said line.” This land was used to provide aid in the construction of the CPR Railway.

The Dominion Government retained responsibility for the Railway Belt lands until 1930 and managed land use until that time. In 1930, they transferred responsibility for the Railway Belt lands to the Province of BC. BC managed existing land tenures following the transfer including the management of timber berths. These files document the period of time after 1930.

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