HISTORY OF CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE The body of water that the Stoney Indian people knew as Ho-run-num-nay, the “Lake of the Little Fishes,” lies in a valley close to some of the higher peaks in the Canadian Rockies. The first non-native to behold it was Tom Wilson (a Canadian Pacific Railway employee), who – led by a Stoney guide – reached its eastern shore in 1882. One night, while camped with a group of Stoney Indians, he heard the rumble of avalanches. Having a limited vocabulary of native words, Wilson learned that the noise was coming from “Snow Mountains above the lake of little fishes.” The next day Wilson rode to the lake on horseback and was immediately captivated by the sparkling blue green waters. He sat and took in the view, and stated, “As God is my judge, I never in all my explorations saw such a matchless scene.” Eventually, the emerald lake was renamed Lake Louise in honor of Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta. It wasn’t until 1885 when the transcontinental line on the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed and the first accommodation was erected that the area attracted visitors to take in the views that Tom Wilson had enjoyed three years prior.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:02:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015