Dawson Creek
| Dawson Creek | |||
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| City | |||
| The Corporation of the City of Dawson Creek | |||
Looking south into downtown Dawson Creek, with the Mile "0" post.
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| Nickname(s): Capital of the Peace, Mile 0 City | |||
 Dawson Creek
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| Coordinates (City Hall): 55°45′38″N 120°14′08″W / 55.76056°N 120.23556°WCoordinates: 55°45′38″N 120°14′08″W / 55.76056°N 120.23556°W | |||
| Country | Canada | ||
| Province | British Columbia | ||
| Region | Peace River | ||
| Incorporated | May 26, 1936 (village) January 6, 1958 (city) |
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| Government | |||
| • MP | Bob Zimmer | ||
| • MLA | Mike Bernier | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 24.37 km2 (9.41 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 665 m (2,182 ft) | ||
| Population (2011) | |||
| • City | 11,583 | ||
| • Density | 475.4/km2 (1,231/sq mi) | ||
| • Urban | 11,583 | ||
| • Urban density | 475.4/km2 (1,231/sq mi) | ||
| • Metro | 11,583 | ||
| • Metro density | 475.4/km2 (1,231/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Mountain Time Zone (UTC−7) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC−7) | ||
| Postal code FSA | V1G | ||
| Area code(s) | 250 / 778 / 236 | ||
| Highways |
 BC 97 BC 2 BC 49
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| Website | City of Dawson Creek | ||
Dawson Creek is a city in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. The municipality of 24.37 square kilometres (9.41 sq mi) had a population of 11,583 in 2011. Dawson Creek derives its name from the creek of the same name that runs through the community. The creek was named after George Mercer Dawson by a member of his land survey team when they passed through the area in August 1879. Once a small farming community, Dawson Creek became a regional centre after the western terminus of the Northern Alberta Railways was extended there in 1932. The community grew rapidly in 1942 as the US Army used the rail terminus as a transshipment point during construction of the Alaska Highway. In the 1950s, the city was connected to the interior of British Columbia via a highway and railway through the Rocky Mountains. Since the 1960s, growth has slowed.
Dawson Creek is located in the dry and windy prairie land of the Peace River Country. As the seat of the Peace River Regional District and a service centre for the rural areas south of the Peace River, the city has been called the "Capital of the Peace". It is also known as the "Mile 0 City", referring to its location at the southern end of the Alaska Highway. It also has a heritage interpretation village, an art gallery, and a museum. Annual events include a fall fair and rodeo.
Dawson Creek is named after the watercourse of the same name, itself named after George Mercer Dawson who led a surveying team through the area in August 1879; a member of the team labelled the creek with Dawson's name. The community that formed by the creek was one of many farming communities established by European-Canadian settlers moving west through the Peace River Country. When the Canadian government began issuing homestead grants to settlers in 1912, the pace of migration increased. With the opening of a few stores and hotels in 1919 and the incorporation of the Dawson Creek Co-operative Union on 28 May 1921, Dawson Creek became a dominant business centre in the area. After much speculation by land owners and investors, the Northern Alberta Railways built its western terminus 3 km (2 mi) from Dawson Creek. The golden spike was driven on 29 December 1930, and the first passenger train arrived on 15 January 1931. The arrival of the railway and the construction of grain elevators attracted more settlers and business to the settlement. The need to provide services for the rapidly growing community led Dawson Creek to incorporate as a village in May 1936. A small wave of refugees from the Sudetenland settled in the area in 1939 as World War II was beginning. The community exceeded 500 people in 1941.
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