Tatla Lake, British Columbia
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Tatla Lake |
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|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
_location_map.svg)
 Tatla Lake
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| Coordinates: 51°54′16″N 124°36′04″W / 51.90444°N 124.60111°WCoordinates: 51°54′16″N 124°36′04″W / 51.90444°N 124.60111°W | |
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 British Columbia
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| Region | Chilcotin |
| Regional district | Cariboo |
| Between | Williams Lake and Bella Coola |
| Elevation | 3,025 ft (922 m) |
| Postal Code | V0L 1V0 |
| Area code(s) | 250 |
Tatla Lake is a small unincorporated community in the west Chilcotin area of British Columbia, Canada, located at the west end of its eponymous lake. Situated 220 km west of Williams Lake along Highway 20 (Chilcotin Highway), Tatla Lake's 123 people live approximately halfway between the two ends of the highway; Williams Lake to the east and the coastal community of Bella Coola to the west. The community is the service centre for three major mountain valleys of West Branch, Chilko and Tatlayoko. These valleys extend southward via secondary roads to the south.
The first people to live in Tatla Lake were the Tsilhqot'in (Chilcotin) First Nations people. Ranching began in 1890 with the advent of early pioneers. Robert Graham arrived in the country in 1901 and purchased the Tatla Lake place from Benny Franklin in 1902. The Grahams built a fine new house as well as a new store in 1930. The house is now the Graham Inn, long known for serving excellent meals to hungry travelers on the highway. A post office was established on the Graham Ranch in 1914 with Mrs. Graham as postmistress for mail that only came once a month at first. The Grahams' son William, was the first baby born in the new log hospital at Alexis Creek in 1915. Over the years a school, community hall, and nursing station were added.
Tatla Lake is situated on the western edge of the Chilcotin Plateau, and some of the largest mountains in British Columbia are found to the west including Mount Waddington - the tallest mountain completely within British Columbia's border. The Coast Mountains block most of the moisture traveling off the Pacific Ocean leaving the entire Chilcotin region in a rain shadow. Tatla Lake is the westernmost location for many semi-arid plants like Prickly Pear Cactus and Rabbit Brush.
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