The Snokomish were a Halkomelem -speaking Coast Salish people whose territory was primarily located across the Boundary Bay area. The Snokomish were also known as the Derby people , as their territory included a portion of the Fraser River , near Derby, British Columbia .
7-661: Their territory surrounded the mouths of three rivers: the Nicomekl River , Serpentine River and Campbell River . Closest to modern day Point Roberts, Washington and Crescent, BC . The first two rivers empty into Mud Bay , the northeastern portion of Boundary Bay , north of today's Crescent Beach , whereas as the mouth of the Little Campbell River (a.k.a. Campbell Creek, or Campbell River, Surrey, British Columbia ) empties into Semiahmoo Bay (the eastern portion of Boundary Bay). The Little Campbell River lets out to
14-649: Is from the Halq'emeylem used by the Stó:lō people, meaning "the route to go" or "the pathway." The area from Mud Bay, British Columbia along the Nicomekl river, and portage area to the Salmon River and Derby, British Columbia was once occupied by Snokomish people, who were largely wiped out by a smallpox epidemic in the 18th century. Surviving members joined the surrounding Kwantlen , Katzie and Semiahmoo peoples. The river
21-668: The Tsawwassen First Nation , Katzie First Nation and Kwantlen First Nation . Nicomekl River The Nicomekl River springs from the ground in Langley, British Columbia and travels west through the city to Surrey 's Crescent Beach, where it empties into Mud Bay, the northernmost section of the Boundary Bay of the Strait of Georgia . It has a total length of 34 km, with a drainage area of 149 km . The word Nicomekl
28-423: The Nicomekl as thick with willows and with low banks "well wooded with pine, cedar, alder and some other trees." Work also noted signs of there being numerous beavers on the river. Nicomekl was more navigable than other nearby rivers making it important to Surrey pioneers. In 1911, Surrey council barred navigation up the Nicomekl and Serpentine rivers due to construction of dams to reclaim land. This ended use of
35-486: The ocean at the Semiahmoo First Nation 's reserve lands--very close to today's city of White Rock, British Columbia . The Snokomish spoke Halkomelem. Their dialect was 'Downriver,' rather than 'Upriver,' or 'Island.' Their particular dialect was 'Nicomekl'. The population was decimated by a smallpox epidemic in 1850, and thereafter some individuals were absorbed into the neighbouring Semiahmoo , whose territory
42-622: Was first documented in writing on December 13, 1824, when James McMillan's Hudson's Bay Company expedition used the Nicomekl River to travel inland. They went up the Nikomekl to the portage area to the Salmon River which connected to the Fraser River 50 miles inland. McMillan built the first Fort Langley at that location two and a half years later. John Work, a clerk with the party, described
49-533: Was immediately to the south, and who absorbed the saltwater portion of Snokomish territory (the rest is now Kwantlen territory). Families with Snokomish heritage among the Semiahmoo retain hereditary rights to the mouths of the Nicomekl, Serpentine and Campbell Rivers. It is also thought that surviving individuals from the Snokomish First Nations were absorbed by other Halkomelem speaking neighbors such as
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