HISTORY

Copper Desert Country personifies the opposite of urban sprawl.   Semi-arid grasslands and hills dominate much of the landscape and both past & present have supported cattle ranching and agriculture.

Settlement in the area dates back to the 1800’s, and was centered around the village of Savona which remains a thriving small community, nestled on the west end of Kamloops Lake.  Savona is the only major settlement in Copper Desert Country.

Originally located on the north side of the lake, Savona’s Ferry was the end of the stagecoach line from Cache Creek on the Cariboo Wagon Road. Those wishing to travel further had to take the steamship up the lake to Kamloops and beyond.

In 1866, the BC government put out a contract to build a road from Cache Creek to Savona Ferry Landing.  The road was 23 miles long and 18 feet wide. (part of it is still visible today)  The first wagon to travel this road carried the boiler for the steamship Marten. The 125-foot-long steamship was built in 1865 on Whitfield Chase’s farm on Shuswap Lake.  It was floated to Savona for installation of its boiler and other machinery.

In 1885, the Canadian Pacific Railroad came to the region, and most of the buildings were pulled across the ice on the lake and thus creating the community of Savona as we know it today.  For several decades, railroads were the most effective form of land transportation for both passenger travel and freight hauling.  They also provided a strong economic base for towns they passed through.

A road was later built along the south side of Kamloops Lake to Kamloops and the first car appeared on the streets of Savona in 1907. Currently it is the Trans Canada Highway that runs through Savona and the heart of Copper Desert Country.

Today, the ranching industry continues to be a mainstay of the economy of the region.  The early beginnings of ranching in the area were tied to the Gold Rush as large herds of cattle and horses were driven north from Washington and Oregon headed for the mines.  Droves would swim the Thompson River at Savona and often, cattle would be wintered on the benches below the town. 

Tourism plays an increasing role as more and more visitors discover the dozens of fishing lakes and miles of natural surroundings to explore.