Habart
  Habart  
 

Gary Habart and Carol Young’s grand father William Habart and his wife, Rose, arrived in Golden from Innisfail, Alberta in 1903. For the first five years, William found work in the Columbia River Lumber Company driving team, freighting supplies to logging camps during the winter. For the next 25 years, William and Rose worked the Canyon Creek Ranch (on the west bank of the river now called Nicholson) and raised nine children.

With no bridge across the Columbia, the Habarts would come in to town on

 

 

the steamer boat Ptarmigan and then later in a gas launch. Family lore says that William’s favourite pastime was catching wild goats that came down Canyon Creek attracting them to his lair with a salt lick. Despite the rumours, prospectors in the area found it easier catching goats than finding gold.

Close to retirement, William bought Rainbow Ranch two miles north and son Wilfred took over the farm. Carol is holding a family photograph taken of William and Uncle Wilfred, taking a break from haying.

 

 

The background image was taken by William Wenman in 1921 looking down from the Golden hill and south west down the valley. In the foreground, we can see the Imperial Bank (Mt 7 Taxi), the Russell Hotel (Civic Centre), H. G. Parson Store and the big Golden Curling Rink building. Further back, one can make out the white flagpole of the Sikh Temple and some of the CRL mill site. Down the valley a ways is the Rainbow Ranch now named the Habart Subdivision where Carol still lives.