Indiantown Tax Revolt for School Access

Indiantown, a Wet'suwet'en neighborhood, once existed right here on the edge of Smithers, a mountain town in northwestern British Columbia, between Prince George and Prince Rupert. It’s gone now, but it has a history that's worth knowing.

Smithers was established in 1913 because a railway station was needed. The town itself is built on swampland at the base of a mountain within traditional Wet'suwet'en territory. Over time, the Wet'suwet'en were gradually pushed off their land. The community here, known informally as Indiantown, disappeared after several attempts by town officials to remove them.

The Wet'suwet'en people were even considered "squatters" on their own land in 1967. Despite being systematically marginalized, the Wet'suwet'en here still took part in some aspects of the settler community in Smithers, especially in sports and the annual agricultural fair during the 1950s.

There was a man named Jack Joseph, who was known as a peacemaker between the Wet'suwet'en and the settlers. He even served as a government-appointed chief for the Moricetown Band. You can see a picture of him from 1917, holding his son Frank.

It's clear that this area has a complex past, and the story of Indiantown is a part of that.