Willow River, British Columbia

A trackside signpost marks the flag stop for Via Rail's Jasper – Prince Rupert train.{{cite web| url=http://www.viarail.ca/en/stations/rockies-and-pacific/Willow-River| title=Willow River flag stop| website=www.viarail.ca}} The immediate Via Rail stops are Prince George to the southwest and Aleza Lake to the east.

The river confluence, close proximity to the Salmon River, and being handy to the Giscome Portage, made it a strategic location.{{sfn|Olson|2014|p=31}} The Cariboo, Barkerville & Willow River Railway (CB&WR) proposed linking Barkerville and Eagle (Eaglet) Lake. In its 1909 Annual Report, the Willow River Timber Co. (WRT) of Ontario highlighted the line's value in accessing the company's remote timber limits in the upper reaches of the Willow River.Fort George Herald: 6 May 1911 & 21 Oct 1911 Investing $1.5 million in timber limits, a British syndicate planned a mammoth sawmill at the river mouth.Fort George Tribune, 3 Dec 1910{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=1}} The CB&WR never eventuated. Asset sales followed the 1922 WRT receivership.Prince George Citizen: 8 to 20 Dec 1922

By 1912, a Victoria-based syndicate acquired Lot 788, and the GTP acquired Lot 785, which was about {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} due east and across the Willow River. Lot 782 lay between.{{cite web| url=http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/uploads/GIS/Electoral_Area_F.pdf | title=DL Map: Willow River| website=www.rdffg.bc.ca}}Fort George Herald, 5 Oct 1912Fort George Tribune, 16 Nov 1912 That March, the Railway Commission had approved the future station location as near the centre of Lot 785.Fort George Tribune: 2 & 9 Aug 1913, & 13 Sep 1913 The Lot 788 syndicate widely publicized a 2,500-lot subdivision called "Willow City" on the soon coming Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTP) and at the terminal for the proposed Pacific & Hudson Bay Railway (P&HB),Fort George Herald: 3 Aug 1912; 28 Sep 1912; & 5, 12 & 26 Oct 1912;
{{Cite web | url=http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist57232uvic#page/n4/mode/1up/search/willow+city |title =Victoria Daily Colonist, 12 Sep 1912|website=www.daily colonist.ca|year =1912}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045396/1912-09-14/ed-1/seq-13/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=WILLOW+CITY |title =The Salt Lake Tribune, 14 Sep 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =14 September 1912}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025316/1912-09-18/ed-1/seq-10/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=Willow+City |title =The Daily Missoulian, 18 Sep 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =18 September 1912|page =10}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1912-09-18/ed-1/seq-8/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&sort=relevance&date2=12%2F31%2F1913&words=Willow+City |title =Evening Capital News, 18 Sep 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =18 September 1912|page =8}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025316/1912-10-05/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=WILLOW+CITY |title =The Daily Missoulian, 5 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =5 October 1912|page =2}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058397/1912-10-05/ed-1/seq-8/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=Willow+City |title =The Evening Standard, 5 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =5 October 1912|page =8}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1912-10-05/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=Willow+City |title =Evening Capital News, 5 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =5 October 1912|page =5}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058397/1912-10-09/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=Willow+City |title =The Evening Standard, 9 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =9 October 1912|page =5}} and additional misleading claims.{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1912-09-21/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=WILLOW+CITY |title =Evening Capital News, 21 Sep 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =21 September 1912|page =5}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025316/1912-09-21/ed-1/seq-12/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=WILLOW+CITY |title =The Daily Missoulian, 21 Sep 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =21 September 1912|page =12}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1912-09-25/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=WILLOW+CITY |title =Evening Capital News, 25 Sep 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =25 September 1912|page =6}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1912-10-12/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=Willow+City |title =Evening Capital News, 12 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =12 October 1912}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025316/1912-10-12/ed-1/seq-10/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&sort=relevance&date2=12%2F31%2F1913&words=WILLOW+CITY |title =The Daily Missoulian, 12 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =12 October 1912|page =10}};
{{Cite web | url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058397/1912-10-16/ed-1/seq-6/#date1=01%2F01%2F1912&words=Willow+City |title =The Evening Standard, 16 Oct 1912|website=www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov|date =16 October 1912|page =6}} Although, the proposed P&HB passed no closer than {{convert|20|mi|km}} away,Fort George Herald, 15 Feb 1913 the locality was a possible terminus for an unlikely branch line crossing the Fraser,{{sfn|Olson|2014|p=33}} but no track ever eventuated anywhere. Tree clearing defined the planned streets the following year.Fort George Herald, 10 May 1913 Meanwhile, the GTP surveyed and subdivided its land,Fort George Herald, 10 Aug 1912 and contracted to have the 40 acres cleared by Christmas. Further lots were surveyed,Fort George Herald, 23 Nov 1912 and cleared.Fort George Herald, 22 Mar 1913 Warning prospective buyers not to confuse their 640-acre development with the syndicate's one {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} away by rail from the planned station, the GTP began marketing their real estate.Fort George Herald: 5 & 12 Oct 1912{{cite book |last=Morrow |first=Trelle A| page=29 |title=The Grand Trunk Pacific and other Fort George stuff |year=2010 |publisher=CNC Press | isbn=9780921087502}} Already owning Lot 784, bordering to the north, the GTP also purchased Lot 781, northwest of the latter, to secure an overland access to the Fraser.

The syndicate renamed its parcel as "Willow River",Fort George Herald: 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 Nov 1912; & 7, 14, 21 & 28 Dec 1912 and then further described the location as "the only townsite registered as Willow River".Fort George Herald: 11, 25 Jan 1913; 1, 8, 15 & 22 Feb 1913; 22 Mar 1913; & 19 Apr 1913 Either their acquisition of Lot 782 between the two developmentsFort George Herald, 29 Mar 1913 or legal pressure amended it to "next to the GTP townsite of Willow River".Fort George Herald: 17 & 24 May 1913; 21 Jun 1913; & 5 & 12 Jul 1913 The devious marketing practices created some buyer remorse among naïve faraway investors.Fort George Herald, 5 Jul 1913 Most of the premium lots with river frontage are now merely river silt.{{sfn|Olson|2014|p=35}} Meanwhile, the GTP weekly advertisements publicized their land as "the only one official and original GTP town of Willow River".Fort George Herald: 1 Feb 1913 to 31 Dec 1913 Based in South Fort George, F.W. Crawford, the BC manager of the GTP's Transcontinental Townsites Co.,Fort George Herald, 7 Mar 1914 was also secretary-treasurer of the chamber of commerceFort George Herald, 18 Feb 1914 and a director of the Herald.Fort George Herald, 14 May 1915 The start of World War I saw land prices tumble.Prince George Citizen, 8 Jan 1953 The syndicate lots never became more than rural and the GTP ones ultimately attained merely a hint of the significance promised by the promoters. Of the surveyed GTP town, the demand for lots evaporated.Prince George Post, 2 Jan 1915 Only a quarter of the land, comprising the central portion and a sliver east along Railway Ave. to slightly beyond the Upper Fraser Rd. intersection, was eventually developed,{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=2–3 & 156–159}} but half these lots have since reverted to open spaces. (1913 map){{cite web| url=https://www.arcabc.ca/islandora/object/unbc%3A54717?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=a43e8df81453b38c15b0&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=0&search=willow%2520river | page=2 | title=1913 map: Willow River| website=www.arcabc.ca}}

The Prince George-Willow River sternwheeler service provided a destination for day excursions,Prince George Citizen, 18 Mar 1980 and an indispensable link until the railway service became reliable.Prince George Citizen, 16 Mar 1953

Willow River lies at Mile 127.0, Fraser Subdivision{{cite web|title=1977 Timetable|url=http://www.cwrailway.ca/cnrha.ca/Timetables/Mountain%20Region/BC%20North%20Division/Fraser.pdf|website=www.cwrailway.ca}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.viarail.ca/sites/all/files/media/pdfs/route_guides/Route_Guide_Jasper_Prince_Rupert_EN.pdf |title =Route guide|website=www.viarail.ca}} (about Mile 216.5 during the line's construction). The hospital, near the mouth on Hospital Creek,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=27}} was at Mile 217. The {{convert|17|mi|km|adj=on}} railway right-of-way contract, completed by J.M. Kullander (Collander alternate spelling) during 1912/13,Fort George Herald, 20 Jul 1912 advanced from camps at Miles 208 and 217,Fort George Herald, 17 May 1913 and encompassed Willow River, Giscome and Newlands.Fort George Herald, 8 Feb 1913 The campimage: Prince George Citizen, 14 Nov 1966 received some supplies from Prince George,Fort George Herald, 15 Jun 1912 but most came down the Fraser River.Fort George Herald, 13 Jul 1912 A. Roy Spurr (1885–1954), later at Penny,{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/95435e6a-923f-4d6f-9aa1-28dd58374cc4 |title =Death Certificate (Albert Roy SPURR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 16 Aug 1954 maintained a camp store and accommodation at this time.Fort George Herald, 13 Sep 1913 The unprecedented low water limiting navigation on the Upper Fraser (which beached steamboats)Fort George Herald, 21 Sep 1912 made it impossible to transport steam shovels downstream in 1912. Fortunately, the Collander contract was primarily light work through considerable muskeg. During the following springtime, a large force was at work, but much of the unfinished grade was submerged.Fort George Herald: 17 May 1913 & 14 Jun 1913 In late summer, near the D.J. Carey (Siems, Carey & Co.) camp southwest of the river mouth at Mile 220, the single firing of over 200 tons of explosives demolished a solid rock hill.Fort George Herald: 17 May 1913; 9 & 30 Aug 1913; & 20 Sep 1913Fort George Tribune, 13 Sep 1913 The previous winter, an employee at Carey's camp, who suffered frostbite when lost, had both feet amputated at the GTP hospital.Fort George Herald, 25 Jan 1913

Willow River, like Shelley to its southwest, and Giscome to its east, was an original train station (1914) on the GTP1914 Timetable scanned{{cite web| url=http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/datapub/digital/G_R_3572_C4P3_1911.jpg| title=c.1919 GTP map (© 1911 prior version)| website=www.utoronto.ca}} (the Canadian National Railway after nationalization). The railway bridge spans at Mile 127.8 (formerly about Mile 217.3). Although tracks were supposedly laid across this bridge on 31 December 1913,{{cite web| url=http://www.exporail.org/can_rail/Canadian%20Rail_no476_2000.pdf#page=10 | page=74 | title=Canadian Rail, May-June 2000 |website=www.exporail.org}} the discrepancy of having reached Mile 220 the previous dayFort George Herald, 31 Dec 1913 probably indicates that mileage references in newspapers were sometimes approximations.

In 1920, around {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} to the west, a freight locomotive derailed and submerged in the Fraser River.Prince George Citizen, 14 May 1920

About {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} to the east, a westbound passenger train fatally struck Albert Beacham (1923–40),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2528860 |title=Cemetery Project (Albert John BEACHAM)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} who was likely asleep on the track. The wheels severed his head, one arm at the shoulder, one arm at the elbow, and the right foot at the ankle.Prince George Citizen, 8 Aug 1940

Trains regularly struck straying livestock.Prince George Citizen: 31 Dec 1942, 15 Jul 1943, 18 May 1944 & 12 May 1955 When a collision demolished a fully laden Geddes lumber truck on the old highway level crossing in 1947, the driver escaped with only concussion and fractures.Prince George Citizen, 13 Mar 1947 A decade later, Max Pious suffered fatal injuries when struck by a freight train near the settlement.Prince George Citizen: 1 & 8 Apr 1957 After passing trains had destroyed 100 head of cattle between Willow River and Aleza Lake during 1958–63, the CNR erected protective fencing.Prince George Citizen: 1 Mar 1963 & 9 Oct 1963 Passing in front of a moving train at the crossing, after failing to stop and properly check, a school bus narrowly avoided danger.Prince George Citizen, 13 Dec 1966 In 1996, a train struck an unoccupied truck.Prince George Citizen, 14 May 1996

The station, at the foot of Willow St.,Prince George Citizen, 21 Nov 1946{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} had a 700-foot freight platform.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=2}}Prince George Citizen, 5 Apr 1921 Built in 1914, the standard-design Plan 100‐152 (Bohi's Type E){{Cite web | url=http://www.oil-electric.com/2008/09/type-e-mythology.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101162602/http://www.oil-electric.com/2008/09/type-e-mythology.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=January 1, 2009 | title=Type "E" Mythology|website=www.oil-electric.com}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.michaelkluckner.com/bciw10gtp.html |title = Vanishing BC GTP Railway stations|website=www.michaelkluckner.com}} structure was boarded up in 1969. An unidentified freight and passenger shelter, relocated from Decker Lake that year, remained into the 2000s.{{cite book |last1=Bohi |first1=Charles W. |last2=Kozma |first2=Leslie S |title=Canadian National's Western Stations |year=2002 |publisher=Fitzhenry & Whiteside |isbn=1550416324 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/canadiannational0000bohi/page/121 121, 136 & 144] |url=https://archive.org/details/canadiannational0000bohi/page/121 }} The original building continued to be vandalized, and was demolished in 1982.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=104 & 128}}

{{Aligned table |cols=8|class=wikitable|col1align=left |col2align=center |col3align=center|col4align=center|col5align=center|col6align=center|col7align=center|col8align=center|row1header=y

| Siding | Mile No. | 1922 | 1933 | 1943 | 1960 | 1965–72 | 1977 |

(Capacity Length) | | Cars | Cars | Cars | Cars | Cars | Feet |

Willow River | 127.0 | 67 | 66 | 58 | 53 | 54 | 2,540 }}

{{Aligned table |cols=9|class=wikitable|col1align=left |col2align=center |col3align=center|col4align=center|col5align=center|col6align=center|col7align=center|col8align=center

|col9align=center|row1header=y

| Other Tracks | Mile No. | 1920–22 | 1933 | 1942–43 | 1960 | 1965–68 | 1972{{0}} | 1977{{0}} |

(Capacity Length) | | Cars | Cars | Prince George Citizen: 26 Nov 1942, 17 Jun 1943 & 29 Jul 1943 | Cars | Cars | Cars | Feet |

Geddes Lumber | 126.7 | | | | 7 | | | |

Etter & McDougall | 127.0 | | 18 | At capacity/upgraded | | | | |

P.S. Church | 127.1 | | | | 4 | | | |

Outfit Spur | 127.3 | | | | 14 | 14 | | |

Northern Lumber | 127.8 | Unknown | | | | | | |

Rock Pit | 129.6 | | | | | | | 1,450 |

Rock Spur | 130.0 | | | | 50 | 47 | 47 | }}

By 1911, J.M. Wiley (Wylie alternate spelling), a Winnipeg grain operator had 50 acres of his cleared land under cultivation.Fort George Herald, 9 Sep 1911 Tenant farmers worked the ranch,Prince George Citizen, 13 Mar 1924 which comprised Lot 780 that straddled the river mouth. Fred Burden acquired an interest in this property.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=40 & 54}}Prince George Citizen: 3 May 1921, 3 Jun 1921, & 9 & 30 Aug 1921

Two pioneer farmers in the area were Ralph McVoy (1864–1934),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2527154 |title=Cemetery Project (Ralph McVOY)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} and Charles (Charlie) T. Harvie (1879–1962){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/42db40e5-be9e-436b-8644-3d80efac3205 |title =Death Certificate (Charles Thompson HARVIE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} (Harvey alternate spelling).Prince George Citizen, 24 Mar 1955 McVoy was also involved in railway tie contracting.Prince George Citizen, 28 Oct 1921 Retired from farming,Prince George Citizen: 7 & 14 Jun 1934 his body was discovered in the Fraser River near Shelley.Prince George Citizen, 26 Jul 1934 A coroner's jury returned an open verdict on his death from a rifle wound inflicted by a person unknown,Prince George Citizen, 2 Aug 1934 but locals suspected murder.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=18}} Charlie arrived about 1912, joined by his brother Fred Harvie (1876–1955){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/124cd012-61e7-4e80-89f8-8f3c7d68eca7 |title =Death Certificate (Fred Millard HARVIE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Vancouver Sun, 5 May 1955 in 1914, whose family followed the next year. Ira W. Lewis (c.1877–1955) arrived in 1913. His family followed during the 1914 springtime, the McBride-Willow River segment taking three days, owing to track conditions west of Hansard. They moved to Giscome in 1916. The Harvies left around 1917 when Charlie sold his farm near the river mouth to William H. Fairis,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=9}} who became known for his fine hay, grain and vegetable crops.Prince George Citizen, 3 Sep 1918 His strawberries were popular,Prince George Citizen, 23 Jul 1919 and the potato yields prolific on his preemption.Prince George Citizen, 10 Dec 1920 Though the influenza epidemic infected his whole family, they all survived.Prince George Citizen: 20 Feb 1920 & 5 Apr 1921 By the time the Royal Bank successfully sued him for failing to honour a promissory note,Prince George Citizen, 16 Dec 1921 he had sold his property,Prince George Citizen, 3 Jun 1921 and returned permanently to Illinois. {{anchor|GolderFam}}

John (1869–1943) & Eliza (1876–1948){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/9e1dda24-0ee6-4787-b4ab-a8ffe85dd55b |title =Death Certificate (Eliza Hastie GOLDER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 22 Apr 1948 Golder arrived in 1914 and he practised as a veterinary surgeon. John had fulfilled this role for Foley, Welch and Stewart, having been in charge of all livestock during the railway construction. While building his practice, teamster employment supplemented his income. They retired to Vancouver in 1941.{{Cite web | url=https://bccd.vpl.ca/index.php/browse/title/1919/Wrigley%27s_British_Columbia_Directory |title = 1919 BC Directory|website=www.bccd.vpl.ca}}{{Cite web | url=https://bccd.vpl.ca/index.php/browse/title/1927/Wrigley%27s_British_Columbia_Directory |title = 1927 BC Directory|website=www.bccd.vpl.ca}}{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=11–13}}Prince George Leader, 30 Nov 1922Prince George Citizen: 19 Nov 1942 & 28 Jan 1943 Their children were James (c.1904–?), Marion Hastie (Maisie) (probably 1907–44),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/7a91507b-cb20-4bd4-9c87-44e91862618d |title =Marriage Certificate (HENRY/GOLDER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.drumhellermail.com/obituaries/2214-henry-maisie |title =Obituary (Maisie HENRY)|website=www.drumhellermail.com}} Marguerite (Greta) (1909–?),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/360cb810-066c-4543-8c02-94af487ef255 |title =Marriage Certificate (HENSBEE/GOLDER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}{{Cite web | url=http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1921&op=img&id=e002868765 |title =1921 Census|website=www.bac-lac.gc.ca}} Edith (c.1912–1915), Winnifred (c.1914–1916),{{cite web| url=https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/index.php/in-memory-of-grave-marker | title=Image: Grave marker, Willow River| website=www.nbca.unbc.ca}} and Joan. When Maisie married Walter James Henry,Prince George Citizen, 22 Jan 1925 it is unclear how long they remained. In 1984, Walter's ashes were spread on Strawberry Hill {{small|(immediately northeast of the Upper Fraser Rd. intersection)}}.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=28–29}} Marguerite married Arthur Hensbee. In 1933, their two-year-old son drowned at Snowshoe.Prince George Citizen, 22 Jun 1933 That year, James who had served in the US Navy, settled in the US.Prince George Citizen, 6 Sep 1963 Joan left with her parents,Prince George Citizen: 1 May 1941 & 13 Nov 1941 later marrying John Hall.Prince George Citizen, 13 Apr 1944

In 1915, American entrepreneur A.C. Frost built a sawmill.Prince George Post: 2 Jan 1915 & 6 Mar 1915 This is likely Albert Carl Frost (1865–1941), who is often confused with Andrew Christian Frost (c.1846–1924).{{cite web| url=https://docplayer.net/40395063-Giscome-chronicle-the-rise-and-demise-of-a-sawmill-community-in-central-british-columbia-j-kent-sedgwick.html | page=3, but scan p. 15/p. 42, but scan p. 54 | title=Giscome Chronicle |website=www.docplayer.net}}{{cite web| url=https://daniabeachfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3714/Frost---Dania-Family-History?bidId= | title=A.C. Frost |website=www.daniabeachfl.gov }} The following year, when a forest fire driven by high winds threatened to destroy the town and sawmill, every available man (assisted by an additional 100 men dispatched on a special train from Prince George) successfully contained it.Prince George Citizen, 27 May 1916 Such fires were an ever-present danger.Prince George Citizen: 30 May 1922 & 14 Aug 1924 On realizing the Willow River was unsuitable for conveying logs,{{sfn|Strom|2000|p=4}} the never used sawmill was dismantled and moved to Giscome that December.Prince George Star: 6 Oct 1916 & 20 Oct 1916 {{anchor|MOlson}}

In 1917, the Northern Lumber Co. opened a millPrince George Star: 30 Jan 1917 & 23 Feb 1917 west of the railway bridge.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=14}} When destroyed by fire in 1919, the lumber piles, outbuildings, boilers and engines escaped damage.Prince George Citizen: 7 & 14 May 1919 That year, Martin Olson purchased an interest.Prince George Citizen, 16 Jul 1919 The mill rebuilt with a 20,000-foot per shift capacity,Prince George Citizen: 12 Aug 1921, 13 Sep 1921 & 4 Apr 1922 Olson acquired total ownership.Prince George Citizen, 30 Nov 1922 Enlarged to a 32,000 capacity, the mill was sold, dismantled and moved to Hansard,Prince George Citizen: 2 Feb 1923 & 1 Nov 1923 but contractors continued to hand hew railway ties.Prince George Citizen: 28 Oct 1921, 26 Jun 1924 & 29 Oct 1925Prince George Leader: 20 Oct 1922 & 23 Nov 1922

Prior to enlisting in 1914, Thomas (Tom) Standing secured a homestead north of the hamlet. Marrying Jane (?–1948),Prince George Citizen, 19 Feb 1948 the couple, and infants Mary and Elizabeth, resided 1919–40. Tom grew strawberries and kept pigs, dairy cows, chickens and rabbits.Prince George Citizen: 3 Dec 1920, 30 Aug 1921, & 28 Apr 1927 to 12 May 1927Prince George Leader 3 Nov 1922 Although returning after Jane's operation and convalescence in Edmonton,Prince George Citizen: 13 Jun 1940 & 13 Aug 1942 they relocated to Alberta permanently.Prince George Citizen, 17 Sep 1942 Mary married Morris Brooks of Giscome. Elizabeth trained as a registered nurse in Edmonton, where she worked,Prince George Citizen, 13 Aug 1942 and later married Robert E. Piquette.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=29–30}} {{anchor|JBrown}}

Harold John (Jack) (1877–1942){{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2519034 |title=Cemetery Project (Harold John BROWN)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} & Emily Alice (1885–1980){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/dc1bb7e5-0da0-4f6d-af17-24125959565f |title =Death Certificate (Emily Alice BROWN)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Brownimage: https://cnc.bc.ca/services/library/cnc-press/chamberland/contents Chapter 22: Willow River Area, 1st and 2nd slides right of centre arrived in 1924. Their children were William (Buster) {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #BBrown)}}, Ruth {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #StromFam)}}, and Frederick Percy. Despite his tertiary education, Jack{{sfn|Cunningham|2000|p=19}} performed manual work at the Giscome logging camps and then planing mill.{{sfn|Brown|2000|p=2}}{{sfn|Cunningham|2000|p=1}} Instead of cows on their farm, they kept goats, and their goat cheese was renowned. They plowed with mules not horses and kept bees. They grew marrows, squash and pumpkins, rather than the usual peas and corn. Alice's knitting machine, the first in the community, produced woolen clothing for the family. She resided 56 years.Prince George Citizen: 13 Aug 1942, 29 Jul 1943, & 11 Sep 1980 The boys initially hacked ties locally. Percy left to work for Bend Lumber and Penny Sawmills.{{sfn|Cunningham|2000|p=13}} He enlisted, married in England, and on his discharge the couple settled in Vancouver.Prince George Citizen: 21 Aug 1941, 30 Nov 1944, 3 & 31 Oct 1946, 26 Jun 1947, 8 Aug 1957, 14 Aug 1968 & 11 Sep 1980 People who met Percy from the war onward called him Fred.{{sfn|Cunningham|2000|p=42}}

In 1926, Etter & McDougall opened the Willow River Lumber Co.'s 30,000-foot capacity mill,Prince George Citizen: 11 Feb 1926 & 24 Mar 1927 near today's Laidlaw Rd.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} Busy during the late 1920s,Prince George Citizen: 23 Aug 1928, 18 Jul 1929 & 17 Oct 1929 production slumped across the industry during the early Great Depression.Prince George Citizen, 19 Jul 1934 After the mill burned to the ground in 1932,Prince George Citizen, 23 Jun 1932 the company used the Newland's mill.Prince George Citizen, 11 Aug 1932 During the late 1920s, Cooke Lumber operated a mill west of the railway bridge.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} {{anchor|SGaal}} The brothers do not appear to be related to pioneer William F. Cooke.Prince George Citizen: 13 Feb 1923 & 21 Dec 1939 In 1927, Steve Gaal (1903–72),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/242e77ba-c127-4c93-8fca-232d84d28ff6 |title =Death Certificate (Steve GAAL)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} (brother to Andrew Gaal formerly at Shelley, later at Aleza Lake),Prince George Citizen, 2 May 1972 a mill employee, sustained a foot-long gash to his chest when he fell against a saw, but made a satisfactory recovery.Prince George Citizen, 19 May 1927 The 10,000-foot capacity sawmill relocated the following year.Prince George Citizen, 2 May 1988(56){{cite book |last=Bernsohn |first=Ken| page=34 |title= Cutting up the North: The History of the Forest Industry in the Northern Interior |year=1981 |publisher=Hancock House | isbn=9780888391148 }} Other smaller mills also operated during this era.Prince George Citizen: 14 Feb 1922 & 12 Jan 1928 {{anchor|HandfordFam}}

Arthur J. (1881–1972){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/b9b9f373-d18f-41b7-b268-600ea2cdc30e |title =Death Certificate (Arthur John HANDFORD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2517512 |title=Cemetery Project (Arthur John HANDFORD)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} & Margaret E. (1890–1975){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/b84b0157-64c3-4e5f-ace7-b663a82be44b |title =Death Certificate (Margaret Emily Jane HANDFORD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 22 Oct 1975 Handford settled in 1927. Arthur worked at the Etter & McDougall mill until it closed. Their children were Laura (1920–2005),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2521245 |title=Cemetery Project (Laura STROM)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} John (1921–94),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/a81fc073-fa54-41d2-80fa-eb484cbf39fc |title =Death Certificate (John HANDFORD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 15 Mar 1994 Mathew (1922–75),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/d6c37f46-dd96-41e0-bf5c-80af062e504b |title =Death Certificate (Matthew Caleb HANDFORD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} M. Grace (c.1924–1927),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Results?search=Search&as.type_death=true&as.registration_num=1927-09-394269 |title =Death Certificate (Margaret Grace HANDFORD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Mabel (1926–70),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/907901a0-fc48-433d-ab7a-4b1a96862f5c |title =Death Certificate (Mabel Hughine HODSON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and Kelso (1928–?). In 1942, John and Mathew enlisted.Prince George Citizen, 19 Feb 1942 Around this time, Laura married Alfred W. Strom. {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #StromFam)}} In 1945, Kelso suffered a serious hand injury at the mill.Prince George Citizen, 21 Jun 1945 After the war, Arthur and his three sons started Handford Sawmills in Ferndale, where they all relocated.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=31–32}}

The narrow strip of accessible spruce forest bordering the railway that stretched some {{convert|100|mi|km}} east of Prince George was known as the East Line.{{Cite web | url=http://summit.sfu.ca/item/6364 |last=Hak |first=Gordon Hugh|page=14|title=On the Fringes: Capital and Labour in the Forest Economies of the Port Alberni and Prince George Districts, BC, 1910–1939 |year=1986 |website=www.summit.sfu.ca}}

William (Billy) (1877–1966){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/ff73617e-6f3b-4042-8bad-d7fc9f6297e9 |title =Death Certificate (William GAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} & A. Gestina (1886–1963){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/eb7b32bd-1d34-4866-82c9-b50b5ad86d66 |title =Death Certificate (Anne Gestina GAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 10 Apr 1963 Gair, who were poultry farmers residing 1913–20, ran a boarding house and later a store.Prince George Citizen: 24 Mar 1955 & 28 Feb 1966 Their children were William (1909–89),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/40ddacbd-ea9d-4ac9-b9d0-1e138230f86a |title =Death Certificate (William Thomas GAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} George (1911–98),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/8fc8921a-57a6-4f41-b10f-f51b81b789c9 |title =Death Certificate (George Herman GAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Louis (1913–98),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/cdb52098-9e10-412e-83b1-8cfc9342c012 |title =Death Certificate (Louis Allen GAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=18–19}} A. Isabel, F. Jean,Prince George Citizen, 7 Oct 1943 Edith (c.1924–?),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/fa45d23b-0f68-4fe4-b82e-92af6d3c793d |title =Marriage Certificate (ANDERSON/GAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and Becky.

The local newspaper, the Willow River Times, briefly existed.Prince George Post, 3 Apr 1915Prince George Citizen, 26 Aug 1958 Charles Hannan was the inaugural postmaster 1914–16. Alexander (Alex) E. Brown (1874–1962),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/e2f95c76-c5a8-43ef-b215-8c9bed69d9e9 |title =Death Certificate (Alexander Emslie BROWN)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} who followed 1916–19,Prince George Star, 20 Apr 1917 moved to Giscome.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=9}}{{cite web|title=Postmasters|url= https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/postal-heritage-philately/post-offices-postmasters/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=28916&|website=www.bac-lac.gc.ca}} {{anchor|NewsomeFam}}

John (1881–1957) & Jane (1883–1971){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/02f804d6-0e7a-4b16-9b0f-54c0177cbd98 |title =Death Certificate (Jane NEWSOME)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Newsome operated a café, laundry and rooming tents at the GTP Jasper and Tête Jaune construction camps. Settling in Willow River in 1914, they continued their café and rooming business (a laundry already existed), augmented by a log-construction store on the east corner of Gwen and Willow. In 1917, John opened a new store in Giscome and later built stores in Newlands and Shelley.{{Cite web | url=https://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist59y235uvic#page/n13/mode/1up/search/willow+river |title =Prince George, 9 Sep 1917|website=www.daily colonist.ca|year =1917}}Prince George Citizen: 15 Nov 1957 & 23 Apr 1971 He was the Willow River postmaster 1919–57, a role commonly performed by a storeowner in such towns. He was likely the merchant who installed gas pumps in the early 1920s.Prince George Citizen, 10 Nov 1922 In 1938, he built the existing two-storey store on the east corner of Railway and Willow,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} which included a Home Oil gas bar.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=61}}Prince George Citizen, 14 Sep 1950 {{anchor|PenningtonFam}}

Ruby (1916–73),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/aa5a1f48-3afa-4e52-a62e-ae57f2aa501b |title =Death Certificate (Ruby Rose PENNINGTON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} their only child, marriedPrince George Citizen, 31 Dec 1940 Harold Pennington (1909–82),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/f16ce3d3-3a6d-4ba5-b41c-3dd60c0bbd88 |title =Death Certificate (Harold Richard PENNINGTON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and the couple purchased the store in 1945,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=17}} but John remained as postmaster. Holding the post until his death, he had received an overdue 25-year service medal the prior year.Prince George Citizen, 23 Jul 1956 Jane remained to become a 49-year resident.Prince George Citizen: 19 Nov 1963 & 23 Apr 1971

In 1952, the Pennington store was enlarged to over 1,200 feet and 30 new boxes added to a modernized post-office.Prince George Citizen, 11 Dec 1952 Harold was postmaster 1946, and 1957–63. At this time, the town had two stores and a poolroom. In 1961, Jane, the eldest Pennington daughter, married George Pacholok (1933–2000).{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2525398 |title=Cemetery Project (George PACHOLOK)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen: 25 Sep 1961 & 13 Jun 2000 Two years later, when the couple took over the Pennington store, Harold & Ruby Pennington, with their daughters Judy and Jackie, moved to Prince George,Prince George Citizen, 16 Sep 1963 and Jane became postmaster 1963–66. In 1966, after 52 years in the same family, a series of owners followed.Prince George Citizen, 24 Oct 1966

{{Aligned table |cols=7|class=wikitable|col1align=left |col2align=center |col3align=center|col4align=center|col5align=left |col6align=center |col7align=center|row1header=y

|Store Owner | Acquired | Postmaster | | Store Owner | Acquired | Postmaster |

Steve & Evelyn (Lyn) Sanesh | 1966 | 1966–68 | | Argyle & Jeanette Robertson | 1977 | N/A |

Art & Helen Cardinal | 1967 | 1968–69 | | Bob & Margaret Bradner | 1978 | N/A |

Doug & Elizabeth Bailey | 1968 | 1968 & 1969 | | Claude & Wanda Stubely | 1981 | N/A |

Elton & Yvonne McComber | 1969 | 1969–90s | | | {{sfn|Walski|1985|p=28}} | }}

Entering its final years as an Esso outlet,Prince George Citizen, 24 Aug 1985 Kevin Dunphy bought the store in 1985.Prince George Citizen: 20 Jul 1989, 25 Mar 2002 & 24 Feb 2012{{Cite web | url=https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/news/local-news/sense-of-community-strong-on-the-eastline-1.23391415 |title =Sense of community strong, 6 Aug 2018|website=www.princegeorgecitizen.com}} Since 2008, he has been an elected regional district director for Willow River-Upper Fraser.{{Cite web | url=http://www.pgfreepress.com/kevin-dunphy-takes-seat/ |title =Kevin Dunphy takes seat, 15 Apr 2008|website=www.pgfreepress.com}}Prince George Citizen, 17 Nov 2014{{Cite web | url=http://www.rdffg.bc.ca/government/board-of-directors/directors |title =RDFFG Board of Directors|website=www.rdffg.bc.ca}} {{anchor|ACrawford}}

John & Adeline (Adelaine?) B. (c.1879–1949){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/0257b1b6-4a91-44b7-8e57-5676817f204f |title =Death Certificate (Adelaine Beatrice CRAWFORD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Crawford built their hotel on the north corner of Railway and Willow, in Block 44{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=2–3}} (now a children's playground). In March 1914, there were plans for two modern hotels, one of which was to be three storeys. The GTP planned a 130-foot-by-130-foot hotel on the west corner at where the surveyed straight River Ave. would have intersected Willow St., in Block 47.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=2–3}}Fort George Herald, 24 May 1913 By April, a hotel (assumedly the Crawford) and a rooming house were under construction.Fort George Herald, 4 Apr 1914 Prior to these ventures, on the northwest side of Willow, in Block 45 (Gwen-Reta), an establishment called the Willow Hotel sought a liquor licence.Fort George Herald: 7, 14, 21 & 28 Mar 1914; & 4 Apr 1914

The Crawford hotel underwent extensive alterations in 1921,Prince George Leader, 3 Jun 1921 which added an adjoining building, with the former section rented as living quarters.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=34}} From 1923, Adeline, not John was the proprietor.{{Cite web | url=https://bccd.vpl.ca/index.php/browse/title/1922/Wrigley%27s_British_Columbia_Directory |title = 1922 BC Directory|website=www.bccd.vpl.ca}}{{Cite web | url=https://bccd.vpl.ca/index.php/browse/title/1923/Wrigley%27s_British_Columbia_Directory |title = 1923 BC Directory|website=www.bccd.vpl.ca}} Under the name of the Willow River Hotel, Patrick Foisy applied for a liquor licence,Prince George Citizen, 18 Apr 1929 and then as the Crawford Hotel, John H. Crawford reapplied,Prince George Citizen, 24 Dec 1930 but his name is not mentioned after 1934.Prince George Citizen, 15 Feb 1934 A grocery storePrince George Citizen, 8 Jun 1944 and barbershop operated on the premises, but a fire in 1946 razed the buildings, sparing only a warehouse to its northwest.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=34}} A BC Forest Service pumper crew from Giscome could only prevent the blaze from spreading to surrounding properties. In 1948, work commenced on a complete rebuild of the hotel.Prince George Citizen, 2 Sep 1948 The following year, Adeline Crawford died intestate in her small store under circumstances that initially appeared suspicious.Prince George Citizen: 10 Mar 1949 & 21 Jul 1949 The construction project never proceeded and the framing collapsed.Prince George Citizen, 21 Sep 1950 The Official Administrator disposed of her extensive rural and township real estate holdings.Prince George Citizen: 15 Nov 1951 & 25 Oct 1954

A two-storey residence on the corner of Railway and Coonsey had its own history. It served successively as the A.E. Brown post-office and store, private dwelling (Raines' residence for a period), community hall (opened 1925), and private dwelling for Mrs. Crawford after the fire.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=34}} The building was moved to the main street in the mid-1930s. When torn down in 1955 by new owner John Newsome, it was one of the few remaining buildings from 1915.Prince George Citizen, 26 May 1955

In various eras, Mr. Calhoon, Ralph McVoy (inside the Crawford store), and Mike Chorney operated barbershops. The latter also had a bathhouse for his lumber industry clientele.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=27 & 59}} {{anchor|McComberFam}}

Ira (1896–1979){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/930c45ad-de1e-41f6-8fb0-669c0673303d |title =Death Certificate (Ira Legora McCOMBER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 5 Dec 1979 & Oressa (1897–1982){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/72cd3a8d-1db2-4637-8cc1-e637b212c937 |title =Death Certificate (Oressa Maud McCOMBER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 31 Mar 1982 McComber were residents 1943–77.Prince George Citizen, 17 Sep 1969 Their children were Elton (1919–2001),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2520480 |title=Cemetery Project (Elton McCOMBER)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} Robert (?–2003), and Vernon (1924–2009).Prince George Citizen, 18 Dec 2009{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=73}} Foster child Lloyd Inglis,Prince George Citizen, 8 Sep 1966 who left for Vancouver,Prince George Citizen, 24 Nov 1949 married Rose, but later settled on Vancouver Island.Prince George Citizen: 28 Jun 1956 & 24 Jul 1962 During the late 1940s, Elton and Robert extinguished a neighbour's chimney fire,Prince George Citizen, 7 Nov 1946 Elton enlarged the family café,Prince George Citizen, 10 Apr 1947 and Oressa managed the businessPrince George Citizen, 17 Jul 1947 established on the east corner of Gwen and Coonsey.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} Oressa was a host and member of the Home League (WRHL).Prince George Citizen: 14 May 1953, 17 Mar 1955, 21 Apr 1955, 19 Jan 1957, 11 Jul 1957, 4 & 27 Mar 1958, 5 Dec 1958, 9 Feb 1962 & 23 May 1967

Elton married Elizabeth MacAskill,Prince George Citizen, 23 Sep 1943 but they divorced. Norman (c.1944– ), their son,Prince George Citizen, 1 Jul 1954 married Crystal Sabourn.Prince George Citizen, 3 Jul 1968 Elton married Yvonne Robinson,Prince George Citizen, 24 Oct 2001 and they managed the general store. {{small|(table above)}} Yvonne also served as church secretary.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=49}} Their children were Shirley (1950– ),Prince George Citizen: 12 & 16 Oct 1950 Lyall (c.1951– ),Prince George Citizen, 27 Nov 1969 Leslie, Lance,Prince George Citizen, 26 Apr 1968 and D. Sheila (1958–79), who died in an auto accident.{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/5cb9018f-a54e-40eb-aab6-2d2d8ea69430 |title =Death Certificate (Doris Sheila McComber)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Shirley married A. Bruce Du Bois and they settled in Giscome.Prince George Citizen, 5 Nov 1968 After marriage, Lyall & Rita, and Leslie & Melanie, remained residents.Prince George Citizen: 20 Jul 1989 & 24 Oct 2001 Robert married divorceePrince George Citizen: 20 & 27 Sep 1945 Rose Marie Kopang (1920–2011),Prince George Citizen, 25 Nov 2011 and were residents until 1959. Their children were Gordon and Blanche. Vernon married May McKee (1927–2000)Prince George Citizen, 4 Oct 2000 (Mrs. T.C. Warner's daughter).Prince George Citizen, 12 Jul 1945 The next year, Vernon averted a CNR collision.Prince George Citizen, 6 Jun 1946 May was a charter member of the WRHL from 1949, and Brownie leader for a couple of years.Prince George Citizen: 22 Dec 1955 & 28 Jun 1956 In 1959, a 15-minute hurricane-force wind, which overturned woodsheds and dislodged windows, dispersed her clothesline washing half a mile.Prince George Citizen, 6 Jul 1959 Their children were Douglas (1947–2009),{{Cite web | url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/princegeorgecitizen/obituary.aspx?n=doug-mccomber-frog&pid=125030977 |title =Obituary (Doug McCOMBER)|website=www.legacy.com}} Loretta (1950– ),Prince George Citizen, 27 Apr 1950 Larry and Gerry (1952– ). Their family left in 1958.Prince George Citizen: 4 May 1959 & 2 Jun 1995{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=72–73}}

Arriving in 1956, Katherina (1906–83){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/6af124b1-5d5e-4920-bd64-6775573cd586 |title =Death Certificate (Katherina CRUTCHFIELD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 5 Jul 1983 & Joseph (Shorty) (1896–1959){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/8c3e5922-7d25-4e85-b7aa-4828c07de88b |title =Death Certificate (Joseph Mahlon BARAGER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 28 Sep 1959 Barager operated a store and poolroom on the east corner of Railway and Coonsey.Prince George Citizen: 23 Feb 1961 & 6 Sep 1961 Joseph died in a drowning accident.Prince George Citizen, 16 Sep 1959 Katherina remarried and left 10 years later. Their children were Murray (1925–2017),{{Cite web | url=https://barronsfuneralchapel.com/book-of-memories/3361113/Barager-Richard/obituary.php |title =Obituary (Richard Murray BARAGER)|website=www.barronsfuneralchapel.com}} Gladys (1927– ), Russell (1929–?), Eunice (1931– ), Rodney (1934–2000),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2525102 |title=Cemetery Project (Rodney M. BARAGER)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 26 Feb 2000 and Vada (1942– ). Gladys & Roy (1925–95){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/ffa38915-8fbc-4abf-94c9-96bd9b877ef5 |title =Death Certificate (Roy Charles ANDERSON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Anderson resided 1948–c.1990. His parents Charles Alexander (1885–1964){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/fa93804e-576e-4424-8df1-a86daa278cb1 |title =Death Certificate (Charles Alexander ANDERSON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} & Catherine (1888–1980){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/c67c2aec-c344-46d0-86eb-dc14fbeda179 |title =Death Certificate (Catherine Ann ANDERSON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} resided 1948–64. His brother Alex (1918–99)Prince George Citizen, 20 Jan 1999 & Emily Anderson resided 1947–54. His sister Laura (1910–93){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/5762561b-6b56-4cbe-8935-3499b0c0b7ee |title =Death Certificate (Emma Laura FITZSIMMONS)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} & William (Bill) (1910–78){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/be67ec09-e16f-4294-ba6b-f92a5776a300 |title =Death Certificate (William FITZSIMMONS)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Fitzsimmons and children resided 1948–52Prince George Citizen: 6 & 27 Nov 1952 and 1961–74. Eunice & Gordon Yeo resided elsewhere.Prince George Citizen: 26 Mar 1953, 25 Nov 1959, 8 Mar 1968 & 5 Jul 1983 Rodney Barager resided 1953/54.Prince George Citizen, 22 Apr 1954 On marrying Georgina Nygard they resided from 1958 at least until the late 1980s. Their children were Yvonne (1960–84), who died in an auto accident,Prince George Citizen: 3 Nov 1960, 29 Dec 1984, & 2 & 28 Jan 1985 and Yvette (1962– ).Prince George Citizen, 8 Nov 1962 Russell Barager married Evelyn Holinaty and they resided during the early 1960s.Prince George Citizen: 7 Apr 1960, 25 Apr 1961, 31 Oct 1961 & 16 Mar 1964 Vada married Douglas (Doug) Herrington, lived elsewhere,Prince George Citizen: 16 Mar 1962, 22 May 1962 & 5 Jul 1983 and had four children.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=4, 78–79, & 92–93}}

Laurence W. Keeler (1906–91) resided 1940–91.{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/08304dec-bda2-4f93-b3bd-4e6743e9eadd |title =Death Certificate (Laurence Wesley KEELER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} His children were George, Gerald, Stanley, and Hazel (1931–46),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/f8710f60-4a59-490a-89f9-774b068d162d |title =Death Certificate (Hazel Victoria KEELER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} who died in an auto accident.Prince George Citizen, 5 Sep 1946 Laurence married Gladys (1930–2014)Prince George Citizen, 26 Aug 2014 in 1957.Prince George Citizen, 28 Aug 2014 The next five years they operated a new B.A. gas station in front of their residence on Railway Ave in Block 26, just west of the Upper Fraser Rd. intersection. Their children were Rose Marie (1957–2019){{Cite web | url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/prince-george-bc/rose-keeler-8741546 |title =Obituary (Rose Marie Ellen KEELER)|website=www.dignitymemorial.com}} and Bruce.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=27 & 79–80}}Prince George Citizen: 17 Feb 1959 & 16 Aug 1961 Gladys, formed the calorie counters club, serving as president.Prince George Citizen, 30 Jun 1966

William (Willie) Carmen (1914–72){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/a868314d-2816-4038-ac89-66779e7aae3b |title =Death Certificate (William Carmen BROWN)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 5 Oct 1972 & Annie (1917–2011){{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2522111 |title=Cemetery Project (Annie BROWN)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 7 Feb 2011 Brown, and sons D. Carman and Kenny resided until 1949,Prince George Citizen, 29 Jul 1948 and from 1955.Prince George Citizen: 19 May 1955, 5 Jul 1956, 28 Mar 1957, 4 Mar 1958, & 20 Aug 1959, 6 Sep 1961, 6 Nov 1961, 29 May 1962, 18 Oct 1962, 1 Dec 1964 & 25 Aug 1967 Willie co-ownedPrince George Citizen, 28 Sep 1962 Brown's Texaco Garage, 600 metres south of the highway bridge, and Annie opened Annie's Café next door to the garage in 1963.Prince George Citizen, 27 Nov 1963{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=4 & 27}} Lorraine Klitch (1933–2004){{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2520589 |title=Cemetery Project (Lorraine Rose KLITCH)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} acquired the café in 1965, adding pool tables, and operated as Lorri's Inn up to 1973.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=27 & 121}} Trading as Willow River Service,Prince George Citizen, 15 May 1969 Yogi Sharma owned and operated the independent gas station from the early 1990sPrince George Citizen, 9 May 1992 until it closed in 2008.Prince George Citizen: 17 Sep 1997, 12 Jul 1999, 11 Mar 2002 & 4 May 2011 In 1992, his son, Aman, had rescued him in a boating accident and was awarded the highest lifesaving honor in BC.Prince George Citizen, 24 Oct 1992

Mr. Allen conducted the first school in a tent. William Walter Charles O'Neil was the inaugural teacher at the first official school, a one-roomed log building opened in 1915 on the south corner of Lee and Coonsey.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=4, 12 & 136}} Fundraising for furnishings occurred later.Prince George Herald, 20 Nov 1915 In 1921, the building was upgraded,Prince George Citizen: 19 Jul 1921 & 30 Aug 1921{{Cite web | url=https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/willow-river-school-2 |title =Image: School, Willow River|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} but suffered some damage in a 1945 fire.Prince George Citizen, 22 Nov 1945 During the 1930s, student numbers were about 45–50.{{sfn|Strom|2000|p=7}} The second school, which replaced it, was a two-roomed building with basement, on the east corner of Gwen and Willow,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} where the Newsome store was formerly located.Prince George Citizen: 8 Jan 1953 & 24 Mar 1955 Opening in 1948,Prince George Citizen: 26 Aug 1948 & 16 Sep 1948 a further classroom was added six years later.Prince George Citizen: 8 May 1952 & 8 Oct 1953 In 1957, fire damage closed the school for six weeks.Prince George Citizen, 12 Nov 1957 In 1962, a stucco exterior was added, the roof repaired and an oil-burning furnace installed.Prince George Citizen, 24 May 1962

Enrolment for 1945–51 in Grades 1–8 was 30–56, 1952 in Grades 1–9 was 62, 1953–57 in Grades 1–8 was 52–67, 1958–60 in Grades 1–6 was 50–54, 1961–62 in Grades 1–7 was 57–63, 1963 in Grades 1–6 was 57, and

1964 in Grades 1–2 was 29.{{cite book |last1=Hall |first1=Barbara.|last2=Nellis |first2=Kris |title=School District No. 57 (Prince George) historical memories. (Volume II): people, places, programs & services |year=2012 |publisher=Prince George Retired Teachers' Association, Education Heritage Committee }}Prince George Citizen: 2 Oct 1947, 15 Sep 1955, 2 Sep 1960, 13 Sep 1961, 27 Aug 1963, 16 Sep 1963 & 23 Oct 1963 For Grade 9 or above, students attended senior high school in Prince George.Prince George Citizen: 15 Sep 1955 & 13 Sep 1957 From 1958, insufficient space meant higher elementary grades attended Giscome Superior.Prince George Citizen: 26 Jan 1959, 21 Dec 1959 & 13 Sep 1961 From 1964, bussing existed to Giscome for lower grades and Prince George for high school.Prince George Citizen: 4, 18, 22 & 30 Sep 1964 The school closed in 1965.Prince George Citizen, 2 Sep 1965 School District 57 disposed of the surplus school site in 1984.Prince George Citizen: 19 Mar 1984 & 13 Jul 1984 From 2010, parents petitioned for a new Willow River school to replace Giscome, which suffered structural problems, but the rebuilt facility remained at Giscome.Prince George Citizen: 25 Jun 2010, 2 Jul 2010, 9 Feb 2011, 1 Apr 2011, 17 Jun 2011, 2 Jul 2011, 28 Sep 2012 & 13 Apr 2013

From its beginning, surrounding communities were invited to the regular social and dance evenings.Prince George Citizen: 1 Dec 1916, 1 Jun 1917 & 26 Apr 1923Prince George Leader: 6 May 1921, 27 Oct 1922 & 3 Nov 1922 The 1918 population estimate was a 100. By 1920, only nine families remained.Prince George Citizen, 26 Jan 1953 The population was 150 by 1927.

In 1920, Rev. Henry Raines (1869–1957),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/94f52de8-f45f-496d-b429-4a6fbc122760 |title =Death Certificate (Henry Eugene RAINES)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 10 Jun 1970 a church-planting Baptist preacher, arrived with daughters Bessie {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #SmithFam)}} and widowed Martha (Mattie) Short

(1892–1973),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/c82831f1-1d0d-424b-9df1-fa3842f8c095 |title =Death Certificate (Martha Caroline SHORT)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and her daughter Mary. {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #SeeleyFam)}} Mattie Blair (1885–1974),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/01976cbf-384b-46b1-9be4-e748ea41966c |title =Death Certificate (Mattie RAINES)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and her child Naomi {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #BBrown)}}, accompanied them from Illinois.Prince George Citizen, 8 Mar 1974 Two years later, Henry opened a church building on the south corner of Muriel and Willow that he financed and built himself.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}}Prince George Citizen, 29 Dec 1922 Formerly, Sunday services were held in the school.Prince George Leader, 6 May 1921 Henry and Mattie married in 1923.{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/c12aa4c9-710a-4d58-8e27-176626995742 |title =Marriage Certificate (RAINES/BLAIR)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Although there had been a little-used cemetery north of the town, in 1938, he secured a new official sitePrince George Citizen: 26 Jan 1953 & 10 Jun 1970 near the mineral springs, west of the current highway and south of the railway tracks. These bodies were exhumed in 1969 and reburied in Prince George.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=4 & 27}}

Holding services in the school were the Lutherans during the 1920/30s,Prince George Citizen: 4 & 25 Mar 1926; 29 Apr 1926; 23 Jun 1932; 7 Jul 1932; 11 & 25 Aug 1932; 8 & 22 Sep 1932; 6 & 20 Oct 1932; & 3 &17 Nov 1932 the United Church during the 1940s,Prince George Citizen: 26 Mar 1942; 9 & 23 Apr 1942; 18 Jun 1942; 30 Oct 1947; 6 & 13 Nov 1947; 8, 22 & 29 Jul 1948; 30 Sep 1948; 14 & 28 Oct 1948; 11 Nov 1948; & 28 Apr 1949 and the Brethren in the 1950s.Prince George Citizen, 8 Apr 1954

Over the years, 90 percent of the town's children passed through the Baptist Sunday school.Prince George Citizen, 8 Jan 1948 At 84, Raines still conducted some services, having never drawn a salary from the church.Prince George Citizen, 26 Jan 1983 He collaborated with the Salvation Army from Prince George, who would both be involved in the Baptist services as well as hold their own in the church building during the 1940s and 1950s.Prince George Citizen: 30 Mar 1944, 8 Apr 1948, 7 Oct 1948, 26 Mar 1953, 27 Aug 1953, 25 Nov 1954 & 13 Jan 1989 Renamed the Willow River Gospel Chapel,Prince George Citizen, 8 Dec 1970 the old building was too small by 1970. Fundraising, volunteer labour, and using materials from the demolished community hall, the new building opened on the east corner of Muriel and Coonsey in 1972. Subsequent pastors averaged three-year terms, and a loan financed the trailer acquired for their accommodation. A Pioneer Girls club operated.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=4, 47 & 51}} In 1982, the 82-member congregation paid off the $13,000 mortgage. Pastors from Village Missions served from 1969.Prince George Citizen, 29 Jan 1982 A small congregation currently exists.{{cite web| url=https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/willow-river-gospel-chapel/impact/view/ | title=Willow River Gospel Chapel| website=www.canadahelps.org}}

Of the two key women's groups in existence, the League (WRHL), formed in 1949, revolved around an evangelical Christian core, and the Ladies Auxiliary (LA), formed in 1953, followed a more conservative position. The League conducted an annual service in the church.Prince George Citizen: 22 Apr 1954, 7 May 1956, 2 May 1957 & 31 Mar 1959 The League's weekly meetings focused upon supporting missions work and providing an opportunity to acknowledge milestones in members' lives. The group held fundraising events to benefit the disadvantaged both locally and overseas.Prince George Citizen: 1 Dec 1952, 1 Jul 1954, 9 Sep 1954, 23 Jun 1955, 6 Jun 1957 & 20 May 1958 Although the women were supportive of the Salvation Army aims, only one or two were actual members of this denomination.Prince George Citizen: 19 May 1953 & 3 May 1962 The LA also fundraised for community causes, hosted social events,Prince George Citizen: 15 Mar 1956 & 11 Jul 1958 and supported the Scout cub activities.Prince George Citizen, 31 Mar 1959 The PTA, active for several years, was dissolved into this group, and the advantage of combined League and Auxiliary activities noted.Prince George Citizen: 17 Nov 1958 & 26 Feb 1959 {{anchor|SmithFam}}

In 1923, Bessie Raines (1902–90){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/f3b4e735-62d4-4b00-a009-6ab7ab86fd2e |title =Death Certificate (Bessie M. DADSON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} married{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/25239261-0b0f-47f4-bd7f-38541609913f |title =Marriage Certificate (SMITH/RAINES)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Leader, 28 Dec 1922 Harry Smith (1893–1972).{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/b674dc47-085a-4c70-9c1d-1db81c186397 |title =Death Certificate (Harry SMITH)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 1 Sep 1972

Their children were Garry (1937–2009)Prince George Citizen, 21 Nov 2009 and Marjorie. Garry suffered a compound fracture of his leg in a freak accident.Prince George Citizen, 19 Jul 1945 Bessie was the first organist at the church and was a Sunday school teacher.Prince George Citizen, 8 Jul 1970 She was the inaugural WRHL secretary 1949–59,Prince George Citizen: 1 Dec 1952, 28 Jun 1956 & 16 Oct 1959 and a delegate to the Convention in Toronto.Prince George Citizen: 4 Mar 1954 & 24 Apr 1959 She was the founding Girl Guide captain (1952),Prince George Citizen, 16 Oct 1952 but the group receives no mention after 1956.Prince George Citizen, 23 Feb 1956 When Garry married Rosemary (Rose) Cockle, the couple initially remained residents,Prince George Citizen: 2 Oct 1957, 10 Sep 1958 & 9 Jul 1959 but had moved to Prince George before the mid-1960s when Garry fatally struck a pedestrian.Prince George Citizen, 30 Nov 1965 In 1959, Bessie departed for Mile 98 (McGregor) where her husband worked.Prince George Citizen, 31 Aug 1959 Marjorie married Robert (Bob) Coles, and they lived at Upper Fraser.Prince George Citizen, 28 Feb 1966 {{anchor|BBrown}}

In 1938, Naomi Raines (1919–2007){{Cite web | url=http://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/naomi-brown-1065903292 |title =Obituary (Naomi BROWN)|website=www.vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca }} married William (Buster) Brown (1915–2010).{{sfn|Brown|2000|p=1}}Prince George Citizen: 6 Oct 1938 & 21 Apr 2010image: https://cnc.bc.ca/services/library/cnc-press/chamberland/contents Chapter 22: Willow River Area, centre slide {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #JBrown)}} Buster was a CNR section hand (track maintenance) into World War II, before working for the sawmills.Prince George Citizen, 16 Mar 1944{{sfn|Brown|2000|p=17}} Meanwhile, they maintained their farm.Prince George Citizen, 15 Jul 1943 Their cows contributed to the Giscome milk supply.{{sfn|Brown|2000|p=18}} Their children were V. Grace (1939–40),Prince George Citizen: 23 Nov 1939 & 24 Oct 1940 W. Henry (1941– ), Carol J. (1942– ), H. Jean (1943– ),Prince George Citizen, 2 Dec 1943 H. James (Jim) (1947– ),Prince George Citizen, 18 Dec 1947 and Joan D. (1949– ).Prince George Citizen, 22 Sep 1949{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=44–45}} When Carol fell down a well, neighbours successfully rescued the almost three-year-old.Prince George Citizen, 28 Jun 1945

Naomi was the inaugural WRHL chaplain from 1949,Prince George Citizen, 1 Dec 1952 and led the local Women's World Day of Prayer.Prince George Citizen: 3 Mar 1955 & 13 Mar 1963 Starting in 1953 with 12 boys,Prince George Citizen, 26 Feb 1953 she led the Scout cub pack.Prince George Citizen, 17 Mar 1955 Average attendance was 15 boys.Prince George Citizen, 26 Nov 1958 The PTAPrince George Citizen, 11 Apr 1957 and then LA sponsored the cubs. A Scout troop, with Arnold Weld as scoutmaster,Prince George Citizen, 28 Jun 1956 followed by Harold Pennington, operated 1956–58, after which the boys transferred to an Elks troop in Prince George, because no leader was available.Prince George Citizen: 8 Mar 1956, 16 Dec 1958 & 28 Sep 1959 1960 is the final reference to Naomi as cubmasterPrince George Citizen, 23 Jun 1960 or of this pack's continuation. Buster and Naomi served as the part-time pastoral team for the church 1950–68.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=46–47}} He was a regional district director 1979–83,Prince George Citizen: 19 Jun 1980, 8 Sep 1983, 1 Nov 1983, 16 Dec 1983, & 14 & 18 Nov 1985 but the couple left in the early 2000s.{{sfn|Cunningham|2000|p=6}}

After high school, Carol and Henry left for theological training.Prince George Citizen: 7 May 1962, 9 Jan 1963, 7 Jan 1964, 20 Jul 1966 & 20 Mar 1967 Jean married Larry Hedman, settled in Prince George,Prince George Citizen, 9 Oct 1962 had four children, and became involved in pastoral work. Carol married Warren Larson, served as missionaries, and had two children. Joan married Gary Allyn.Prince George Citizen, 22 Oct 1968 They lived elsewhere, had two children and served as missionaries. Jim married C. Patricia (Pat) Southerland.Prince George Citizen, 19 Feb 1969 They lived in many places, had three children, and lived a few years at Willow River. Henry married Dorothy Marten, had two children, and lived in the Toronto area.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=44–45}} {{anchor|StromFam}}

Carl Wilhelm (Bill) (1895–1963){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/6f5f024f-0dcd-42f1-8043-e5262a902c0a |title =Death Certificate (Carl Wilhelm STROM)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} & Borghild Emelia (1895–1932){{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2521235 |title=Cemetery Project (Borghild STROM)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 3 Nov 1932 Strom arrived in 1923.{{Cite web | url=https://bccd.vpl.ca/index.php/browse/title/1925/Wrigley_Henderson_Amalgamated_BC_Directory |title = 1925 BC Directory|website=www.bccd.vpl.ca}} They had an 80-acre farm near the Willow confluence about {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} northwest of the community.{{sfn|Strom|2000|pp=2 & 22}} Bill introduced skiing as a sport to the community.Prince George Citizen, 23 Aug 1963 Their children were Alfred (1919–71),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/6c710e7e-cdb6-492b-82d9-c66a535e2b04 |title =Death Certificate (Alfred William STROM)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Carl (1921–2010),Prince George Citizen, 8 Sep 2010 and Evelyn (1925– ). The family lived in the former nurses' residence for the hospital.{{sfn|Strom|2000|p=3}} On the death of Borghild, several housekeepers cared for the children, concluding with Ruth Brown.{{sfn|Strom|2000|p=27}}{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=40}} {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #JBrown)}} Married in 1935,{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/a0787861-abad-43a5-9f78-8b3321f9b5fa |title =Marriage Certificate (STROM/BROWN)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} their children were Lillian (1936–2016),{{Cite web | url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/princegeorgecitizen/obituary.aspx?n=lillian-coulling&pid=180014008&fhid=10684 |title =Obituary (Lillian Emily COULLING)|website=www.legacy.com}}{{Cite web | url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/prince-george-bc/lillian-coulling-6944330 |title =Obituary (Lillian Emily COULLING)|website=www.dignitymemorial.com}} Lawrence (Lars) Frederick (1937–38),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2521247 |title=Cemetery Project (Lawrence Frederick STROM)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 26 Aug 1937 Elizabeth (Liz) (1939– ),Prince George Citizen, 10 Jun 1943 William (Bill) (1944– ), and Eric (1950– ).Prince George Citizen, 11 Mar 1958 In financial difficulties, Bill sold their sawmill to the Perry Bros. of Ferndale in 1942,Prince George Citizen, 24 Sep 1942{{Cite web | url=https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/uploads/r/northern-bc-archives-special-collections-1/5/d/f/5df6c380e04a8d412d0a1a5cead8978f47594e6a6bb037a29ec9885fb7bc4637/2017.06.2.53_Perry__OCR_.pdf#page=22 | last=Perry |first=C. Myles, John & Esther |title =Upper Fraser Historical Geography Project Transcript |year=2000 |page=5|website=www.nbca.unbc.ca}} and focused upon the farm,Prince George Citizen: 1 Apr 1943, 11 May 1944, 2 Jan 1947 & 22 Jun 1950 but held social dances in the barn.{{sfn|Cunningham|2000|p=31}}Prince George Citizen: 3 Dec 1942, 27 May 1943, 15 Jul 1943, 7 Oct 1943 & 8 Jul 1948 After the War, Bill Sr. resumed sawmilling.Prince George Citizen: 7 Oct 1943, 31 Jan 1946 & 24 Nov 1949 He experienced a narrow escape from death or serious injury when a lumber carrier toppled while loading boxcars. Ruth was a charter member of the WRHL from 1949, and a delegate to the Convention in Toronto. She was the founding Girl Guide Brownie leader (1952–54). Various leaders followed,Prince George Citizen: 4 Mar 1954, 28 Jun 1956 & 31 Oct 1961 but the group does not appear to have existed after 1962.Prince George Citizen, 11 Jul 1962 Bill was active in the Salvation Army for the final four years of his life.

Lars accidentally ingested gasoline and died.Prince George Citizen, 24 Nov 1938 Alfred played the accordion, violin, and piano.{{sfn|Strom|2000|p=26}} He married Laura Handford {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #HandfordFam)}} prior to enlisting.Prince George Citizen: 27 Aug 1942 & 4 Mar 1943 Following his discharge, he was a police constable 1945–47, before forming Tabor Creek Sawmills with a cousin, where they relocated.Prince George Citizen: 22 Nov 1945, 4 Jul 1946, 5 Sep 1946, 5 Dec 1946, 3 Jun 1948, 19 Aug 1948, & 4 & 5 Nov 1971 Carl enlisted,Prince George Citizen, 9 Oct 1941 and married Josephine (Jo) Faulconer (c.1923–1999)Prince George Citizen, 26 May 1999 in England.Prince George Citizen, 23 Nov 1944 On his discharge, the couple lived in Willow River.Prince George Citizen: 4 Oct 1945, 11 Apr 1946, 13 May 1948, 3 Jun 1948 & 19 Aug 1948 Phillip was their first child.Prince George Citizen, 20 Nov 1947 After Jo returned from a visit to England, they settled in Prince George in 1949.Prince George Citizen, 18 Aug 1949 Evelyn relocated to Prince George in 1939,Prince George Citizen, 15 Feb 2016 where she met John Travers Rebman (1920–91),{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2518755 |title=Cemetery Project (John Travers REBMAN)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 24 Jan 1991 who enlisted in 1941.Prince George Citizen: 11 Sep 1941 & 3 Oct 1946 They married,Prince George Citizen, 1 Jul 1943 but the couple and their subsequent five children never lived in Willow River.Prince George Citizen: 28 Oct 1943, 11 Mar 1958 & 15 Feb 2016{{Cite web | url=https://www.facebook.com/evelyn.rebman | last=Rebman |first=Evelyn |title =Rebman Genealogy |website=www.facebook.com}} Lillian marriedPrince George Citizen, 7 Jan 1957 George Coulling (1929–2003) and they resided 1956–97.Prince George Citizen, 29 Dec 1998 When a log falling from his company truck broke both George's legs, he received hospital treatment in Vancouver.Prince George Citizen, 5 Jul 1961 Later, he ran George Coulling Grading 1972–95.{{Cite web | url=http://edmontonjournal.remembering.ca/obituary/george-coulling-1065986062 |title =Obituary (George COULLING)|website=www.edmontonjournal.remembering.ca}} Lillian was active in community affairs,Prince George Citizen: 5 Oct 1959 & 13 Feb 1968 and spent 35 years teaching at the Giscome school 1957–96.Prince George Citizen: 30 Jun 1959 & 31 May 1996 Their children were Robert (Bob) (1957– ),Prince George Citizen: 20 Dec 1957 & 11 Mar 1958 and Danny Carl (1962–80),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/f70a60fd-c9c2-43a2-8016-a8490cf5f955 |title =Death Certificate (Danny Carl COULLING)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} who died locally in an auto accident.Prince George Citizen, 3 Sep 1980 Bob, his wife Darlene, and children, remained residents into the 1990s.Prince George Citizen, 17 Nov 1993 Liz attended UBC, as did James (Jim) O'Rourke from Prince George,Prince George Citizen: 14 Sep 1959 & 6 Jan 1960 which became their basePrince George Citizen: 28 Jul 1961 & 5 Nov 1971 as a married couple.Prince George Citizen, 22 Feb 1960 Bill Jr. moved to Prince George in the mid-1960s. He married Lynn Dixon, had one child and they separated. He later married Muriel McDonald. In 1967, Granny Ruth (1917–2011){{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2528682 |title=Cemetery Project (Ruth CUNNINGHAM)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}} married Walter Cunningham (1917–2002).{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2517475 |title=Cemetery Project (Walter J. CUNNINGHAM)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen: 1 Aug 1967, 11 Apr 2002 & 8 Nov 2011 Eric married Cheryl Doucette and had children. Known as the Scouts (11th Fort George), a troop existed during the 1970s until about 1983. Eric was a leader.Prince George Citizen: 19 Jun 1975 & 3 Sep 1980{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=40–43, 65 & 85}} He later remarried.Prince George Citizen: 8 Sep 2010 & 8 Nov 2011 During the early 1990s, the 11th Scout beaver and cub groups operated for three years under the leadership of Betty-Anne Penner.Prince George Citizen: 13 Sep 1991, 1 May 1992, 18 Sep 1992 & 13 Sep 1993 {{anchor|SeeleyFam}}

Mary Short (1912–78){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/78695d46-e950-4a7c-b0b6-c9cdc86fb8b8 |title =Death Certificate (Mary Raines ALEX)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} married{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/683389f5-7bee-4b28-a889-a06fe65a84f5 |title =Marriage Certificate (SEELEY/SHORT)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Arthur Seeley (1882–1945).{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2519023 |title=Cemetery Project (Arthur SEELEY)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen: 10 & 17 May 1945 Their children were Harold A. (1929–?)Prince George Citizen, 6 Aug 1942 and P. Barbara S. (1937–2001).Prince George Citizen: 26 Aug 1937, 27 Aug 1942, 26 Aug 1943 & 5 Jun 2001 On marrying Thomas (Tom) Alex (1885–1979){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/22b28d9c-3f79-4680-8860-e7ec6916c7b4 |title =Death Certificate (Thomas Frank ALEX)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} in 1957, Mary became a South Surrey resident.Prince George Citizen: 5 Nov 1957, 28 Mar 1963 & 28 Mar 1978 When Barbara married Oscar Brantnall,Prince George Citizen, 12 Dec 1957 and Harold married Margaret Lewis,Prince George Citizen, 1 Dec 1959 the couples remained at Willow River. Barbara's children were Judith M. (1958– ), Alvin L. (1960– ),Prince George Citizen, 24 Mar 1960 and Sheila L. (1965– ). They relocated to Quesnel in 1964.Prince George Citizen, 10 Jul 1964 Harold's children were Arthur (1960– )Prince George Citizen, 31 Mar 1960 and Sandra (1961– ).Prince George Citizen, 28 Jul 1961 They relocated to Prince George in the mid-1960s.Prince George Citizen: 23 Aug 1963 & 20 Jul 1966

Percy Church (1903–74){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/21f2d9b1-f37e-4402-99ea-5c507d3b99bf |title =Death Certificate (Percy Stephen CHURCH)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #PChurch)}}, who managed the local team, was appointed president of the Prince George and District Baseball Senior League in 1953.Prince George Citizen, 2 Apr 1953{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=102}} During the 1950s, the Willow River Red Sox either were champions,Prince George Citizen: 6 Oct 1952, 14 Sep 1953 & 19 Sep 1955{{Cite web | url=http://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/1956_100d.html |title =Image: 1956 BC Snapshots|website=www.attheplate.com}} or came second,Prince George Citizen: 8 Oct 1951, 7 Sep 1954 & 26 Aug 1957 in the league and in a various tournaments.Prince George Citizen: 17 Aug 1953, 8 Aug 1955, 6 Sep 1955, 12 Jul 1956 & 2 Jul 1958

A new community hall opened in 1949Prince George Citizen: 5 Aug 1948 & 15 Nov 1949 on the south corner of Reta and Willow.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} The furnace, installed almost a decade later, ameliorated wintertime use of the building.Prince George Citizen, 6 Feb 1958 Social events were held for teenagers in the hall or school.Prince George Citizen: 16 Oct 1952, 6 Nov 1952, 23 Feb 1956, 8 Mar 1956, 4 Mar 1959, 4 Dec 1959, 9 Oct 1962, & 5 & 20 Dec 1966 In 1970, the dilapidated hall was demolished, and the population estimate of 500 seems overstated.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=47}} People had dispersed after the mills closed and the remaining residents drove to jobs in Giscome.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=104}} The Willow River Recreation Association (WRRA) was incorporated in 1971.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=122}} The school building continued to be used for social events such as dancing. In need of major maintenance, demolition became the only option.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=127–132}}

Opened in 1980, the small hall at 49 Willow St. (diagonally opposite the general store) has been generally referred to as the community or seniors' house.Prince George Citizen: 26 Mar 1980, 8 Sep 1983, 14 Mar 1986, 23 Sep 1989, 24 Sep 1995 & 24 Mar 2012 The WRRA organized the homecoming reunion, held August 4–6, 1984, for former residents, from which the book of memories was compiled.Prince George Citizen: 10 April 1984 & 15 Aug 1984 The RDFFG implemented house numbering in 1989.Prince George Citizen: 23 Sep 1989 & 8 Dec 1989 The deeply divisive 1993 referendum to build a larger more functional community hall was narrowly defeated.Prince George Citizen: 15 & 17 Jun 1993; & 8 Jul 1993 In 2012, the Willow River East Line Activity Centre, a combined community hall and gymnasium, was promised as a replacement for the existing 450-square-foot hall.Prince George Citizen, 24 Mar 2012 This facility was instead awarded to Giscome after the decision to rebuild the school there.Prince George Citizen, 13 Apr 2013

In May 1913, two surveyors of the township drowned in a canoeing accident on the Fraser reef below the Willow. Along the Upper Fraser River, this location, the Giscome Rapids, the Grand Canyon, and the Goat River Rapids, were extremely dangerous and believed to be the scenes of numerous drownings.Fort George Herald, 31 May 1913 In July, a scow{{Cite web | url=http://fhnas.ca/scow-boats-heavy-haulers-athabasca-river-alberta-canada/ |title =Image: Athabasca scow boats|website=www.fhnas.ca|date =30 June 2017}} loaded with 17 tons of rails and dump cars, was cut free from its moorings at Willow River and drifted downstream until it was deliberately maneuvered onto a sandbar {{convert|30|mi|km}} north of Quesnel.Fort George Tribune, 2 Aug 1913

During 1914–16, the jail/police barracks, on the south corner of Gwen and Willow,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} stationed BC Provincial Police Constable Henry N. Wood (1889–1967){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/725dbbbf-87b8-47e3-844b-9b7a93b0ea32 |title =Death Certificate (Henry Nichol WOOD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} & his bride{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/444d1d57-949d-43ed-afb5-83d8c0f77171 |title =Marriage Certificate (WOOD/BULMAN)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} Fanny Eleanor Bulman (1888–1963).{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/5f55ecca-cc63-41a2-9542-a6e9ee9b3067 |title =Death Certificate (Fanny Eleanor WOOD)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} After his transfer to Vanderhoof,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=3}} the four-roomed cottage became a residence.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=27 & 54}}

Albert (c.1873–1931){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Results?search=Search&as.type_death=true&as.registration_num=1931-09-458423 |title =Death Certificate (Albert Joseph WHITE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Vancouver Sun, 3 Dec 1931 and Rose (1876–1968){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/6982fb53-80bf-41f6-8835-0ed66459f739 |title =Death Certificate (Rose Delma WHITE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} White were residents during the 1910s. Albert was a logging foreman. Their children were Beatrice (c.1903–?),{{Cite web | url=http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1921&op=img&id=e002874699 |title =1921 Census|website=www.bac-lac.gc.ca}} C. Vernon (c.1905–?), Alberta May (c.1908–?),{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/8d78a632-55ae-4973-a79b-5ff5e0f5057a |title =Marriage Certificate (RITCHIE/WHITE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and Emmett (1915–94).{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/8195624d-7819-4849-b409-6db45707cee6 |title =Death Certificate (Emmett Leo WHITE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}{{Cite web | url=http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1921&op=img&id=e002874321 |title =1921 Census|website=www.bac-lac.gc.ca}} Starting the fire with gasoline one 1915 morning, Albert caused an explosion. Rose escaped with the three older children. The Golders {{Crossreference|selfref=no|(see #GolderFam)}} rushed to help. While Eliza was rescuing baby Emmett from the burning house, John was working to save Albert's life, applying his veterinarian experience.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=13}}

Marif Nazarek (c.1891–1918){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/Results?search=Search&as.type_death=true&as.registration_num=1918-09-242488 |title =Death Certificate (Marif NAZAREK)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} and her newborn died within days during the influenza epidemic.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=13}}

Murray Campbell (c.1929–1933) drowned in the Fraser opposite the Willow confluence.Prince George Citizen, 24 Aug 1933

Three-year-old James (Jimmy) Laidlaw (1950–53){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/d80ebaf6-e523-49cc-a293-7e71ac26b101 |title =Death Certificate (James Robert LAIDLAW)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} drowned in the frigid waters of the Willow River.Prince George Citizen, 26 Mar 1953 In 1958, Cindy Lou McLane went missing one morning. Despite a seven-day search by thousands of volunteers and a $500 reward, the two-year-old was never found.Prince George Citizen: 10 & 15 Sep 1958; 3 Oct 1958; 17 to 23 Oct 1958; & 5 Jan 1959 During the 1960s, Lawrence Woiken (c.1941–60) drowned while wading with friends in the river.Prince George Citizen, 1 Aug 1960 Bruce Colebank, 17, who lost a hand when playing with dynamite,Prince George Citizen, 13 Aug 1962 received a prosthetic.Prince George Citizen: 11 Jul 1963 & 23 Aug 1963 A truck fatally injured two-year-old Jimmy Walker (1965–67).{{Cite web | url=http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/2530199 |title=Cemetery Project (James Martin WALKER)|website=www.geneofun.on.ca}}Prince George Citizen: 17 Jul 1967 & 1 Aug 1967 Ralph Suvee (1946–66){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/871e330e-c615-425e-bacc-653ef552c127 |title =Death Certificate (Ralph Leslie SUVEE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} was posthumously awarded the Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct for his attempt to rescue a victim from a well near the Upper Fraser Road/Yellowhead intersection.Prince George Citizen, 2 Oct 1968 The family settling in 1960, his parents became longtime residents.Prince George Citizen, 17 Feb 2001

Many people lost their possessions when their houses burned to the ground.Prince George Citizen: 13 Jan 1944, 7 Dec 1944, 29 Dec 1949, 11 Apr 1957, 26 Jan 1956, 6 Jun 1957, 13 Mar 1962, 11 Jan 1965, 16 May 1998 & 23 Feb 2001{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=127 & 128}} Despite ongoing property losses, a 1989 referendum to form a volunteer fire department failed,Prince George Citizen: 20 & 31 Jul 1989 as did the proposal for a water connection, the following year.Prince George Citizen, 17 Aug 1990 In 1994, arson was suspected in the burning of two vacant buildings.Prince George Citizen, 25 Mar 1994 By the early 1990s, a volunteer fire brigade had been formed,Prince George Citizen: 3 Jul 2001 & 15 Nov 2002 but a fire hall was not built until 2004. Destroyed by fire four years later, it was rebuilt to facilitate the 15-member brigade.Toronto Star, 28 Jun 2008 While properties continued to burn to the ground, the firefighters were able to keep the blazes from spreading.Prince George Citizen: 6 Apr 2010, 4 Jan 2012 & 27 Jul 2012 A 2011 referendum approved a centralized sewer and water system.

In 1999, the trailer, where children and teenagers had been drugged in making child pornography, burned to the ground.Prince George Citizen, 12 Jul 1999 Crystal Dianne Henricks, in custody since her arrest 26 months earlier, was sentenced to 13 years.Prince George Citizen, 26 Nov 1999 Reduced to seven years on appeal, she was released in 2004. Her common-law husband, James Darren Bennett, who received an indeterminate sentence,Prince George Citizen, 29 Feb 2000 was denied parole in 2015.Prince George Citizen, 27 Jan 2016 Calvin James Grexton, a co-accused, received three years.Prince George Citizen, 8 Aug 1998

Accidental rifle discharges at residences killed Ted Garth Burtnyk (1929–74){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/1534ed6b-1126-46fc-b6d9-b55b3563f71e |title =Death Certificate (Ted Garth BURTNYK)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 15 Oct 1974 and Kevin William Olson (1963–78).{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/191b4718-275c-4d7c-91af-c22b451cc011 |title =Death Certificate (Kevin William OLSON)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 23 Oct 1978 Jennifer Doherty (1978–82) drowned in a septic tank.{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/f49e1113-e2a9-4b7d-beee-ee8039f23ed5 |title =Death Certificate (Jennifer Lee DOHERTY)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 26 Apr 1982

With conditions similar to 1946,Prince George Citizen, 6 May 1946 locals pumped out their basements when the Willow River flooded in 1997.Prince George Citizen, 29 Apr 1997

During World War II, the largest producer in the British Empire of birch veneer plywood for building the "Mosquito" warplane was the Pacific Veneer Co. of New Westminster.Prince George Citizen, 16 Apr 1942 Willow River shipped numerous railway carloads of birch logs to this factory.Prince George Citizen: 13 & 27 Nov 1941, 5 Feb 1942, 24 Sep 1942, 19 & 26 Nov 1942, 29 Jul 1943, & 4 May 1944 In 1943, Pacific Veneer upgraded the railway siding. The Willow River Sawmill, west of the railway bridge,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} which had run intermittently for three years, was completely rebuilt with a new planer.Prince George Citizen: 17 & 24 Jun 1943 J. Henry Houle (1888–1983){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/77621e73-7c19-46ed-b79b-7b14e83e838b |title =Death Certificate (Joseph Henry HOULE)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}}Prince George Citizen, 20 Jun 1983 was lead partner in this 25,000-foot capacity mill opened in 1941.Prince George Citizen: 7 Aug 1941, 23 Oct 1941 & 15 Feb 1945 Operating at capacity the prior year, and governed by the Timber Control Board, the sawmill handled the strong demand for even hemlock and spruce.Prince George Citizen, 2 Jul 1942 However, the increased labour force put pressure on the housing supply. In 1946, Ben McNally, the foreman, lost an arm in a mill accident.Prince George Citizen, 25 Jul 1946 Lesser injuries occurred throughout subsequent years.Prince George Citizen: 15 Apr 1948 & 19 Aug 1948 {{anchor|PChurch}}

By 1950, Percy Church from Ferndale ran two sawmills and a planer.Prince George Citizen, 9 Nov 1950 The mills were located at Ferndale and {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} north of Willow River, and the planer at the northwest end of Railway Ave.{{sfn|Walski|1985|pp=4 & 96}} A falling tree killed loggerPrince George Citizen, 12 Jul 1951 Thomas (Tom) Sather (1905–51).{{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/5b141378-5a64-466a-9e11-96cee3197b0f |title =Death Certificate (Thomas Ingver SATHER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} In 1954, a new dry kiln was added.Prince George Citizen, 28 Oct 1954 In 1958, the company dismantled and relocated their sawmill operations to north of Mile 98 (McGregor).Prince George Citizen: 28 Jul 1958 & 7 Jul 1959

During the 1940s and 1950s, the Geddes planer mill operated on the east side of the north-south section of Arnett Rd (near the Willow River hill incline on the former highway).{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}}Prince George Citizen: 9 May 1946, 4 Feb 1952, 16 Oct 1952, 5 Feb 1953, 4 Mar 1959, 11 May 1959 & 1 Dec 1959 A 1957 fire at the McDermid & Lofting planer mill, located about {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} to the south, caused $10,000 damage.Prince George Citizen, 7 Mar 1957 A number of smaller sawmills existed in the area until the early 1960s.Prince George Citizen: 17 Jun 1948, 2 Sep 1948, 8 Dec 1949, 16 Oct 1952, 30 Oct 1952, 16 Jun 1955, 2 & 10 Sep 1958, & 25 Nov 1959

A falling limb fatally crushed resident logger R. William (Bill) Walker (1920–71){{Cite web | url=http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Image/Genealogy/6140a23e-d495-4665-ae2c-7e0b07de69ea |title =Death Certificate (Robert William WALKER)|website=www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca}} in the vicinity.Prince George Citizen: 20 & 22 Dec 1971

Although the wagon road from Prince George via Six Mile (Tabor) Lake reached the west bank of the Willow in 1915,Prince George Herald, 27 Aug 1915 the actual bridge into the township was not constructed until the 1922/23 winter.Prince George Citizen: 10 Nov 1922, 19 Jan 1923 & 10 May 1923 It aligned with the north-south section of Arnett Rd, this being the then access route. The road to Giscome, which then aligned with Gwen Ave,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=4}} was not completed until 1926.Prince George Citizen, 8 Jul 1926 The regular Prince George-Willow River-Giscome motor services for freight and passengers appear short lived.Prince George Citizen: 2 May 1929; 25 May 1939; & 9 & 30 Aug 1945 In 1950, the river channel was dredged to redirect spring floodwaters from the northeast bridge approach,Prince George Citizen, 16 Mar 1950 and the prior bridge was replaced by a wooden truss one (at the existing location) in 1957.Prince George Citizen: 8 Aug 1957, 24 Nov 1958 & 1 Aug 1992

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Prince George Transit ran special buses three times a week between Prince George and McGregor,Prince George Citizen: 12 Nov 1971, 18 Feb 1977, 24 Sep 1979 & 29 Aug 1980 which assumedly also stopped in Willow River. Near impassable in spring and fall,Prince George Citizen: 27 Feb 1947 & 9 Mar 1960 the final {{convert|7|mi|km|spell=in}} of the road from Prince George to {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}} beyond Willow River was finally paved in 1968.Prince George Citizen: 5 May 1964, 7 Jul 1966, 26 Jul 1968 & 21 Oct 1968 The remaining section to Giscome received light paving during the 1970s. Railway and Coonsey were paved in the early 1980s.{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=104}} Initially twice monthly,Prince George Citizen, 20 Mar 1984 then weekly, the handyDART service for seniors and the disabled discontinued in 1987.Prince George Citizen, 22 May 1987 The bridge, upgraded in 1992,Prince George Citizen, 1 Aug 1992 collapsed a decade later under the weight of a loaded truck-trailer.Prince George Citizen: 11 & 12 Mar 2002 Opened to limited traffic after three weeks,Prince George Citizen, 9 Apr 2002 and unrestricted traffic after five weeks,Prince George Citizen, 17 Apr 2002 the temporary single lane steel bridge remains in use. In response to damages sustained during the spring runoff, the pilings and approaches were upgraded in 2009.Prince George Citizen, 26 Sep 2009

Unless operated by the agent, the early telegraph office may have relied upon automatic printing apparatus, because there was no dispatcher at this station. By 1921, the railway was stringing telephone wires as far as Hutton, to connect Willow River with the outside world and mills and farms along the route.Prince George Citizen, 17 May 1921 By 1922, a telephone had replaced the telegraph. Significant gaps, which remained into the following years,Prince George Leader: 7 Dec 1922 & 8 Mar 1923 prompted demands for lines separate from the railway's ones.Prince George Citizen, 18 Nov 1926 Party lines ended for Willow River in 1966, when BC Tel installed 50 direct-dial phones.

The Percy Church planer mill provided electricity to the company houses,{{sfn|Walski|1985|p=83}} while some residents installed their own generators.Prince George Citizen: 28 Sep 1950 & 18 Feb 1960 In 1961, Jane Newsome turned on the first light when BC Hydro extended distribution lines from Tabor Lake.Prince George Citizen: 16 Jun 1960 & 3 Mar 1961 Streetlights came in 1988, after a referendum the previous year.Prince George Citizen, 15 Jun 1987

CKPG-TV, of Prince George, commenced with partial programming in 1961.Prince George Citizen: 1 Jun 1960 & 22 Aug 1961 A new transmitter, installed on Mount Tabor in 1964, improved reception for Willow River and Giscome.Prince George Citizen, 27 Oct 1964

{{reflist}}

• {{BCGNIS|23055|Willow River (community)}}
• {{cite web | url=http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository |title =Prince George archival newspapers |website=www.pgpl.ca}}
• {{cite book |last=Walski |first=Eileen E. |title= Homemade Memories: A History of Willow River, BC. |year=1985 |publisher=Willow River Heritage Preservers and WRRA |isbn=0920739083 }}
• {{cite web | url=https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/uploads/r/northern-bc-archives-special-collections-1/d/7/f/d7fa77601e70f8c68da0f6c685bebe8daad1680be2a0860fa4b891f1d08efecd/2017.06.2.10_Brown_Buster__OCR_.pdf |last=Brown |first=Buster |title =Upper Fraser Historical Geography Project Transcript |year=2000 |website=www.nbca.unbc.ca }}
• {{cite web | url=https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/uploads/r/northern-bc-archives-special-collections-1/0/6/8/06803145fee230d6fa3ba70f62906fc26290da9e36e3b822f0893d8f8068e353/2017.06.2.14_Cunningham_Ruth_Redacted_Compressed.pdf |last=Cunningham |first=Ruth |title =Upper Fraser Historical Geography Project Transcript |year=2000 |website=www.nbca.unbc.ca }}
• {{cite web | url=https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/uploads/r/northern-bc-archives-special-collections-1/2/a/2/2a26c776b03ed39794371ac6eb17cf0fbc7ddc48ac0dff56955cd30ac21fdf60/2017.06.2.66_Strom_Carl__OCR_.pdf |last=Strom |first=Carl |title =Upper Fraser Historical Geography Project Transcript |year=2000 |website=www.nbca.unbc.ca }}
• {{cite book |last=Olson |first=Raymond |title=Ghost Towns on the East Line |year=2014 |publisher=Self-published |isbn=9780986924316 }}

Category:Designated places in British Columbia

Category:Robson Valley

Category:Populated places in the Regional District of Fraser–Fort George

Category:Grand Trunk Pacific Railway stations