STORY IDEASThe King of Kamloops
The title ‘King of Kamloops’ doesn’t require royal blood lines but instead a passion for hard work. Such was the case for James McIntosh.
He began his busy career in 1865, where he assisted in building the steamboat ‘Marten’, used for the Big Bend Gold Rush. He built the area’s first grist mill, purchased and developed the first Kamloops town site and developed roads and routes throughout the region. He partnered with others in 1877 and built the Shuswap Mill, which turned out an impressive 15,000 feet of lumber and 50 barrels of flour daily.
McIntosh’s popularity grew and his achievements were many. He was elected the first chairman of the hospital board in 1884, Captain of the Fire Department in 1886, proposed a new private water system and founded the Kamloops Electric Light Company in 1891. He was also elected the First President of the newly formed Board of Trade, the Kamloops Conservative Society, the Pioneer Society and the St. Andrews & Caledonian Society.
At the height of his influence, he was called ‘King of Kamloops’, and with his many accomplishments, it’s easy to see why. He died in 1901 after suffering a stroke at the age of 59.
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Howard Grieve, Manager Marketing & Communications
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Special thanks for research assistance to the Kamloops Museum & Archives