Sayward

History

(The following is provided by the Sayward Business and Tourism Association website. Contact information is included at the bottom of this page.)

By Vancouver Island standards, Sayward is a relatively old community. It was first established in the 1890s at the mouth of the Salmon River and was called Port H'Kusum. Settlers began arriving and pushing inland, spreading into the valley.

One of the early settlers, Otto Sacht, established a trading post up the river in 1904. He opened a post office in his store, calling it Salmon River.

In 1911, the settlement was officially named Sayward after William Parsons Sayward, a pioneer lumberman who came to Vancouver Island in 1858. Although he never visited the Sayward area, the government of the day decided he deserved to be honoured and so named the community after him.

At the time the settlers arrived, there was a small native village on the Salmon River. By 1917, the village was empty and today the reserve is unoccupied, with most descendants living in nearby communities.

Railroad logging started about 1904 and continued through 1914. The rail line became a wagon road which people used to take to reach their homesteads. In 1937 a railroad line was built on the opposite side of the valley. Over time, this line was also closed and became the basis of the current truck road.

As with all communities on the North Island, Sayward was only easily accessible by water. It was not until after World War II that a gravel road connected Sayward with Campbell River and not until 1979 that a paved road connected the North Island.

Logging is still the primary industry, but tourism continues to grow and gain in importance.

Location

The community of Sayward is located on the east coast of north Vancouver Island, and is accessed by a 10-kilometre paved road off the Island Highway 19. Travel time along the Island Highway 19 to Sayward is under one hour from Campbell River in the south, and about two hours from Port Hardy to the north. Sayward can also be reached by boat at Kelsey Bay.

Places to See

• The Original Cable Cookhouse
  
  A unique steel-frame building made entirely of used logging cable. The walls contain 8200 feet of wire rope and the building weighs almost 26 tonnes. Surrounded by antique logging equipment of yesteryear. Built by Glen Duncan, it opened as a restaurant in 1970.
  
  
• North Island Forestry Centre
  
  An easy drive 1.5 hours north of Sayward, the North Island Forestry Centre offers visitors the opportunity to participate in tours of working forest operations. It also offers a museum, videos and nature walks. There are several tours, including a bus tour of a working forest. Reservations are required.
  
  
• Salmon River
  
  At the end of the old Island Highway, a well-worn trail leads to the locally known "Gentries Pool" where you can lay on white sand, snorkel with the salmon, or swim. Take a picnic lunch and an umbrella and make a day of it.
  
  
• Sayward's Estuary
  
  Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the pathway winding by Sayward's estuary and you'll find a variety of wildlife! Count the species of birds and other wild animals who make their home in this beautiful natural environment. Don't forget your camera!
  
  
• Kelsey Wharf
  
  With the appropriate salt water license, fish off Port of Kelsey Bay Wharf. Licenses at local businesses. (White River, Fisherboy, Sayward Store, Salmon River Motel)
  
  
• Mt. Cain
  
  Day lodge at 3900'. Peak: 5400' elevation. On North Vancouver Island, a 25-minute drive north of Sayward Junction along Highway 19, you'll find the Mt. Cain turnoff. From there, it's a 16 kilometre drive on a gravel road. Chains are mandatory on the last 10 kilometres. There's skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
  
  
• Heritage Park
  
  About four kilometres from the Highway junction, you will find a bit of Sayward history. The original hall, built in 1922, has been replaced by a modern hall. But the grounds preserve important events, such as the Coronation Oak (commemorating the 1936 coronation of King George VI) and the Centennial Plaque (1967). Picnic tables sit in a lovely grove of trees. Many community events are held in the hall and the grounds. Day use only, no camping.
  
  
• H'Kusam Park
  
  In the Village centre, the playgrounds and playing fields of H'Kusam Park make a great place for children and adults to use up energy. These fields are often the site for community events. Nearby, the Kelsey Recreation Centre has a swimming pool, hot tub, gym, and meeting rooms.
  
  
• Schoen Lake Provincial Park
  
  With its superb scenery and countless opportunities for wilderness hiking, backpacking, boating, fishing, swimming, and camping, Schoen Lake is one of the most beautiful parks on Vancouver Island. Located northwest of Campbell River in the Nimpkish Valley, Schoen Lake is a little more primitive than some parks, but the chance to view nature in all its glory more than makes up for the lack of modern amenities.
  
  You'll find peace and quiet at your campsite in this wilderness park - one of the few that offers vehicle-accessible camping on northern Vancouver Island. Within the park's protective boundaries are old-growth forests, waterways, meadows, small lakes, and essential deer, Roosevelt elk, and fish habitats.

Things to Do

• Whale and Wildlife Watching
  
  Enjoy a cruise up scenic Johnstone Strait to the Robson Bight Ecological Reserve on a quest to locate and observe killer whales, eagles, bears, and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Robson Bight Charters offers one excursion daily from mid-June to mid-October and boasts a 90% success rate. Operating since 1989, they are Canadian Coast Guard approved and also have a gift shop. Village Island Tours offers native cultural and marine tours.
  
  
• See the World's Largest Cypress Trees
  
  See the largest cypress ("yellow cedar") trees in the world, located in valleys south of Sayward. There are many active logging roads, so suitable vehicles and driving precautions are necessary. Maps for self-directed tour are available at Visitor Centre and at local businesses.
  
  
• Garden Tours
  
  The summer gareden tour is being offered by the Sayward Garden Club. Tickets and maps are available locally. You can also tour gardens at local businesses: Victorian Garden Gate Manor B&B and Salmon River Gardens.
  
  
• Hiking
  
  At the corner of Sabre Road, the Mt. H'Kusam trail rises to an altitude of 5481 feet and has many spectacular viewpoints for photographs or for just catching your breath. Allow 6 hours for this trip, and bring mountain hiking gear. A newly completed route allows for a circle hike of the mountain, taking about 12-14 hours.
  
  The trailhead for the Dalrymple Creek Trail is located 8 km south of the Sayward Junction on Highway 19, where Dalrymple Creek crosses the highway. The self-guided forest interpretation trail leads you on a 500-metre peaceful walk through a changing forest.
  
  
• Rafting
  
  The Salmon River is a popular river for exhilarating river rafting in the Sayward community, and the lakes and rivers offer a range of canoeing and kayaking routes.
  
  
• Enjoy a Picnic
  
  There's romantic picnicking just south of the Adam River Bridge on Highway 19, 10 kilometres north of the turnoff to Sayward. As you feast, enjoy the view of Mounts Romeo and Juliet, the snowmelt from which fills the Adam and Eve Lakes, from which two rivers of the same names flow east into Johnstone Strait. Equally impressive is the sight of Jagged Mountain and Mount Cain, which dominate the skyline north of here.
  
  
• Skiing / Snowboarding
  
  Spend the day skiing and snowboarding in unbelievable powder at Mt. Cain Ski Resort (5,400 feet), located southwest of Sayward, 25 minutes west off the Sayward Junction along Highway 19. It's a 16-kilometre drive on a gravel road from the highway to the day lodge (3,900 feet), with chains mandatory on the last 10 kilometres. Mount Cain offers a unique experience for skiers, snowboarders and backcountry explorers, with virtually no line-ups for lifts, and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The community-run Mt. Cain is located in a regional park, and is ideal for families and snow enthusiasts of all skill levels. The Mt. Cain resort usually opens from November to April.

Events

• Farmers' Market
  
  Watch for signs for honey, eggs, roses, and garden nurseries. Sayward has a long history of agriculture. The Sayward Summer Sunday Market opens June 19th at the Heritage Hall. Look for local produce and crafts.
  
  
• Harvest Fall Fair
  
  This annual Sayward celebration occurs during the first weekend of each October.
  
  
• Art in the Park
  
  This annual exhibition of work by regional artists is held during the second weekend of July in Sayward.

Contact Information

Sayward Business and Tourism Association

Site 10, Box 2, Comp 4
Sayward, B.C. V0P 1R0
Canada

Telephone: 250-282-3821
E-mail: info@sayward.com
Website: www.sayward.com

Village of Sayward

601 Kelsey Way - Box 29
Sayward B.C. V0P 1R0
Canada

Telephone: 250-282-5512
Fax: 250-282-5511
Email: village@saywardvalley.net
Website: www.sayward.ca