Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake) - Historic Places Days

Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake)

Abbotsford, British Columbia
Type
Park/Landscape
Address
Northwest corner, Vye/Whatcom Road intersection
Get directions
Hours
open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
Phone
604-864-8087 ext 122

The bronze map on the monument at Sumas Pioneer Park shows a pre-drainge Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake) surrounded by Stó:lō lands, contrasted with a post-drainage map showing the impact of colonization on the environment.

For millennia, a vast lake existed between Sumas and Vedder mountains in the unceded territory of the Stó:lō people, in what is now known as the Fraser Valley. Teeming with ecological abundance, Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake) was central to cultural, spiritual, and physical wellbeing of the Séma:th people (Sumas First Nation) and surrounding Indigenous communities. Between 1919 and 1924, settlers in the region lobbied government to drain the lake, thereby enhancing the agricultural capacity of the region with devastating consequences for Stó:lō people.

Through a partnership between The Reach Gallery Museum, and representatives from Semá:th and Cheam First Nations and Indigenous knowledge-keepers, a children’s book, videos and driving tour recall a time when the lake was thriving, using memory and story to allow the lake to live on today. The project is illustrated by Carrielynn Victor and co-authored by Chris Silver, Carrielynn Victor, Kris Foulds, and Laura Schneider.

Join The Reach at Abbotsford Berry Fest on July 16, 2022 from 12 to 8pm for the  Semá:th Xó:tsa: Sts’ólemeqwelh Sx̱ó:tsa (Sumas Lake: Great Gramma’s Lake) story walk and to create your own Skwó:wech (Sturgeon)  puppet at The Reach booth. Both the storywalk and Reach booth will be located on north Montrose Avenue.

 

Amenities

  • Family-Friendly
  • Parking

Fun Facts

The sturgeon that lived in Sumas Lake could live up to 150 years!

Sumas Lake was home to flocks of ducks and geese so large they covered the sun like huge, dark clouds.

During the intense mosquito season the Stó:lō relocated to stilt villages in the lake where the constant breeze kept the pesky insects away.

Location

Northwest corner, Vye/Whatcom Road intersection
Get directions

Video

Nearby Places

Turner House

Abbotsford, British Columbia
A timber framed board-and-batten cottage constructed in 1875 on Matsqui Prairie.
View Place | Get Directions

National Historic Site, Gur Sikh Temple and Sikh Heritage Museum

Abbotsford, British Columbia
Gur Sikh Temple, National Historic Site (est. in 1911). Sikh Heritage Museum (est. 2011)
View Place | Get Directions

Trethewey House Heritage Site

Abbotsford, British Columbia
Trethewey House is a part of the registered non-profit Heritage Abbotsford Society.
View Place | Get Directions

Mission Museum

Mission, British Columbia
Sharing the stories of Mission and its people.
View Place | Get Directions

Popular VisitLists Including "Semá:th Xó:tsa (Sumas Lake)"

Historic Places in Lower Mainland, BC

Langley Township, British Columbia to Abbotsford, British Columbia 25 places
Learn more about the complex histories of the place known today as the Lower Mainland of British Columbia by visiting some of the many heritage sites and organizations registered with Historic Places Days!
View VisitList

Register A Place

Create an account to add your historic place.

Make a VisitList

Welcome! To get started on a VisitList, you’ll need to have an account with #HistoricPlacesDays.


Already have an account? to sign in.
We use your contact information to process your registration and correspond with you about the National Trust and its programs. You can unsubscribe at any time. We care about your privacy. Read our privacy statement.

Sign In

Sites that participate in #HistoricPlacesDays need to have an account.

Welcome! To get started on a new VisitList or to edit an existing one, you’ll need to have an account with #HistoricPlacesDays. Sign in below!


Not registered? Click here to create an account.

Forgot Password

Enter your email address to request a password reset.


to sign in.

Get the latest scoop on everything #HistoricPlacesDays – join our e-newsletter and never miss a beat.