Jaffray is an unincorporated community on the west side of Little Sand Creek in the

East Kootenay The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) is a regional district in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Canada. In the 2016 census, the population was 60,439. Its area is . The regional district offices are in Cranbrook, the large ...

region of southeastern

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. On BC Highway 3/ 93, the locality is by road about southwest of

Sparwood Sparwood is a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the second-largest community on the Elk River. Located approximately 30 kilometres from Fernie, the District Municipality of Sparwood has approximately 4,20 ...

and southeast of Cranbrook.

History

Jaffray was formerly a siding, depot and steam train water stop. In the early 1900s, Robert Jaffray and several of his brothers worked at the local sawmills, eventually leaving and homesteading in

Lacombe, Alberta Lacombe ( ) is a city in central Alberta, Canada. It is located approximately north of Red Deer, Alberta, Red Deer, the nearest major city, and south of Edmonton, the nearest metropolitan area. The city is set in the rolling parkland of central ...

. Even though some local people believed that Jaffray may have been named after the brothers, according to folklore, Jaffray had already been named by the time they came to the area. Frank Desrosier may have been the first resident to purchase land in the Jaffray town-site, purchasing District Lot 3055. In September 1900, Robert Elmsby received a crown grant on D.L. 3543, obtaining for two hundred dollars, including most of what is now Jaffray proper. Since the first residents settled, Jaffray has had four hotels, including the Jaffray Hotel, the Henderson's Hotel, Desrosier's Hotel and the Pearson Hotel. Historical general stores included Anthony Modigh's General Store, Economy Corner Store, and the Jaffray General Store.

Fire protection

In September 1995, the Regional District of East Kootenay, with the direction of founding Fire Chief John Betenia, and community approval of an RDEK bylaw, opened the Jaffray Volunteer Fire Department with 31 volunteer firefighter trainees. The department has expanded considerably since inception and now includes a rescue team with First Responder Level III status

Geography

Jaffray is located near the picturesque Steeples, which include Fisher Peak, and the Lizard Mountain ranges, not far from

Lake Koocanusa Lake Koocanusa () is a reservoir in British Columbia (Canada) and Montana (United States) formed by the damming of the Kootenai River by the Libby Dam in 1972. The Dam was formally dedicated by President Gerald Ford on August 24, 1975. The ...

. The village is found on Highway 3 and 93, west of the Elko Highway 93 junction; just north of the Canadian/United States border at Rooseville, BC. This portion of the

Rocky Mountain Trench The Rocky Mountain Trench, also known as the Valley of a Thousand Peaks or simply the Trench, is a large valley on the western side of the northern part of North America's Rocky Mountains. The Trench is both visually and cartographically a ...

is relatively flat, with open woodland and grasslands. The area is very popular for its great recreational opportunities.

Climate

Education

Part of

School District 5 Southeast Kootenay School District 5 Southeast Kootenay is a school district in British Columbia. It covers the southeast corner of the province up to the Alberta and Montana borders. This includes the major centres of Cranbrook, Fernie, Elkford, and Sparwood. ...

, Jaffray Elementary Junior Secondary School has about 225 students from Kindergarten to Grade 10.

Notable people

Dean Brody Dean Brody (born August 12, 1975) is a Canadian country music artist from British Columbia. He has won 16 CCMA Awards and 2 JUNO Awards. Originally signed to Broken Bow Records in 2008, Brody made his debut later that year with the single "Br ...

(1975– ), country recording artist, residence as a youth.

Radio stations

(broadcast from Jaffray) * 101.3 FM -

CBC Radio One CBC Radio One is the English-language news and information radio network of the publicly owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial-free and offers local and national programming. It is available on AM and FM to 98 percent o ...

, repeater located in Jaffray. (available in Jaffray (broadcast from Cranbrook)) * 107.5 FM - CFSM-FM, 107.5 2Day FM * 104.7 FM -

CHBZ-FM CHBZ-FM (104.7 FM, ''Wild 104.7'') is a radio station in Cranbrook, British Columbia. Owned by Pattison Media, it broadcasts a country format. History The station originally began broadcasting in 1995 as CKKR until it was changed to the cur ...

, B-104 * 102.9 FM - CHDR-FM, The Drive FM

External links

South Country Fire Services Facebook Page

Footnotes

References

* {{authority control Unincorporated settlements in British Columbia Populated places in the Regional District of East Kootenay Designated places in British Columbia Canadian Pacific Railway stations in British Columbia