Spences Bridge

{{Short description|Community in British Columbia, Canada}} {{for|the volcanic group|Spences Bridge Group}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Use Canadian English|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox settlement  | official_name = Spences Bridge | other_name = | native_name = | nickname = | settlement_type = | motto =  | image_skyline = File:The Old Spences Bridge (15831100116).jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = The Old Spences Bridge | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | city_logo = | citylogo_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Canada British Columbia#Canada | pushpin_label_position =  | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Spences Bridge | pushpin_mapsize =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Canada | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = British Columbia | subdivision_type2 = Regional district | subdivision_name2 = Thompson-Nicola | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 =  | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | established_title = | established_date = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 =  | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = (2021)<ref name=2021census/> | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = 0.74 | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi =  | population_as_of = 2021 | population_footnotes = <ref name=2021census/> | population_note = | population_total = 76 | population_density_km2 = 102.2 | population_density_sq_mi = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = | population_blank1 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  | timezone = PST | utc_offset = −08:00 | timezone_DST = PDT | utc_offset_DST = −07:00 | coordinates = {{coord|50|25|N|121|21|W|region:CA-BC|notes=<ref>{{Cite cgndb|JBDIU|Spences Bridge}}</ref>|display=inline,title}} | elevation_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web | url=https://elevation.maplogs.com/poi/spences_bridge_bc_v0k_canada.99097.html | title=Worldwide Elevation Finder }}</ref> | elevation_m = 228 | elevation_ft =  | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | blank_name = | blank_info = | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Spences Bridge''' is a community in the Canadian province of British Columbia, situated {{cvt|35|km}} north east of Lytton and {{cvt|44|km}} south of Ashcroft. At Spences Bridge the Trans-Canada Highway crosses the Thompson River. In 1892, Spences Bridge's population included 32 people of European ancestry and 130 First Nations people. There were five general stores, three hotels, one Church of England and one school. The principal industries are fruit growing and farming.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://investthompsonnicolabc.ca/community-profiles/rural-map-view/spences-bridge/invest-in-spences-bridge |title=Invest in Spences Bridge - Invest in Thompson-Nicola}}</ref> The population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 76, a decrease of 23.2 per cent from the 2016 count of 99.<ref name=2021census>{{Cite web|url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Spences%20Bridge&DGUIDlist=2021A0006590374&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1&HEADERlist=0 |title =Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Profile table - Spences Bridge, Unincorporated place (UNP) British Columbia [Designated place]|date=26 April 2022|access-date=22 June 2022 }}</ref>

==History== thumb|left|Nlak'pamux Church The Kettle Valley Railway included a spur line stretching from Merritt to Spences Bridge. The rail bed is still intact, along with the original bridges.

This settlement was originally known as Cook's Ferry because from 1862 to 1866 Mortimer Cook operated a ferry for crossing the river. The ferry was replaced by a toll bridge built by Thomas Spence under government contract.<ref name = Akrigg>{{Citation | last1 =Akrigg | first1 =G.P.V. | last2 =Akrigg | first2 =Helen B. | title = British Columbia Place Names | place =Vancouver | publisher =UBC Press | year =1986 | edition =3rd, 1997 | isbn =0-7748-0636-2 | url-access =registration | url =https://archive.org/details/britishcolumbiap0000akri_w1q9 }}</ref>{{rp|251}}

In 1891, the subdistrict of Spences Bridge had a population of 307.<ref>Government of Canada (Department of Agriculture, Census Branch). ''[https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/statcan/CS98-1891-1.pdf Census of Canada, 1890-1891]'', 1893, table 2.</ref>

In 1905, one of the worst landslides in BC history hit a First Nations village near Spences Bridge. The village was destroyed and 18 people were killed.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roden |first1=Barbara |title=Golden Country: The peace of an August day in Spences Bridge in 1905 is shattered |date=20 February 2019 |url=https://www.ashcroftcachecreekjournal.com/community/golden-country-the-peace-of-an-august-day-in-spences-bridge-in-1905-is-shattered/ |publisher=The Ashcrofte-Cache Creeke Journal |access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Walkem |first1=Sara |title=1905 GREAT LANDSLIDE |url=https://docplayer.net/172563892-1905-great-landslide-spences-bridge-bc-spences-bridge-bc-spences-bridge-bc.html |access-date=23 November 2021}}</ref>

On 1 January 2014, the old Spences Bridge, a one-lane steel truss bridge, was decommissioned and permanently closed to all pedestrian and vehicle traffic after 82 years of service. This was deemed necessary by British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure engineers due to the poor condition of the bridge.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bowness|first=Lisanne|title=Aging Old Spences Bridge to be permanently closed|url=https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/aging-old-spences-bridge-to-be-permanently-closed|publisher=Government of British Columbia | date=12 December 2013| access-date=8 November 2018}}</ref>

==Location== North of Spences Bridge is Ashcroft ({{cvt|44|km|disp=sqbr}}) and Cache Creek ({{cvt|50|km|disp=sqbr}}). Also north is 100 Mile House ({{cvt|162|km|disp=sqbr}}), Williams Lake ({{cvt|254|km|disp=sqbr}}), Quesnel ({{cvt|371|km|disp=sqbr}}), and Prince George ({{cvt|492|km|disp=sqbr}}). South of Spences Bridge is Lytton ({{cvt|35|km|disp=sqbr}}), Hope ({{cvt|143|km|disp=sqbr}}), and Vancouver ({{cvt|295|km|disp=sqbr}}). East of the town is Merritt ({{cvt|65|km|disp=sqbr}}) and Kelowna ({{cvt|192|km|disp=sqbr}}).

Spences Bridge's location is mountainous, with higher elevations part of the Interior Plateau. The east side of the Fraser here is part of the Clear Range, a mountainous southwards extension of the Fraser Plateau located in the angle of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers. Arthur Seat lies in that range on the west side of Spences Bridge, and was named by pioneer John Murray for Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland.<ref>[http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/9261.html BC Names/GeoBC entry "Arthur Seat (mountain)"]</ref>

==Climate== Spences Bridge has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification ''BSk''). The climate is very dry and mild by Canadian standards, with an average annual precipitation of just {{cvt|263.7|mm}} and low average snowfall of {{cvt|30.4|cm}} per year.<ref name="ccnSBN"/> Winters are short and moderately cold for usually brief periods and sunshine hours are very low for a couple of months, while summers are quite long, hot, sunny and dry – compared to the rest of Canada, albeit with comfortable nights. Like much of the lower-altitude valleys in the Thompson Nicola region, there are more days (on average approx. 40 days per year) when temperature exceeds {{cvt|32|C}} than remain below freezing.<ref name="ccnSBN"/>

Spences Bridge recorded Canada's second highest temperature on June 29, 2021, when it reached 48.6 °C (119.5 °F). The record is second only to Lytton, which recorded 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) on the same day. However, Lytton had 2 weather stations and one of them recorded a temperature 1 °C (1.8 °F) lower than the other at 48.6 °C (119.5 °F). The station that recorded the higher temperature was later deemed to be correct. Otherwise, Spences Bridge would have been tied with Lytton for the highest recorded temperature in Canada.

{{Weather box |location = Spences Bridge Nicola<br>Climate ID: 1167637; coordinates {{coordinates|50|25|19|N|121|18|53|W|type:airport_region:CA-BC|name=Spences Bridge Nicola}}; elevation: {{cvt|235|m}}; 1981–2010 normals |metric first = Y |single line = Y |Jan record high C = 17.0 |Feb record high C = 17.5 |Mar record high C = 24.5 |Apr record high C = 32.0 |May record high C = 38.5 |Jun record high C = 48.6 |Jul record high C = 42.5 |Aug record high C = 40.5 |Sep record high C = 37.5 |Oct record high C = 31.0 |Nov record high C = 21.5 |Dec record high C = 17.5 |year record high C= 48.6 |Jan high C = 0.7 |Feb high C = 5.0 |Mar high C = 12.4 |Apr high C = 17.8 |May high C = 22.3 |Jun high C = 25.9 |Jul high C = 29.6 |Aug high C = 29.7 |Sep high C = 24.2 |Oct high C = 14.7 |Nov high C = 5.9 |Dec high C = 0.1 |year high C = 15.7 |Jan mean C = -2.4 |Feb mean C = 0.8 |Mar mean C = 6.4 |Apr mean C = 11.0 |May mean C = 15.4 |Jun mean C = 19.1 |Jul mean C = 22.1 |Aug mean C = 22.1 |Sep mean C = 17.1 |Oct mean C = 9.5 |Nov mean C = 2.4 |Dec mean C = -2.8 |year mean C = 10.1 |Jan low C = -5.6 |Feb low C = -3.4 |Mar low C = 0.4 |Apr low C = 4.2 |May low C = 8.4 |Jun low C = 12.3 |Jul low C = 14.6 |Aug low C = 14.4 |Sep low C = 10.0 |Oct low C = 4.3 |Nov low C = -1.0 |Dec low C = -5.7 |year low C = 4.4 |Jan record low C = -33.9 |Feb record low C = -32.2 |Mar record low C = -18.9 |Apr record low C = -9.4 |May record low C = -1.1 |Jun record low C = 4.0 |Jul record low C = 6.0 |Aug record low C = 6.0 |Sep record low C = 0.0 |Oct record low C = -19.5 |Nov record low C = -29.0 |Dec record low C = -28.5 |year record low C = -33.9 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 18.8 |Feb precipitation mm = 12.4 |Mar precipitation mm = 12.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 13.8 |May precipitation mm = 25.6 |Jun precipitation mm = 29.6 |Jul precipitation mm = 30.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 22.2 |Sep precipitation mm = 23.5 |Oct precipitation mm = 22.1 |Nov precipitation mm = 26.4 |Dec precipitation mm = 27.0 |year precipitation mm = 263.7 |rain colour = green |Jan rain mm = 10.8 |Feb rain mm = 10.0 |Mar rain mm = 10.3 |Apr rain mm = 13.8 |May rain mm = 25.6 |Jun rain mm = 29.6 |Jul rain mm = 30.0 |Aug rain mm = 22.2 |Sep rain mm = 23.5 |Oct rain mm = 21.7 |Nov rain mm = 21.5 |Dec rain mm = 14.5 |year rain mm = 233.3 |snow colour = green |Jan snow cm = 7.9 |Feb snow cm = 2.4 |Mar snow cm = 2.2 |Apr snow cm = 0.0 |May snow cm = 0.0 |Jun snow cm = 0.0 |Jul snow cm = 0.0 |Aug snow cm = 0.0 |Sep snow cm = 0.0 |Oct snow cm = 0.4 |Nov snow cm = 5.0 |Dec snow cm = 12.5 |year snow cm = 30.4 |unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm |Jan precipitation days = 6.7 |Feb precipitation days = 5.6 |Mar precipitation days = 5.6 |Apr precipitation days = 4.6 |May precipitation days = 6.9 |Jun precipitation days = 7.6 |Jul precipitation days = 6.7 |Aug precipitation days = 5.6 |Sep precipitation days = 6.0 |Oct precipitation days = 6.9 |Nov precipitation days = 9.5 |Dec precipitation days = 7.4 |year precipitation days = 79.0 |unit rain days = 0.2 mm |Jan rain days = 3.4 |Feb rain days = 4.3 |Mar rain days = 5.0 |Apr rain days = 4.6 |May rain days = 6.9 |Jun rain days = 7.6 |Jul rain days = 6.7 |Aug rain days = 5.6 |Sep rain days = 6.0 |Oct rain days = 6.7 |Nov rain days = 8.1 |Dec rain days = 3.8 |year rain days= 68.7 |unit snow days = 0.2 cm |Jan snow days = 3.6 |Feb snow days = 1.4 |Mar snow days = 0.7 |Apr snow days = 0.0 |May snow days = 0.0 |Jun snow days = 0.0 |Jul snow days = 0.0 |Aug snow days = 0.0 |Sep snow days = 0.0 |Oct snow days = 0.2 |Nov snow days = 1.7 |Dec snow days = 4.1 |year snow days = 11.7 |source 1 = Environment and Climate Change Canada Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010<ref name="ccnSBN">{{cite web | publisher = Environment and Climate Change Canada | url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?searchType=stnName&txtStationName=Spences+Bridge&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=1331&dispBack=1 | id = Climate ID: 1167637 |title = Spences Bridge Nicola | work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 | access-date = 22 June 2022}}</ref><ref name=Jan1875>{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1873-06-01%7C1909-03-31&mlyRange=1873-01-01%7C1909-12-01&StationID=1330&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=spences+bridge&timeframe=2&Month=1&Day=1&Year=1875|title=Daily Data Report for January 1875|date=31 October 2011}}</ref><ref name=Feb1893>{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1873-06-01%7C1909-03-31&mlyRange=1873-01-01%7C1909-12-01&StationID=1330&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=spences+bridge&timeframe=2&Month=2&Day=1&Year=1893|title=Daily Data Report for February 1893|date=31 October 2011}}</ref><ref name=Mar1874>{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1873-06-01%7C1909-03-31&mlyRange=1873-01-01%7C1909-12-01&StationID=1330&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=spences+bridge&timeframe=2&Month=3&Day=1&Year=1874|title=Daily Data Report for March 1874|date=31 October 2011}}</ref><ref name=Apr1875>{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1873-06-01%7C1909-03-31&mlyRange=1873-01-01%7C1909-12-01&StationID=1330&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=spences+bridge&timeframe=2&Month=4&Day=1&Year=1875|title=Daily Data Report for April 1875|date=31 October 2011}}</ref><ref name=May1879>{{cite web |url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1873-06-01%7C1909-03-31&mlyRange=1873-01-01%7C1909-12-01&StationID=1330&Prov=BC&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=spences+bridge&timeframe=2&Month=5&Day=1&Year=1879|title=Daily Data Report for May 1879|date=31 October 2011}}</ref> }}

==Pioneers of Spences Bridge== *John Murray<ref name="quesnelmuseum.ca">{{cite web |url=http://www.quesnelmuseum.ca/GoldRushTrail/pg12.html |title=Gold Rush Trail, Then and Now : Spences Bridge |website=www.quesnelmuseum.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517170534/http://www.quesnelmuseum.ca/GoldRushTrail/pg12.html |archive-date=2014-05-17}}</ref> *James Teit (ethnographer) *Archibald Clemes<ref name="quesnelmuseum.ca"/> *Pierre Morens<ref name="michaelkluckner.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.michaelkluckner.com/bciw6spbrteit.html|title = Vanishing B.C. Morens house (Now Hilltop Gardens)}}</ref> *Francoise Rey<ref name="michaelkluckner.com"/>

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category}}

Category:Designated places in British Columbia Category:Unincorporated settlements in British Columbia Category:British Columbia gold rushes Category:Ghost towns in British Columbia Category:Thompson Country Category:Populated places in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District Category:Natural disasters in British Columbia