[1] The upper reaches lie in the northern Monashee Mountains, while the lower end penetrates the Shuswap Highland.

[4][5] Adam died in the 1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic, which, according to James Teit, killed over half the local Secwepemc population.

[6] Although Walter Moberly mentioned Adams Lake in his journal in July 1865,[7] the earliest newspaper use of the name was September 1866.

[3] Pictographs found upon rock faces on opposite sides of the lake at White Bluffs and north of Tshinakin Point indicate a cultural significance of the locations.

A small cave up the slope was a source of ochre, which when mixed with animal fat produces ceremonial paint.

[9] Evidence of a winter village at the lake outlet[10] and archaeological sites between Woodpole and McIvor Points have been found, indicating the importance of salmon as a food source.

[12] Members continue to hunt and pick berries at the north end of the lake, which is called Mumix[13] in the Shuswap language.

[17] The size and depth help trap sediments entering upstream from smaller tributaries and some erosion in the Hiuihill (Bear) Creek valley.

[22] In 1907, two Americans formed the Adams River Lumber Co (ARLC),[23] which secured 207 square kilometres (80 sq mi) of timber limits.

[26] By 1912, timber close to the shoreline became depleted, requiring log flumes for trees farther up the slopes.

[29] Although a large economic setback for the valley, contractors continued supplying cedar poles to utility companies.

[30] The federal forest service operated a ranger station 1906–1930 at the south end of the lake.

[28] During the 1920s and 1930s, their boat operated southward from Brennan Creek and the provincial service Aspen ran northward.

[3] In 1942, Percy F. Tarry established a sawmill on the present mill site on the west shore at the south end of the lake.

In the late summer, the stored water was released to flush logs down the river to Little Shuswap Lake for the ARLC sawmill at Chase.

[38] The dam not only impeded the early summer upper Adams salmon run from reaching its spawning area, but also harmed the late run sockeye of the lower river, because the log and water release scoured the river bottom, destroying salmon eggs.

[41] In 1927, he purchased 9.8-metre (32 ft) gasoline launch Nola,[42] which pushed scows and towed cedar poles.

[56] The 6:30 am to 1 am (winter)[57] and 6:00 am to 1 am (summer)[58] schedule was extended in August 1998 to 22 hours daily, with emergency service available at all times.

[60] The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) commissioned Capilano Maritime Design to partner with Waterbridge Steel Inc. in a design-build contract to supply four new cable ferries.

In each, a John Deere 4045 diesel engine with 110kW output powers a DC alternator for onboard electrics and a radial piston hydraulic motor to a dual bullwheel traction winch.

In 1934, a group of about 50 Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) from Grants Pass, Oregon, led by Doc Jenkins, established a community in the vicinity of the camp remnants.

That winter, Hazel Newman, the leader's daughter, gave birth to a son, contracted pneumonia, and died soon after.

[66] In 1907, Daniel L. Smith built a spacious ranch house called Cariboo Lodge as a hunting resort at the mouth of the Momich River.

His true identity was found to be ex-Captain Daniel T. Keller, who had served with distinction in the US Army, but had already successfully cashed three such cheques in the US.

[67][68] Over the years, trappers and miners established homesteads on the limited level, low ground at the river mouth.

[69] The next year, Jerome Bishop Eberts,[40][70] former editor of the Vancouver Sun, and his family, moved into the two-room log cabin north of the creek.

A hydroelectricity dam was installed on Spapilem Creek, which supplied power until the BC Hydro transmission lines arrived in 1975.

[82] In 1895, the new mine owners built a wagon road to haul ore northwest to Louis Creek.

[85] About 35 kilometres (22 mi) by road west of Squaam Bay, Blucher Hall provided a general store and post office.

[41] Son Frank (Ink) was also actively involved in community responsibilities such as managing the water works and plowing snow.