Hazelton is a village municipality in the Skeena region of west central British Columbia, Canada.

[3][4] In the 1840s, Simon McGillivray, a Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) chief trader, led an expedition from Babine Lake to what would become Hazelton.

[5] In 1865, a survey party for the Russian–American Telegraph ventured up the Skeena to this point and left supplies for the construction crew arriving the following year.

[6] In 1866, the telegraph line was extended from Quesnel via Fort Fraser and passed the future Hazelton that July, before terminating 40 kilometres (25 mi) farther north.

[9] During 1866–1868, the HBC operated the Ackwilgate fur trading post[10] immediately south across the Bulkley at Mission Point.

[15] In July 1888, the militia was sent from Victoria to quell an indigenous uprising at Hazelton, following the killing of Kitwancool Jim.

On being informed the tension had subsided, only special constables went upriver to investigate, while the militia camped near Port Essington.

[17] In 1958, the original museum, called the House of Treasures was built in town[18] to display indigenous artifacts.

By 1972, six houses stood in a line beside the original tiny museum, creating an authentically rebuilt indigenous village.

[18] In 1994, the Wet'suwet'en Education Society broke into the vacant, former Hazelton High School building, intending to commandeer the premises for indigenous programs.

[22] The Ksan Historical Village and Museum has expanded into seven decorated tribal houses fronted with several carved totems.

At the head of navigation on the Skeena, the place was the centre of activity for prospectors, traders, merchants, packtrain operators, and missionaries.

[36] That year, the HBC SS Caledonia was the first steamboat to navigate the Kitselas Canyon and reach Hazelton.

[37] However, both high and low water made the canyon impassable, limiting navigation to three months per year.

[47] The route southeastward to Aldermere (adjacent to Telkwa) was used by a weekly stage in summer[48] and sleighs in winter.

[67] In 1911, the rebuilt Hazelton Hotel opened with 32 guest rooms and a bunkhouse which accommodated another 30 people.

[68] Mid-year, the Bank of Vancouver opened a branch,[69] initially using a tent,[70] and the Inland Colonist relocated from Kitselas[71] but publishing ceased that November.

[76] For decades, residents had speculated every spring when the loud whistle of the first boat would be heard, even wagering large sums of money.

[77] In 1910, a 56-metre (184 ft) suspension bridge across the Skeena opened[78] 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) by road north of Hazelton.

[81] The Hazelton–South Hazelton ferry across the Bulkley operated from mid-1912[82] until replaced by a low level bridge in January 1917[83] at the same location.

[85] Prior to the commencement of operations in August,[86] a boat temporarily attached to the ferry cable capsized, and a youth on board drowned.

[106] When the Union Bank relocated to larger premises, the former ones were repurposed as a Methodist church,[107] before the congregation moved to St Andrew's Hall.

[119] That April, a guest burned to death, when fire completely destroyed the Hazelton Hotel and several other buildings.

[128] In 1947, Canadian Trailway Stages inaugurated a Hazelton–Prince George bus service,[129] but the Hazelton–Vanderhoof leg was discontinued the next year.

The next year, the commission replaced the DC generator at the hospital with a larger AC one, which also became the plant for supplying existing Hazelton customers and new ones south of the Bulkley.

[137] When the Inlander Hotel opened that year, the Royal Bank rented the lower level prior to building across the street.

[176] In 2014, John Field Elementary was renamed Majagaleehl Gali Aks, which means "flowers of the rivers" in the Gitxsan language.

[177] Part of School District 82 Coast Mountains, Majagaleehl Gali Aks stands on the descent to the downtown area,[178] and Hazelton Secondary (to the northeast) has about 375 enrolled students.

[180] In 1904, Dr. Horace Cooper Wrinch opened the first hospital, which developed a nursing school, gardens and dairy farm.

[188] Part of Northern Health, the hospital provides acute, complex and community care, assisted living, and both shorter and longer term accommodation.