When the National Transcontinental Railway's link to the BC coast was proposed, its expected course was through what became Grande Prairie, then southwest through the Wapiti Pass and what became Hansard.

[14] Months later, slips and the settling of previously unfrozen ground, leaving the track unballasted on the Prince George-Mile 190 section, delayed a westbound train for four days at McBride.

The final 46 miles (74 km) taking five hours to cover, the journey terminated across the river from Fort George, because the bridge had washed out.

Until the Fort George-McBride track was rehabilitated, Edmonton stopped selling tickets to Prince George and stranded passengers from later trains returned to Alberta.

[20][21] However, this tactic also undermined the economic prosperity of communities and other businesses, hampering the increase in traffic volumes essential for the GTP's own survival.

[37] In 1940, a work crew took several hours to restore the track bed washed out by overflowing creek waters near Hansard.

[41] The CNR appointed John Prudun (1902–81)[42][43] (Pruden alternate spelling) as section foreman in the late 1940s, and M. Kerchuk, Lawrence Goetz, and Hiram W. Clark (1899–1986),[44] as successive agents in 1951.

[123] In 1942, relocating from Shelley, Arthur (Art) Renauld (1883–1957)[124] (Renaud alternate spelling), a well-known trapper, purchased a 40-acre property.

[131] In 1928, Anund (Ole) Hansen (1892–1974) of Aleza Lake (Olie Hanson alternate spelling),[132] hunter, trapper and boatman, married Helen Dragan (1907–78),[133] but she remained a schoolteacher in Prince George area schools[134] such as Ferndale.

[151] E. Franklin Hendren opened a general store and was the inaugural postmaster 1924–25,[152][153] a role commonly performed by a storeowner in such towns.

[178] The memorable Advent news item was: "Mrs. W. Haws, accompanied by her daughter, Mary, and son, Joseph, visited her mother-in-law Mrs. J. W. Cattle Saturday.

[180][181] Her brother, T. Fleetwood (Fleet) Weaver (1918–44),[182] who spent most of his life at Hansard, was killed in action during World War II.

[189] Storekeeper John Misiura was fined for exceeding the controlled prices during World War II,[190] with the store closing a couple of years later.

[192] Marie, one of Ole Hansen's (see #HansenFam) daughters, had a perfect attendance record, because she was never late nor missed a day during her eight years at Hansard school.

[207] In 1911, cable towers were constructed on opposite banks of the Fraser to provide a ferry service connecting communities across the river with Hansard.

In 1925, Joseph (Joe) Gagne, a recluse, settled in the area and acquired the property on the northeast bank upon which a tower stood.

[208] To reach the road on that side, an ice bridge provided the winter route, but after the spring thaw, motorists faced the inconvenience of rail transport by flatcar,[209] or a privately arranged water crossing.

[212] The CNR objected to planking, proposing instead a separate vehicle roadway attachment, entailing a $60,000 capital cost and $4,650 annual rental charge.

[216] During the late 1940s, the ferry operators included A. Hanley,[217] and Joe Gagne,[218] with the vessel hauled from the water for the long winters.

Joe Gagne, disposed to physical altercations, for four years had refused to let any highways repair crew access his property to replace the structure.

After months of failed negotiations, the government expropriated this portion of land, before sending in a work crew accompanied by armed police.

[227] With the reaction ferry in summer, dangerous river ice in winter, and no crossing in spring or fall, the 1960s brought a continuing demand for adapting the CNR bridge for vehicular traffic.

[229] To extend the existing Prince George-Aleza Lake highway,[230] the 30 miles (48 km) to Longworth were cleared, grubbed and rough graded during 1929.

[231] Despite the ongoing Hansard-Longworth work, the rapid deterioration of the road, culverts and bridges, made it largely impassable beyond Hansard.

[233] In 1932, the road condition from Prince George became adequate for cars,[230] but the lack of a gravel supply between Giscome and Hansard delayed ballasting.

[235] The Prince George-Hansard weekend bus service, whose intermediate stops included Upper Fraser, appears short lived.

[240] In 1949, a 7,000-cubic-yard gravel fill, with culvert, replaced the condemned wooden road bridge across a 35-foot deep gully at Mile 102 (toward Upper Fraser).

[241] Near impassable muddy conditions during that fall,[242] and the following spring, prompted volunteers from the district to spend a weekend significantly rehabilitating the road west to Aleza Lake.

[243] Insofar as the road was navigable, regular Prince George-Hansard freight services operated,[244] but the Giscome-Hansard section generally received insufficient maintenance.

[259] Public reaction to a 1999 proposal to close the Hansard Bridge to vehicles from midnight to 9 a.m.[260] prompted a postponement[261] and shelving of the idea.