From the 1820s, the Hudson's Bay Brigade Trail from Fort Alexandria reached the North Thompson River at this point.

In 1850, Paul Fraser, who was in charge of Fort Kamloops, established a Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) outpost on the east shore of the river.

Two men from Spokane, Washington had bought the Lemieux business, which the partner named Ross ran.

In 1919, Jim Man Lee and his father opened a general store and bought the hotel, which was not rebuilt after a 1922 fire.

secured government funding to upgrade the trail south to Chu Chua on the west side into a wagon road in 1910.

[9] In June 1913, the eastward advance of the Canadian Northern Railway (CNoR) rail head reached the location.

[14] North River Coach Lines, which had operated Kamloops–Little Fort, extended the route northward to Birch Island in 1946.

[17] An access point to at least two hundred fishing lakes, the community has two motels, a gas station, pub, and church.