Gold Harbour

Gold Harbour was a historic gold and silver mine in Haida Gwaii, on the north coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is notable as the location of the first lode mine worked in what is now British Columbia. The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) became aware of gold in Haida Gwaii in 1849 or 1850. Samples of gold from Haida Gwaii were brought to the HBC fur trading post at Lax Kw'alaams, which at that time was called Fort Simpson by the HBC. John Work, who was in charge of the HBC post of Fort Simpson, had asked the fort's clientele to bring in samples of valuable minerals, and in response Haidas brought samples of gold to the fort. There are conflicting accounts of whom to credit with bringing this gold to Fort Simpson and to the attention of the HBC. Individuals credited in different accounts include: Albert Edenshaw, a Haida chief originally from Gatlinskun, a village near Cape Ball on the east coast of Graham Island in Haida Gwaii. He learned about it from an old Haida woman in Skidegate. An old Haida woman who traveled to Fort Simpson. The chief of Chaatl and his wife. This chief was named Nankilstas and was subsequently known as Captain Gold. Chaatl is a village relatively close to Gold Harbour. The origin of the gold samples was identified as a vein of quartz at Una Point in Mitchell Inlet, and this location was named Gold Harbour. Mitchell Inlet is in the southern part

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