Early Transportation
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The Peace River country was a historically isolated region with a significant distance from Edmonton, including a wilderness landscape marked by Swan Hills, muskeg, and heavy forest. Beyond this wilderness is the fertile soil of the Peace River country that was a powerful lure to those pursuing a new life.
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The isolation of the Peace River country made the development of transportation vital to the region. The rivers and lakes were the main source of transportation during the fur trade as canoes, rafts, and scows were used to transport goods between the east and the Peace River country for over 100 years. The rivers and lakes continued to be used by those who ventured from Edmonton. After arriving at Athabasca Landing, settlers would take a barge, raft, or steamboat up the Athabaska River to the Lesser Slave River. Their journey would take them across Lesser Slave Lake.
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The Long Trail with the reliance on rivers and lakes was a risky route to the Peace River country. Many demanded that a better route be established. When the Grand Trunk Pacific railroad was built to Edson, the accepted solution was to build the Edson-Grande Prairie Trail that would link the south Peace River area to Edson. Some improvements were made to the Edson-Grande Prairie Trail over the years it was used from 1911 to 1916. For most of the period the Edson-Grande Prairie Trail continued to present travelers with deep mud, muskeg, or deeply rutted concrete-like surface when dry.
In 1915, the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway (EDBC) arrived in the Peace River country.
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