Claude Foot would have been exactly 133 years old Wednesday as the city unveiled a timely heritage sign celebrating the pioneer family for which Foot Park was named.
Emotions ran high as Howard Foot, son of Claude, took the microphone to say a few words about the struggles his family endured in the early days of Prince George.
In 1906, Claude arrived in Prince George by barge from Quesnel. The barge was pulled along by 18 First Nations workers using ropes from the river banks. The trip took 17 days.
"My father said 'if I lasted in Prince George until my first pay day I'd be doing well'," said Howard, looking at the crowd gathered in front of the sign near the end of Massey Drive that included many family members. "That was 110 years ago and his family is still here."
The plaques are part of the city's centennial celebration and there are more than 50 to be installed along the Centennial Trail, a 30 km loop that connects the Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park, the Heritage River Trails, Moore's Meadow, the university trails, Ginter's Meadow and Carrie Jane Gray Park.
"It's really important for us to depict our history throughout our entire city," said Mayor Lyn Hall. "So when we talk about the Foot family and other families in our community that did so much to make Prince George what it is today we want to make sure we recognize those pioneer families that created what we see around us."
Another pioneer family was recognized a short time later just down the street at Freimuller Park.
Back in the day, the Foot family referred to the Freimullers as neighbours, even though they lived miles apart, putting in perspective how very different the city looks today.
Gottlieb and Mathilda Freimuller came to Prince George in 1924 from Switzerland. In 1928 they acquired their 220 acre homestead that included what is known today as Ochakwin Crescent to Moore's Meadow, Anderson Street and the crest of Cranbrook Hill.
The face of Cranbrook Hill was a blue rock quarry and when they would dynamite, the rock would land all over what is now Foothills Boulevard. That big rock sitting near Friemuller and Foothills Boulevard was a particularly huge piece of rock that landed there during one of the blasts and instead of trying to blow it up or remove it, it was just left there.
The rocks from the quarry were used to build Prince George Pulp Mill Road in the 1960s.
During the plaque unveiling at Freimuller Park, Ernest Freimuller, the grandson of Gottlieb and Mathilda, said a few words of thanks for the honour of commemorating the family history.
"The Freimuller family was honoured to be selected by the City of Prince George and Husky Energy and there's been a lot of stuff that's happened on this farm throughout all the years and it's provided a lot of good things to many families and businesses," said Ernest. "It means a lot to be selected and for our younger generations to see it. We all still live here. We're bound here."
