Early 1800s

Due to curiosity of geology, the headwaters of the vast Columbia River in British Columbia are separated from the south-flowing Kootenay River by a low, 1.2-mile wide (2-km) berm of land called Canal Flats, which is now the site of Canal Flats provincial park. The Kootenay River then meanders down into the US before flowing back north into Canada to join the Columbia River at Castlegar, BC. Canal Flats was originally named McGillivray's Portage by David Thompson, who passed through the area in 1808. Looking for the headwaters of the Columbia, Thompson wrongly guessed that the great river flowed south from Canal Flats. His wrong turn down the Kootenay greatly added to his continental adventures and led him into Montana.