Bella Coola exudes a rich culture and history. It is one of the few places where an ancient culture has successfully been passed on to today's inhabitants. Take a Nuxalk Tour to view hidden-away petroglyphs. Visit in-home galleries and craft shops that showcase the diversity of talents from world-renowned First Nations carvers to unique crafts.
Spend time in the Bella Coola Museum and then follow a self-guided historic route in the town. Shop in Kopas Store, established in 1937 and the epitome of a general store.
In Hagensborg, admire the craftsmanship of the Norwegian homesteads; families can trace their roots back to the 1890's. Follow historic footprints. In 1793 Alexander Mackenzie along with his voyageurs and native guides completed the first recorded crossing of North America. Today's sections of the Alexander Mackenzie/Nuxalk-Carrier Grease Trail can be accessed from the Valley. Drive up "The Hill" and be amazed at the grit of a small community that opened this road in 1953.
Check out the Tallheo Cannery which reflects the history of a thriving canning industry that began in the late 1890s, only accessible by water.
This pole was created by the Nuxalk carver Silyas (Art Saunders) and is known as the Chief's Pole. It represents the past, present and future of the Saunders' family.
