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This page last updated February 26, 2007

The second general store and Esso Station on the Trans Canada Highway at Spuzzum burned to the ground a couple of years ago, making it even easier to drive past Spuzzum and, as the saying goes, "blink and miss it."

But the original general store, on the old Trans Canada highway that wound down the hill toward the old Alexandra Bridge, still stands, converted into a residence with a bed of flowers occupying the space in front where the gas pumps once stood. It is not the most prepossessing building in the province, as you can see, and has lost its porch and balcony, but it has a certain historic significance. It was probably opened soon after 1926, when the Cariboo Road reopened as a toll road following the rebuilding of the Alexandra Bridge.The toll was $1--an astonishing sum in the 1920s, equally to about two hours of a skilled tradesman's labour, or about $40 in current money.

Postcard c.1960 by J.C. Walker, Vancouver. Collection of Charlotte Gyoba

Comments and historic pictures of motoring through the Fraser Canyon are included in the Alexandra Bridge page. See also the Alexandra Lodge page. Charlotte Gyoba, who grew up near the Spuzzum Hotel, recalls that the Bowerman and Lintott families ran it. Mrs. Bowerman's blueberry pies were famous and once featured in the Vancouver Sun; she paid the local children 25 cents for a tobacco can full of berries picked nearby--blueberries, saskatoons, huckleberries and blackberries, whatever was in season.

Note from Lois Matson: I was recently looking up some info on the tunnels in the Fraser canyon and came across. your web site. My parents Doug and Gladys Lintott bought the original store in Spuzzum in 1947 along with my grandparents Grace and Ken Bowerman. They built the new store up on the new High Way in 1958 with the help of  my uncle Les McCabe and other relatives that would also show up to help. We sold the store that year and moved to Penticton and my grand parents moved to the coast. I was wondering if you have any e-mail address from the former residence of Spuzzum. Several years ago I ran into Eddie Gyoba when we went to Spuzzum to spread my cousin Diane’s ashes. I had just been talking about him to my husband  when we saw this man standing on the side of the road looking at our little group. We stopped to explain who we were and I was so surprised that it was Eddie who no longer lives there. What are the chances that some one from your past  40 some years ago would be at the same place as you? I wonder what has happened to Betty and Nancy Oikawa as they were my best friends and I remember being devastated that my parents had moved us. I have many great memories of Spuzzum, we had some really great family gatherings there.

Photos below from Yale and District Historical Society

The store in the 1930s

Two images of the toll gate and provincial police post at Spuzzum

Note from Anthony J. Wheeldon: Hey i found your site and i am wondering when i was a child up until i was 18 i used to go to hundred mile house 5 or more times a year do i ever miss those long rides anyways i remember always stopping at the esso in spuzzum and we would always stop to eat at the restaurnt heck i even remember having a christmas dinner there one year beacause the highway close due to the bad weather. what i was wondering is if you have any pictures of the building that burnt down it a shame that knowbody can enjoy their own memorys that i have as a child. The guy who owned the gas station was a good freind of my mom and dad and the lady who ran the restaurnt always bright & happy to serve any and all customers new and returning. and also i was wondering do your think or know if they ever were going to rebuild?