Incorporated as a District Municipality 19 May 1966, to be called District of Mackenzie.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

The townsite established by Alexandra Forest Industries is located on Lot 12463, named after Sir Alexander Mackenzie (1764-1820), who passed this way in June 1793 on his journey overland to the Pacific Ocean. Mackenzie Post Office was opened 29 September 1967.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

A.M. Sheppard, the first mayor, wrote: ' In our search for a name for our instant town, it became our knowledge that while there was a river and a district named after this very famous explorer of our country, there had not been a town or city named in his honour. Once this was known the choice became simple.' The first three families arrived in July 1966 and two years later a town of 1200 was inaugurated. The new town came into being as a result of the development of a major forest industry in the area. The district extends 21km/13 miles along the east side of upper Parsnip Reach, Williston Lake; the logging/sawmill activity is on the shoreline, adjacent to the BCR line and the airfield, and the townsite itself is about 4 miles upland, adjacent to Morfee Lakes.

Source: Akrigg, Helen B. and Akrigg, G.P.V; British Columbia Place Names; Sono Nis Press, Victoria 1986 /or University of British Columbia Press 1997