| Feature Type: | Village (1) - A populated place with legally defined boundaries, incorporated as a village municipality under the provincial Municipal Act. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | At junction of Skeena and Bulkley Rivers, Cassiar Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 55°15'20"N, 127°40'31"W at the approximate location of the Municipal Hall. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 93M/5 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Hazelton (Town) adopted in the 18th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 31 March 1924, as labelled on BC map 1H, 1917. Form of name changed to Hazelton (Post Office) 5 July 1951 on 93M. Incorporated as a Village Municipality 15 February 1956; confirmed as Hazelton (Village) 21 April 1966 on 93M. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Hazelton Post Office was opened 1 May 1899. See also the municipality's own website. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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So-named because of the thickness of the hazel bush near town. The Hudson's Bay Company post was established in 1872 at the head of navigation on the Skeena, at "The Forks" (the confluence of the Bulkley and Skeena rivers). The townsite was eventually removed further east, and became known as New Hazelton. The original townsite is adjacent to the Gitxsan village of Gitanmaax, and the 'Ksan Historical Village, an interpretive centre modelled after the ancient village. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |