Our History
The first meeting of the Lone Butte Community Association was held March 31, 1971, after a fire completely destroyed the original hall in "downtown" Lone Butte. A joint effort was undertaken between the Farmers' Institute and the Association to build the present hall.
The first meeting in the new hall was April 18, 1974. To reflect the growth of the areas that its members came from, the Association changed its name to the Lone Butte, Horse Lake Community Association (LBHLCA) in January of 1981. The community association, through its members, has been a large part of providing Lone Butte and area with a recreation facility.
Over the years, many public meetings concerning the area's growth were held in the hall, which is still used today for open houses and public meetings regarding Cariboo Regional District Area L. The hall was used for gym facilities for the small school that was located across the highway.
It was also the place for organizations such as the Lone Butte Fire Department, the Lone Butte 4-H, and the Lone Butte Historical Association to meet and form their beginnings at the hall.
The community association has a very generous and charitable history - one of which past and present members can all be proud. We owe a debt of gratitude to our founding members (some of whom are still active today). They deserve our respect and thanks for their hard work and commitment.
Today, the LBHLCA and the Lone Butte Community Hall are a very active part of the community. The hall is used almost every day during the year. Hall users pay for the use of the hall either by drop-in fees, hall rental, or generous donations in time or money.
The hall has always been the location for any emergencies for the Horse Lake Elementary School, and it is also now the evacuation location for Emergency Support Services.
Lone Butte-Horse Lake Community Association - Historical Highlights
History of Alice Singleton Heritage House
Located in downtown Lone Butte, the log portion of the building now called Alice Singleton Heritage House was originally built for Reverend Joe James. In 1948, it was bought by Herbert Craig of the Canadian Red Cross. It was then expanded to include the caretaker’s residence and officially opened as a three-bedroom Red Cross Outpost Hospital on September 25, 1948. The hospital was closed in early 1959.
In January 1960, Alice Singleton’s parents bought the property. An addition and the "Diefenbunker" Fallout Shelter were constructed at that time. In 1960, the Fawn post office name was changed to Lone Butte and remained in the same location for the next 18 years until postmaster Alice Singleton retired. Alice lived in her home until 2006 when she donated it to the Lone Butte Historical Association (LBHA).
The above historical articles are provided by Al Jones, past President of the Lone Butte Historical Society. For more information, please call 250-395-5193.
History of the Railway
The concept of a railway in the Cariboo began in 1891 and after a few failed attempts, the Pacific Great Eastern (PGE) railway was chartered in 1912. By 1915 it ran 176 miles from the coastal town of Squamish to Clinton/Chasm area. The “Iron Horse” brought food, supplies, passengers, and mail to the interior communities. It was an economic lifeline to the Cariboo and was used primarily to ship cattle out of the area.
Purchased by the BC government in 1918, the PGE reached Lone Butte, elevation 3900 feet, at the end of April 1919. A construction camp with a kitchen staff of 25 cooks and helpers was set up to continue the building of the railway.
The water tower with a capacity of 40,000 gallons was completed in 1920. There was a good supply of water for the steam engines and it also gave the early pioneers a year-long source of drinking water. The water tower, one of the few remaining in BC, is located in ‘downtown’ Lone Butte at the Water Tower Park, which is open from May to October.
