From Trails to Roads
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From before 1900 to the First World War there were several trails opened through the wilderness to provide a means for settlers to come into the Peace River country. These included the Long Trail, the Edson-Grande Prairie Trail, and others with names like the Lesser Slave Lake Trail or the Athabasca Trail. Many of these trails became the route that roads would follow.
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Once the first crude trails had been cut through the forest and over muskegs, the work continued and improvements were made as ferries and bridges were constructed. Stumps that had been cut in winter and stood well above the ground were later removed.
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When Alberta became a province in 1905 it began funding the development of roads within the province, but these early efforts provided little for the people of the Peace River country. In 1923, a more formal effort was started by the provincial government as they hired qualified engineers to supervise the planning and building of these roads.
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In 1925, a road was built that connected Peace River to McLennan. F.S. Wright used a pathfinder car to drive from Edmonton to Peace River on the existing trails. In places where there were no trails or there were very poor conditions teams of horses pulled his car through. Wright arrived on 6 September 1925 after a 10 day trip. The publicity of these efforts brought about a road building effort by the provincial government to complete a road. The road was built between 1926 and 1930.
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These early roads were a great improvement over the trails that were the only way into the Peace River. The roads continued to be improved over the years. The development of the Alaska Highway during the Second World War marked a great step forward for transportation in the Peace River country.