|
Joe Drinkwater was a Canadian pioneer and prospector from Alberni Valley on Vancouver Island. In 1864, prospectors discovered gold in the Bedwell River sparking a gold rush to the area including Joe Drinkwater, who started a gold panning operation. Joe was a typical pioneer, and was a jack-of-all trades. He is most known for his exploration of the interior of Vancouver Island. In 1899, he discovered Della Falls, the highest falls in Canada, he was the first person to travel down You Creek, and was the first person to reach the summit of Big Interior Mountain. He named Della Falls after his wife, Della, who would frequently visit the area with her husband while he worked nearby. Drinkwater teamed up with a man from Vancouver named Alvin Engvik and expanded the Della Mine site greatly between 1900-1915, and they mined gold-bearing quartz, but production was cancelled in 1916 due to excessive snowfall.
|
