Choate, British Columbia facts for kids

Choate (pronounced CHOHT) is a small place in the beautiful Fraser Canyon area of British Columbia, Canada. It's located about halfway between the towns of Yale and Hope.

For a while, from 1923 to 1939, Choate even had its own post office! It used to be called a "flagstop," which was a train stop where the train would only stop if someone waved a flag to get on or off. In 1984, it officially became known as a "locality," which is just another name for a small community or area.

The Stullawheets Indian Reserve No. 8 is also located at Choate. This reserve belongs to the Yale First Nation, an Indigenous group in the area. The reserve is near where the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) used to have its "flagstop" train station. A nearby stream, called Stulkawhits Creek, flows out of the southern Lillooet Ranges and gives the reserve its name.

Why is it Called Choate?

Choate was named after a man named James Zacchaeus Choate (1863–1930). He was a very important foreman who helped build bridges for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). He started working with the railway in 1888.

James Choate was born in Ontario, Canada. Before joining the CPR, he worked for another big railway company called the Grand Trunk Pacific from 1880. He was especially good at building wooden bridges. He lived in Vancouver and had six children with his wife, Alice Crick, whom he married in 1893.