Harrison Hill facts for kids

Harrison Hill is a small mountain, about 622 meters (2,041 feet) tall, located in British Columbia, Canada. It sits where the Harrison River meets the mighty Fraser River.

Right next to Harrison Hill is a smaller peak called Harrison Knob, which is about 225 meters (738 feet) high. It's like a shoulder on the east side of Harrison Hill. Both of these peaks are on the north side of the Fraser River, directly across from the city of Chilliwack.

Harrison Knob looks right over where the two rivers join. Harrison Hill itself is further downstream from this meeting point. To its north, it overlooks Harrison Bay, which is a large, shallow area of the Harrison River that looks like a lake.

At the western base of Harrison Hill, you'll find the small community of Lake Errock. On the eastern side, just below Harrison Knob, was once a big sawmill town called Harrison Mills. This town was on both sides of the Harrison River and was served by the Canadian Pacific Railway, which runs along the north side of the mountain.

The lands of the Scowlitz First Nation are located at both ends of Harrison Bay. The Chehalis First Nation has a reserve along the north shore of the bay. Also, Kilby is found on the east shore of Harrison Bay.

Ancient Burial Mounds

Harrison Knob and Harrison Hill are very important places for understanding the past. They are home to many ancient burial sites built by the Coast Salish people. These sites are like small hills or "pyramids" made of earth and stone.

What Are the Scowlitz Mounds?

These special structures are known as the Scowlitz Mounds or the Fraser Valley Pyramids. They were built a long time ago, between 1,000 and 1,500 years ago. This means they were created between 500 and 1000 CE (Common Era).

Qithyll: A Special Name

In the Halkomelem language, which is spoken by many Coast Salish people, Harrison Knob is called Qithyll. This name shows its deep connection to the local Indigenous history.

Exploring the Mound Sites

There are 198 of these mounds spread out in 15 different groups. They cover a large area of about 10 square kilometers (about 3.8 square miles). These mounds are important archaeological sites that teach us about the ancient cultures and traditions of the Coast Salish people in this region.