The Town of Golden was incorporated on June 26, 1957 and like most municipalities across BC, we continue to provide and expand a range of essential, expected, and extended services for our residents. The prominence of our historical forest and rail industries and our designation as a Resort Municipality combine to create necessary services and amenities for those who live here as well as those who come to play. We employ approximately 30 full time residents to ensure our corporation is able to provide the services that we offer, fulfill our legal obligations to the public, and maintain our community's livability.
Williams Lake is named in honor of Secwepemc chief William. The story of Williams Lake began in 1860 during the Cariboo Gold Rush when Gold Commissioner Philip Henry Nind and Constable William Pinchbeck arrived from Victoria to organize a local government and maintain law and order.At the time, two pack trails led to the goldfields, one from the Douglas Road and another trail through the Fraser Canyon. Both met at Williams Lake, which made it a good choice for settlers and merchants. By 1861, Commissioner Nind had built a government house and had requested the funds to build a jail. With the center of local government being at Williams Lake, the miners and businessmen all had to travel there to conduct their business and soon the town had a post office, a courthouse, a roadhouse and the jail that Nind had requested.Williams Lake later became a hub for forestry, mining and transportation with the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, later BC Rail and now CN Rail.Williams Lake hosts the annual Williams Lake Stampede, which takes place over the Canada Day long weekend.