Prespatou

Prespatou is a rural farming area situated about 84 km (52 miles) north of Fort St. John.  The origins of the community come from a concern of the elders of the Old Colony Church that the young generation would not carry on the traditional lifestyle of farming.  Following a delegation from Saskatchewan that explored the rural areas around Fort St. John, the first families began to settle in the area in the fall of 1961 and surveying was completed by April 1963.  In 1969 the 101 Road was established by petitioning the Ministry of Highways.  The hamlet “Prespatou Valley” was named after Prespatou Creek that runs through the area, the name was later shortened to “Prespatou”. The area surrounding Prespatou is comprised mostly of mixed farms.  The first store was a skid shack set up in the summer of 1962.

The first school was housed in a couple of granaries with the curriculum coming via correspondence.  In the fall of 1964 two small portables and two teacherages were established.  All grades over 7 had to be done by correspondence.  In October 1975 a new school was completed which included five classrooms, library, bathrooms, learning assistant room, book room, principal and general office and a half-size gym.  A few years later grade 9 and 10 classes were included so only grades 11 and 12 were still done by correspondence. 

In 1973-74 the Old Colony Church was made into the Chortizer Mennonite Church, a new building was completed on November 9, 1974.  The Prespatou Old Colony Mennonite Church was built in 1962 near the Prespatou cemetery and later moved in 1964 to the village of Prespatou.  A new larger church was built in 1986 to accommodate the growing congregation. 

Community Facilities

Visitor Comments

Leave a Comment

Your name
Your email address (will not be published)

Your website

* Your community
Remember me ?

Subscribe: No All comments ? Replies to my comment ?

?

Subject:

Powered by TalkBack

1

There are no comments yet