Colonial Despatches

Pitt River is a large tributary of the Fraser River. It is roughly 20 km east of Vancouver, and it flows north from New Westminster. The river was named after William Pitt, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at age 24.1 The river’s Indigenous name is Kwantlen, which is also the name of the band who traditionally inhabit the region along and around the river.2

In this despatch, Douglas notes the Pitt River's importance toward the great object of opening roads from the sea-coast into the interior of the country.

• 1. Pitt River, BC Geographical Names Information System.
• 2. Kwantlen First Nation History, Kwantlen First Nation.