Roosville, British Columbia

As early as the 1840s, the region was known as Tobacco Prairie and later as Tobacco Plains.[1] The Tobacco Plains band has inhabited this land since time immemorial.[2] The traditional name in the Ktunaxa language for this site is ¿/u¿/uqa, pronounced tsoo-tsoo-qa.[3]

The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) moved Fort Kootenay several times within the plains region, finally settling immediately north of the boundary on the east shore of the Kootenay River.[4] In 1865, Michael Phillipps, a clerk, transferred to this outpost for a brief period. In the 1890s, he established a ranch on the plains and the area became known as Phillips.[5][6]

In 1899, Fred Roo was granted a liquor licence for his hotel at Phillips.[7] A month later, he took charge of the general store.[6] The next year, Fred Roo built a larger hotel.[8] By 1901, he was calling the location Roosville.[9] A year later, the new name was in common usage.[10]

Michael Phillipps was the inaugural postmaster 1899–1903, when the post office closed.[11] Michael and many of his descendants are buried in the Roosville cemetery.[12] Fred Roo was the next postmaster 1908–1922. The post office closed in 1926.[13] In 1910, Miss N. Bartlett was the inaugural school teacher.[14] During the earlier decades, Roosville was centred farther north than the border, closer to present day Grassmere.[15]

Around 1930, the general store closed.[16] During the mid-1930s, a National Defence Relief camp existed at Roosville.[17][18] In 1949, the school closed.[19]

At the border, a four-unit motel operated 1965–1989.[20]

• Roosville Border Crossing

• United States Port of Entry
• Canadian Port of Entry