Chilliwack is a community of villages. That is, over time urban and rural centres have developed in many areas across Chilliwack. These communities have taken on unique cultures and identities of their own, which people have grown to love. The names of Chilliwack’s communities have been derived in different ways:
- From Anglicized versions of Stó:lō place names
- From names chosen by newcomers
- From geographical features in the area
- After early residents
It is important to note that Stó:lō placenames have existed for thousands of years before becoming the Anglicized versions we know today. Stó:lō placenames are complicated as some have changed over time, been replaced by new names, have been lost due to the colonization process, or are known by more than one name by different First Nations communities. The Stó:lō Historical Atlas (Carlson, 2001) is an excellent resource for learning Stó:lō placenames.