In order to commemorate Jasper’s original townsite, a proposition to make Snape’s Hill a historic site has been discussed by Karen Byers, museum manager, Don Pickle from the Municipality of Jasper and Brian Catto, from Parks Canada.

In 1911, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway arrived in Jasper. In those days the community was a small settlement of tents and cabins said Karen Byers, manager of Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archive.

“Some of the earliest houses in Fitzhugh, as it (Jasper) was known in those days, would have been right on this hillside,” said Byers.

The hillside Byers spoke of is at the far west end of Geikie St. and Willow Ave. called “Snape’s Hill.”

Today Snape’s Hill is a barren hillside where children go tobogganing. On top of the hill, with a trained set of eyes, outlines of where log cabins once stood can be admired.

Byers said their plan is to build an information board and some benches so the public can enjoy the historic site.

“In 1921, J. B. Snape, the first Parks engineer, arrived and was here for 25 years,” said Byers.

“He was quite well liked in the town and well known, so it seemed fitting that this should be named Snape’s Hill,” she said.

Don Pickle, public works manager for the municipality of Jasper said they hope to make Snape’s Hill a historic site by the end of the summer.

“We have to wait for the Parks archeologist. We are hoping for the beginning of June,” said Pickle.

He said it might take a little longer to make the information boards, but says it should be completed by the end of the summer at the latest.

“It’s just for public information; to make people aware of that area and its significance,” said Pickle. “Because a lot of people don’t realize that there is significance there.”

According to archives staff at the museum, J. B. Snape was a civil servant from Ottawa. He was an engineer who managed many projects within the Parks and in Jasper itself. His projects included: extending and cutting trail systems, warden cabin construction, and telephone line installation. Most of his work was along the northern and southern boundaries of the park. Snape also oversaw various projects in Jasper such as road construction, water supply, new building construction and ensured tourists had better access to various sites in the park via trails and roads, including the bridge that crosses Maligne Canyon.