About Us
The Peace River is part of the longest river system in Canada, the MacKenzie system. It originates at the Findlay River in Northern BC, then joins with the Athabasca to form the Slave River, eventually becoming the MacKenzie River which empties into the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic.
Back in the fall of 2012, a dream was born. Henry and Anne Vos made the decision to purchase a property on the scenic Shaftesbury trail near Peace River, Alberta, Canada. The property had been in the family of the reknowned pioneer, JB Early since the early 1900's. JB Early came from the Yakima Valley in Washington in 1902 to begin farming on what is now Riverlot 1 on the Shaftesbury Trail. One source says:"Thousands of people from all over came to the gardens every summer to see the flowers and buy garden produce. Excursions by the sternwheeler D. A. Thomas took visitors to the Gardens." The tradition of market gardening has continued on the Shaftesbury Trail to this day.
The property where Peace River Cabins and Outdoors was built was aquired by JB Early but mainly left to hay and undeveloped land. It remained so, in the tenure of his grandchildren, until they decided to sell in 2012. The Vos' set to the task of developing the property to create a venue where locals and travellers could appreciate this piece of heaven on the north side of the Peace River.
Henry Vos is a lifelong resident of the Peace region whose grandparents arrived in the area in the early 1900’s. As farmers for most of their careers, the Vos’ have lived a tradition of agriculture spanning three generations. Henry's grandfather, Frank Jackson, was an extraordinary farmer in the Keg River area, and his grandmother, Dr. Mary Percy Jackson was an exceptional pioneer doctor and recieved the Order of Canada in 1992. The Jackson Cabin was named after these intrepid pioneers.
Henry and Anne's vision was to help visitors experience this productive north country, just as explorers and settlers were revealed its riches from its original thoroughfare, the Peace River. Both Anne and Henry love nature, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and exploring the rivers' wild spaces. Henry is a certified and accredited kayak and canoe instructor and guide as well as an ultralight flying instructor. Since they first started the development of the property in 2013, they continue to add and improve in their efforts to provide their guests a more meaningful and fulfulling visit each time.
