Issac Saul and William Innes, who worked on Wright's road-building project, pre-empted land on Lot 384, G.I., Lillooet, and established the 59 Mile House.

This was the first roadhouse north of Pollard's Ranch and Roadhouse.

It was a welcome place to stay for freighters and their teams who were moving up the steep his out of Cut-Off Valley.

Described as a, "two-storey log building with two dormer windows and two chimneys, the 59 Mile House stood on an open flat of land facing the Painted Chasm".
(p16, B.Patenaude:1996).

BC ARCHIVES A-03889 The "Chasm", 1867

The house had many bedrooms and could accommodate twenty guests at a time. A full-length porch sheltered the front entrance from winter storms and shaded the parlour from the hot summer sun.

In a barn across the yard from the house were fifty stalls, built during the1880's and 1890's to accommodate the horses used by the British Columbia Express Company
(p16, B.Patenaude:1996).

59 Mile House was a business investment, owned and operated by many individuals over long periods of time.

During the 1890's, the roadhouse was owned by Peter Eagan and managed by Arthur Switzer.

BC ARCHIVES A-03891 59 Mile House Freight Team

James Ryder bought the property in 1910, and his wife arranged with the neighbours at 57 mile post to school their children on the 59 Mile property.

The government hired a Miss Renouf of Brunswick as their first teacher. Classes were conducted in a small, log building on the roadhouse property.