Lucy Islands

The Lucy Islands, known as Lax Spinna ("on shoulders") in Tsimshian, are a small archipelago off the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. This low-lying, heavily forested group includes the largest island, Lucy Island, and is a provincially protected conservancy area. The islands contain some of the oldest archeological sites on the North Coast, a nationally significant seabird population, and a 20th-century lighthouse. The archipelago is located about 15 km west of Prince Rupert in Chatham Sound, between Melville Island and Digby Island. The islands were named by Captain George Henry Richards of HMS Hecate in 1862 after Lucy McNeill, daughter of Hudson's Bay Company official William Henry McNeill and Kaigani Haida chief Mathilda. Lucy was known for her adaptability and later married Hamilton Moffatt, residing in Victoria by 1906. The islands show evidence of human occupation dating back around 6,000 years, with ancient shell middens and house depressions. Traditionally part of the Gitwilgyoots tribe's territory, they were used for marine fishing and gathering before returning to the Skeena River for salmon runs. In 1984/5, strong winds exposed ancient remains, later analyzed by the Canadian Museum of Civilization. A 2013 genetic study linked a 5,500-year-old female skeleton to a living Tsimshian woman from Metlakatla First Nation, indicating enduring occupation. By the 20th century, the islands' only residents were lighthouse keepers. The original light was replaced by a tower in 1907, and the Canadian Coast Guard destaffed it in 1988. In 2008, the provincial government established the Lucy Islands Conservancy under ...