Ian Mcleod
Ian is the eldest son of John and Catherine McLeod, both Scottish-born immigrants who farmed in the Prince George district before following the Premier Mine boom to Stewart in 1919. They had a family of four -- Ian, brother Don and sisters Isabelle and Janet.
As young adults, Ian and Don mined and travelled together for a number of years. Ian settled down as owner and manager of the King Edward Hotel upon the death of his father in 1952, and operated it for 49 years. He served as mayor of Stewart from 1967 to 1982, during the boom years of the Granduc Mine.
The Stewart-Cassiar highway was completed during that time, the town received its first television signal, and many municipal services were built with Granduc's support. The many prospectors, promoters and miners who worked and played in Stewart throught Ian's life made a vivid impression on him.
His book, released in May 2004, is a colorful memoir to the chracters who created a vibrant and caring mining community in British Columbia's isolated northwest territory.
The book is also a testament to the challenging days of early hard-rock mining and features some remarkable photographs that clearly depict the industry, such as packhorses with snowshoes, aerial tramlines and "go devils." Ian presently lives with his wife Vivian in Kelowna, British Columbia.