10/12/2026
🍻 October 12, 1984 — A New Gathering Place Opens in Horsefly!
Some places become more than just a business. They become part of a community's story.
And in Horsefly, the Anvil Pub is one of those places. ❤️
On Friday, October 12, 1984, the Anvil Pub celebrated its grand opening, welcoming neighbours, friends and visitors for a weekend of music, food and good old-fashioned Cariboo hospitality.
Built and owned by Nora Mark and her family of Horsefly, the pub was clearly a labour of love.
The opening weekend featured live music by Cal Riendeau on Friday, followed by Chris Elwick and Geoff Patenaude on Saturday.
There were door prizes, dancing, a pool table and even a 28-channel satellite television — quite the attraction in 1984! 📺
And nobody was going hungry.
Saturday's specials included bacon, eggs and pancakes for breakfast, submarine sandwiches for lunch, and spaghetti with salad and garlic toast for dinner.
But one of my favourite things about this old advertisement is what's at the bottom.
Local businesses filled the page with congratulations and good wishes. From drywall and plumbing to electrical work, stained glass and mechanical services, so many people had a hand in bringing this new gathering place to life.
That's the Cariboo I love.
A new business opens, and the neighbours turn out to wish it well.
Forty-two years later, this advertisement is a lovely little piece of Horsefly history and a reminder that a community's story isn't just written in history books. Sometimes it's written on a menu, told across a pool table or remembered through an evening of live music.
🍻 Do you remember the Anvil Pub in Horsefly? Were you there in its early years? I'd love to hear your memories!
📷 Historical advertisement: The Tribune, Williams Lake, October 11, 1984.
SHIRLEY MARCOTTE – REALTOR®
📞 Cell: 250-398-9889
Royal LePage Interior Properties
🌐 shirleymarcotte.ca