Franklin River (Vancouver Island)

Franklin River in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, is located between Alberni Inlet and Barkley Sound, was named as part of the Vancouver Island Exploration Expedition of 1864. The river was named for Selim Franklin, Esquire, who was Chairman of the Exploration Committee.

The Franklin River flows west into Sproat Narrows in the Alberni Inlet, south of the city of Port Alberni. The traditional name of the river is Owatchet.

In 1911 Seattle attorney Julius Bloedel and the Bloedel Stewart Welch Company began purchasing Vancouver Island land for logging. Their Franklin River location became one of the largest logging operations in the world. Later in 1938 the company would become the first in British Columbia to plant seedlings in areas that had been logged.