I don't doubt that every little town in
the country has a story of some old character from the past, and Powell
River is no exception.
Billy Goat Smith, according to the Powell River Historical Museum,
came to Powell Lake around the year 1906, and built a cabin at the head
of the lake. His real name, Robert Bonner Smith, gave way to "Billy
Goat" Smith, given that he raised goats for milk. He was said to have
one of the finest gardens in the area.
No
one really knows why he lived as a recluse on the Lake, though several
different stories include robbery and murder. After he lost his boat in
1931 he seldom left his property, and with the exception of a few
friends, shut out the world. His final resting place, Cranberry
Cemetery, is marked by a stone with both his real name and his name in
local lore .
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