The
eponymous inlet was named for Lt.
Ciriaco Ceballos, a crew member aboard an early ship of Tuscan explorer
Alessandro Malaspina's
expedition (1789-1794). The location of Zeballos remained relatively obscure until over 120 years later, when a mining camp by that name emerged due to a
gold rush in the 1930s. The name became official as that of the local post office in 1946 and was incorporated as a village municipality in 1952. Although estimates vary, Zeballos may have had a population of over 5,000 during the peak of mining activity. Between 1938 and 1943, $13 million worth of
gold bricks were shipped from Zeballos. With the onset of
World War II, Zeballos lost significant numbers of its workforce to the
Canadian Army. Eventually, the mines began to close. Although post-war efforts were made to begin production again, the set price of $35.00 an ounce made it uneconomical for the mines to continue operating. Within twenty years, the mines had closed for good. In the 1950s,
logging emerged as a promising new industry for the village. In 1964, an
iron mine was established. Although the
timber industry proved successful for the community, the mine shut its doors just five years after opening. In 1964, the
Good Friday earthquake and ensuing
tsunami brought destruction to the small coastal community. Charles Ford, a young seaplane pilot and resident of Zeballos, wrote: On April 27, 2004, the body of young resident Kayla John was found in a wooded area close to her home. The murder made national headlines, shaking this tiny community of under two hundred and fifty people. Less than one month after her death, a local man, George Osmond, was charged with the death of the thirteen-year-old girl. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison shortly thereafter. The fact that Kayla John was a member of the
Ehattesaht First Nation, and that her alleged killer was a white man, led to suggestion of the crime having racial undertones. It also brought attention to the developing issue of juvenile delinquency in the area, a problem faced by many isolated, predominantly
First Nations communities.The public's growing concern resulted in a locally organized policing initiative: Citizens on Patrol.[http://www.zeballos.com/privateer/20040521/paper.htm == Demographics ==