Haney

The official history of Maple Ridge begins with its incorporation on September 12, 1874. At this point the district was very sparsely settled; the assessment records of the next year list only 62 different property owners. Gradually empty land was developed for farming and served by ship traffic along the Fraser River. Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway line began in 1882, opening up the area for further settlement. This was also the same year that the town of Hammond was surveyed.

Thomas Haney,originally from Cape Breton Island, and later from Ontario, came to Maple Ridge in 1876. He had learned the brick-making trade in the east, and had been part owner of a brickyard in Ontario. He searched both sides of the Fraser River for suitable clay to establish his own business, and bought District lot 398, one hundred and sixty acres of prime waterfront land, which soon became known as Haney's Landing. Haney set up many of the early services in the area, including the waterworks, donated land for churches, and held public office. In 1882, Port Haney was officially registered, and the town plan surveyed in 1889.

The 1882-1883 Williams Directory for B.C. states:

"Port Haney is the place chosen for the railway station, and will soon it is expected become a village of some importance. All the steamboats in going up and down the river generally stop here. A number of steamers are now running to and from Yale besides the regular mail steamer which runs up and down twice a week. Two of these are through boats to and from Victoria. At Port Haney there is already a licensed hotel built and kept by Mr. Ross, where board and lodging may be obtained. Below Port Haney is a public wharf where the mails from and to Victoria are delivered and received twice a week. At the mail landing are two stores for general merchandise. There is also a boarding house at which good board and lodging can be obtained, and it is expected that ere long other business places will be established."

Development of Port Haney proceeded rapidly after the coming of the railway, and the 1887 Mallandaine and Williams B.C. Directory lists brickmaking as its chief industry, mentioning also the salmon freezing establishment which had been opened. It also states that Maple Ridge was the only rural municipality in British Columbia through which the Canadian Pacific Railway passed.

Roads were still scarce, and Maple Ridge was not connected to New Westminster until 1913 with the construction of River Road and the Pitt River Bridge. By this time the commercial district of Port Haney was expanding up 224 Street. The opening of the Lougheed Highway in 1928 finally gave adequate road access, and gradually businesses migrated away from the old part of Port Haney to the new business district. The old townsite was thus less desirable for commercial development, and hence many historic structures have survived to this day. The only major change that has occurred in the area recently has been the construction of the Lougheed Highway By-pass.

In 1880 a large section of land on Howison's property slid into the Fraser River, and caused a tidal wave sixty feet high. This slide made travel between the early settlements of Haney and Hammond more difficult - localizing services in the two areas. In 1884 the first Haney post office was opened, with Daniel Docksteader as post master. In 1887 the train began to stop in Port Haney, but it was not until 1893 that a freight station was built, located on the river side of the tracks. St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was built in 1888 on land donated by Thomas Haney.

The Maple Ridge Agricultural Association was formed in 1901. The Port Haney Brick Works was formed in 1907 by Harold Burnet, E.G. Baynes and W.M. Horie. Electricity was first supplied to Haney in 1912. Aggie Hall was built in 1909. The Haney Branch of the Women's Institute formed in 1915.

Masonic Temple

22272 116 Avenue
1931
District of Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

This beautifully preserved structure still serves its original function as a Masonic Temple. Designed in a forthright vernacular manner, it displays some inventive art deco chevron ornamentation on the front pediment. The architects, McCarter & Naime, were one of the most prominent firms in the province, and were well known for their stylish work, induding the recently completed Marine Building in Vancouver.

The cornerstone for this temple was laid on February 23, 1931. The building's original location was on Lougheed Highway, but over time, Lougheed became a bustling commercial strip, and the decision was made to move this structure to a new location. The temple was re-dedicated on this new site September 13, 1980, by Grandmaster E.A. Clarke.

Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church

22279 116 Avenue
1888
Designated Municipal Heritage Site
District of Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

This is one of the earliest surviving buildings from the first settlement of Port Haney. The land for this church was donated to the Presbyterian Church trustees by Thomas Haney. The wood frame structure was faced with local brick. Decorative gothic pointed arch insets crown the double assembly windows, and parged stringcourses encircle the structure.

The first service was held on March 20, 1889 by Reverend A. Tait. In 1925, the congregation merged with the Methodist Church on River Road to become St. Andrew's United.

This church was closed in 1956 when the new St. Andrew's was built on Lougheed Highway. To preserve the building, the Maple Ridge Historical Society and the B.C. Heritage Trust funded a restoration in 1983. The Church is owned by the District of Maple Ridge, and operated by the Maple Ridge Historical Society.

Saint Andrew's Manse

22289-22291 116 Avenue
1906

Built as a manse for Saint Andrew's, the first occupants were the Rev. William Reid and his family. The Manse was ultimately sold to private owners. Over time, it was broken into two suites, and a number of modifications were undertaken to the inside and outside, including the provision of secondary stairs. Despite these alterations, the manse remains a landmark in the area, and maintains its historical relationship to Saint Andrews Church.

Manager's House, Port Haney Brick Company

22520 116 Avenue
1907
Designated Municipal Heritage Site

The discovery of clay deposits in the Port Haney area was the original reason that Thomas Haney chose to locate here. Brickmaking was a local activity from the time of the earliest settlement, but the largest and most successful operation in the area was the Port Haney Brick Works, founded in 1907 by Vancouver contractors E.G. Baynes and W.M. Horie to provide a regular supply of bricks for their projects. At the time, Vancouver was just entering its period of greatest expansion, and this yard supplied the brick for many prominent buildings.

Harold Burnet, the first manager of the brick works, was the original occupant of this house. He moved his family here in 1907, and lived in the house until 1947. Originally clad in cedar shingles, the house was enlarged, and the brick facing was added about 1930, at the time the adjacent office was constructed.

In the late 1970s, when brickmaking became less profitable, the site was donated by the Baynes family to the District of Maple Ridge for use as a park. The manager's house was opened as the Maple Ridge Museum in 1984, and continues in that use today.

Port Haney Brick Company Office

22520 116 Avenue
1930
Designated Municipal Heritage Site
District of Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

This charming structure was the office for the Port Haney Brick Company. It was built by the company's employees, using bricks manufactured at the plant. A simple gabled structure with a pantiled roof, it features double-hung windows with three panes in the upper sash, and contrasting high-fire brick around the structural openings.

The office and the adjacent manager's house are the only remaining buildings from the brick works. The site was donated to the District of Maple Ridge for use as a park, and the two remaining buildings have been maintained for community uses. They were both moved back on their site to accommodate the construction of the Haney Bypass.

Japanese Kindergarten

11739 223 Street
1936

The history of Japanese settlement began with the arrival of Mr. Inouye in 1907. They were mainly farmers, and although they settled throughout the district, most chose to farm in Haney, in the area north of Dewdney Trunk Road. Anti-Japanese feeling was evident at the time; in 1919 the Agricultural Association barred Japanese from their directorate, and three years later decided not to solicit any further subscriptions from them.

In 1913 the Japanese community had acquired the old Lillooet School on Dewdney Trunk Road, near what is now 232 Street, for use as a hall. In 1926 they built on this property their own agricultural hall, the No-Kai and used the old school for church and Sunday school. The labour to build the hall was supplied by volunteers, except for two paid carpenters, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Koga. The hall was used for all their meetings and parties, and was also used for other community events. A separate kindergarten was added to the complex in 1936.

The kindergarten was originally located at 23171 Dewdney Trunk Road. Threatened with demolition, it was moved by the District of Maple Ridge to the Port Haney area in 1989. It is now used by the Fraser Information Society as the Community Education on Environment & Development (C.E.E.D.) Centre. The Fraser Information Society won a District of Maple Ridge Heritage Award in 1996 for Commercial Heritage for their ongoing maintenance of this historic building.

Haney House

11612 224 Street
1878
Designated Municipal Heritage Site

Thomas Haney, born in 1841 and raised in Paris, Ontario, came west in 1876 with his father-in- law Daniel Calligan and his two brothers-in-law by way of the California goldfields. Like many others, they came to British Columbia looking for better opportunities. Thomas Haney decided to settle in Maple Ridge, and purchased 160 acres of the Wickwire Estate for $1,000. One of the attractions was the local clay deposits, which Haney intended to use as the basis for establishing a local brickyard. Soon after he arrived, Thomas Haney became a central figure in the new settlement. He served as Municipal Councillor and Assessor, and was generous in donating his time and land to the community. He laid out the townsite of Port Haney in 1882, naming many of the streets after his family members.

Haney House was built by Samuel Edge and Daniel Callaghan for Thomas and Annie Haney in 1878, and their descendants lived here until the site was deeded to the District of Maple Ridge in 1979. Remarkably, it had survived for a century with virtually no changes. The house was restored with a grant from the B.C. Heritage Trust, and opened as a museum, complete with its original cottonwood wainscotting, and some of the Haney's original furnishings and possessions. This acre of land contains the most significant group of plantings in the area. The two Big Leaf Maples may actually predate the original settlement. The cedar grove behind the house is approximately 80 to 100 years old; remnants of the orchard planted between 1898 and 1902 also still exist. These resources are extremely significant, as they provide an authentic setting for Haney House, and are a very important part of its historic character. Visitors touring this remarkable house today can capture an accurate glimpse of British Columbia's pioneer lifestyle.

Post Office

11841 224 Street
1951

Continuing growth in the area necessitated the provision of more modern services, induding this new post office. This represented an early use of the new modern styles of architecture, in contrast to the vernacular buildings in the area built at the time. The Post Office displays an irregular massing, with a prominent stairtower. Clad in rug brick facing with stone trim, this is a handsome and sophisticated addition to the town centre.

Gardner Residence

11502 240 Street
1919

This Craftsman bungalow was built for Albert Gardner right after the end of the First World War. A gracious open front verandah with arched openings extends across the front of the house; triangular cave brackets are typical features of the style. The side gable roof is slightly bellcast. A hint of traditional half-timbering is used in the ends of the gables, induding the front gable dormer. It is very similar in style and detail to the John Myntti Residence in Webster's Corners, and may have been built by the same contractor.

In 1922 the property was acquired by the Soldier's Settlement Board, and ownership was passed over to Urho Vuasalo.

Ridd Residence

22323 Calligan Avenue
1912

This prominent house was originally built for Mrs. Mary Ridd. Simple in its styling, the house when built was a simple front gable structure with an open front verandah. Over time, the house has been altered, with a projecting bay added to the east side, and the verandah wrapped around the west side. An elaborate front door with sidelights has a curved top and bevelled glass, and a stained glass panel at the entry have also been added. Vinyl siding was later applied over the original lapped wood, and the second floor front windows have been replaced. Despite these alterations, the Ridd Residence retains much of its historic character, and marks the edge of a group of contiguous houses on Calligan Avenue that recall the early appearance of the residential areas of Port Haney.

Beckett Residence

22335 Calligan Avenue
1922

The original house on this lot was built in 1897 by Émile Derdinger, a local blacksmith, who lived here until about 1903, when the property is listed as being owned by his estate. It was then acquired briefly by John Miller, but in 1907 the owner was Mary Pearl Miller, who either made improvements or built a small new house. The property was later owned by Thomas Bosomworth, and was sold by 1922 to E.W. Beckett, who built this simple Craftsman style bungalow. Beckett was recording secretary and municipal clerk for the District from 1888 to 1912. After his death in 1938 his daughter and her husband, Marjorie and Burn Brooks, occupied the house. It has been very well maintained to the present day.

Storey Residence

22345 Calligan Avenue
1932

Alfred Charlton had his store and post office on the riverfront south of the Port Haney railway station. In 1907, after Charlton drowned while skating across the Fraser River to Fort Langley, his wife, Mary Berry Charlton, carried on the business with the help of William Storey, her husband's cousin from England. Mrs. Charlton was an excellent businesswoman, and continued for many years as the Port Haney post mistress. About ten years after her first husband's death, she married Mr. Storey.

She previously lived in a house at 11765 224 Street, which still exists. This later house was built for her in 1932 by local contractor Ernie Adair, in a location that was presumably more convenient to the post office on River Road. The lot to the east is now Calligan Park, but was at the time the location of Municipal Hall. This was later the home of W.B. Piers, manager of the Bank of Montréal; after the Piers family moved, Mr. Pringle, the first bus driver in Haney, lived here.

The Storey Residence has been beautifully maintained in its original condition.

Abernethy & Lougheed Logging Company Office

22350 Calligan Avenue
1923

The land on which this building sits was owned until 1911 by Annie Haney, then by Jeremiah Francis Haney, a train dispatcher in Revelstoke during the first World War. By 1923 it had been acquired by the Abernethy & Lougheed Logging Company Ltd., who built this two storey building for their office, with Nelson Lougheed's residence above. This firm was the largest logging outfit in the area during the 1920s, but closed in 1931. Square in plan with a pyramidal roof, this structure is simple and utilitarian. The first floor originally had a storefront opening, and narrow bevelled cedar cladding; the second floor was faced with cedar shingles. vinyl siding has now been applied over the original sidings, an intervention that is easily reversible.

Haney Post Office

22365 Calligan Avenue (Street Address)
22375 Calligan Avenue (Legal Address)
1939

"Post Office in Haney Centre After Monday"
"Making another change in the course of time to the townsite of Haney, the post office, now Located on River Road, at the foot of 8th Avenue, formerly Ontario street, will move to a new building in the centre of the business section of Haney."
"The new building is located on a side street a few feet off the Lougheed Highway behind the Menzies Block. There apparently isn't any name for the street. The street starts on North Street, crosses Lougheed Highway and turns west to end at 8th Avenue."
"The present post office building was erected by Mrs W. Storey, after a fire a few years ago. Although in perfect condition and a new building, public demand for a better and more convenient location ofthe new post office has resulted in the moving of the post office site to the new building."
"After and including Monday, November 27th, the post office will be operated in the centre of Haney and will save hundreds of weary steps up and down 8th Avenue hill by women and children."
"The new building was constructed by Mrs. Storey, post mistress, on property owned by her. The construction was carried out by E.E. Adair of Haney."

Gazette, November 24, 1939

Lougheed Highway was completed in 1931, causing a shift in the location of Haney's commercial activity. Most businesses felt obliged to relocate, but the post office was reluctant to relocate, as there was some convenience in remaining close to the railway station. Public pressure led to the construction of this new building, but by 1945 there were already demands for a new, larger structure. A modern brick post office was opened on 224 Street in August of 1951 rendering this structure obsolete. Originally located at 11779 Fraser Street, this building was moved to Calligan Park, the site of the old Municipal Hall. Now owned by the District and operated by the Maple Ridge Historical Society, it is currently used as a daycare facility.

Residence

22987 Dewdney Trunk Road
Circa 1920s

This Craftsman bungalow is located on a large lot at the corner of 230 Street and Dewdney Trunk Road. Simply detailed with a side gable roof and triangular cave brackets, the house retains its original double-hung windows and twin-coursed cedar shingle siding. The extensive landscaping includes maples and horse chestnut trees, black locusts, and many mature shrubs and bushes. The original ownership and date of construction of this house are not known.

McDougall Residence

23259 Dewdney Trunk Road
1933

This was built on land originally owned by K. Yoshida. The ten acre property was acquired by the McDougalls, who were living across the street in a rented house. This five bedroom house was built in 1933; the family included the parents, five boys, two girls and two cousins. Mr. McDougall was the first principal at Alexander Robinson School. The family lived here until 1976. The property has been subdivided, and the house now stands at the corner of 232B Street. The house retains its original character and detailing, although it has had a later application of vinyl siding over the original cladding, an easily reversible alteration. The lot has been extensively landscaped, and provides a charming setting for this early home.

Fuller Watson Store

22390 Lougheed Highway
1932

Fuller Watson General Merchant opened in this location in 1932, one year after the opening of the new Lougheed Highway; they were the first business to relocate to the new commercial strip. Haney was quickly established as the business centre of Maple Ridge, as new enterprises opened, and established businesses saw the necessity of relocation. Despite some changes to the storefront windows, the building remains substantially intact, and marks the entry to the old commercial area of Port Haney.

Wharf Office

22300 Block River Road
Circa 1926
District of Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

This small commercial building was constructed around 1926 on what is now 224 Street as a real estate and insurance office. It also served as a bus shelter until the land on which it was located was purchased for a new post office. It was then moved to the banks of the Fraser River where it served until the early 1980s as an office for the Beckstrom Towing Company which moved barges and log booms along the river. The building was donated to the Maple Ridge Historical Society by Northview Enterprises and was restored by the Heritage Advisory Committee.

Bank of Montréal

22355 River Road
1911
District or Maple Ridge Heritage Advisory Committee Plaque

The landmark structure was built by M.B. Charlton, and was located across from the Haney train station. It housed Port Haney's first bank from 1911 until November, 1932, when it was damaged by fire. By then, the Lougheed Highway had been opened, and the bank, along with many other businesses, relocated up the hill.

This is a rare surviving commercial vernacular building from the pre-World War I era. Simple in massing and detail, a storefront with an inset entry is slightly offset from centre. Double-hung windows on the second floor are used for the upstairs residence. A simple raised parapet with a decorative railing is used to dress up the front facade. The bank has been successfully rehabilitated as a neighbourhood pub, and remains in active use today.

Port Haney Post Office

22371 River Road (Street Address)
22355 River Road (Legal Address)
1933

This modest structure was built by the post mistress, Mrs. M.B. Storey, in a convenient location beside the train station; it served as Port Haney's post office from 1933 until 1939. Lougheed Highway had opened in 1931, obliging most local businesses to relocate along the new commercial strip. Patrons began to grumble about the long extra walk up and down the hill to get their mail, so in 1939 Mrs. Storey built a new structure on Fraser Street (which has since been moved to Calligan Avenue).

This post office has been converted for use as a private residence, which has maintained its exterior character in a completely sympathetic manner.

Turnock Residence

22309 St. Anne Avenue
Circa 1939

Designed in the manner of an English Arts & Crafts cottage, this charming residence features a prominent high roofline and very narrow eaves. The house is clad with sawn shingle siding, with multi-paned casement windows on the ground floor, and similar double-hung windows in the second floor dormer. Located on a large corner lot, the landscaping features a number of mature trees. It was built just before the second World War for Joseph D. and Hilda Turnock.

Maple Ridge Cemetery

214 Street
1880s

A municipal cemetery was established by the District of Maple Ridge in the 1880s. The first people to be buried here were relatives of Mrs. William Nelson of Nelson's Landing; they were Kanakas, brought from the Hawaiian islands to work at Fort Langley, and in the 1880s William Nelson donated half an acre of his land to the District for use as a cemetery; George Howison, the owner of the adjacent property, also donated the same amount of land. Despite its beginnings, the District ironically did not allow the burial of Chinese or Natives here. Burials were not recorded until 1897.

There are a variety of headstones, induding early wooden grave markers, such as one that marks the resting place of Andrew Holdsworth, killed at Westminster Junction July 12, 1910. Among the prominent early settlers here may be counted Thomas Haney and his wife Anne. Mary Berry Charlton Storey is buried between her two husbands, Alfred Temple Charlton on one side, and his cousin William Storey on the other. Also buried here is Mr. J. Inouye, the pioneer of the Japanese settlers in Maple Ridge, who settled here in 1907. In recognition of his leadership a rounded boulder from the Alouette River was erected to his memory by his many friends.

Royal Oak of England

214 Street
1938

This mature oak near the entry to the Maple Ridge Cemetery has a plaque with the following inscription: Royal Oak of England Planted for Haney Women's Institute on November 11th, 1938 by Mrs. A. Stevenson, the Institute's First President.

Maple Tree

11813 222 Street (Steeet Address)
22155 Lougheed Highway (Legal Address)

This large mature maple tree is located near the corner of Lougheed Highway and 222 Street, on the property owned by Maple Ridge Baptist Church. It is a landmark in the area, and recalls the maples that grew naturally along the ridge between Hammond and Haney, for which the District was named.

C.P.R. Van Caboose #437115

22520 116 Avenue
1944

Caboose #437115 was built during wartime, one of hundreds operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway at the time. Its frame is steel, and the superstructure is wood, Originally it was clad with vertical fir boards, but in 1963 was rebuilt with plywood sheathing. The original paint colour would have been tuscan red; the action yellow scheme dates from the 1970s. The caboose was donated by the C.P.R in June 1991 to the people of Maple Ridge through the efforts of the Dewdney-Alouette Railway Society. Many local individuals and businesses contributed to its restoration, and it is now located adjacent to the Maple Ridge Museum.

The Cenotaph

224 Street
1920s

Maple Ridge had 221 enlisted men and officers who served during the First World War. This granite marker, carved in the shape of a Celtic cross, commemorates the 34 who did not return alive. A distinctive feature is the boulders that are inscribed with names of the famous battles of the first World War. Originally there were four boulders, for Ypres, Somme, Argonne and Amiens; Argonne (a battle won by the Americans) was added in about 1936 with Vimy Ridge, and two other boulders have since been added.

The memorial was erected by the combined members of the Haney and Hammond Women's Institutes, and was originally located on Dewdney Trunk Road outside the gates of the Maple Ridge Cemetery, a spot carefully chosen on the border between the two communities. As it was located so near the road, the annual November 11th parade clogged traffic badly, so the cenotaph was relocated to Ontario Street (now 224th Street), just north of the second St. Peter's Catholic Church. By 1953 it had again been moved, farther north on 224th Street to the site of Maple Ridge High School and Haney Central School. A newly landscaped Memorial Park was rededicated, including a rememberance of the second World War and Korea.

Methodist Church Bell

22165 Dewdney Trunk Road
1872

The oldest bell in Maple Ridge, this bronze church bell was installed at the Methodist Church on River Road in 1872. It was cast by W.T. Garratt & Co., San Francisco. After unification in 1925, the Methodists gave up their aging building to join the congregation at St. Andrew's United. St. Andrew's never had a bell tower, so the bell itself was moved there in 1934 - retired Glasgow architect Robert Hamilton designed a steeple, which was built by Dougall Brown. When the new St. Andrew's was built on Dewdney Trunk Road in 1962, the bell moved with the congregation, and was mounted on a brick stand on the front lawn, where it remains today.