The Fraser Valley


Book Description

The 1859 gold rush brought swift change to the Colorado region, but it had little impact on the Fraser Valley. Hemmed in by mountains, hammered by cold winters, and lacking in mineral wealth, the valley resisted all but the hardiest settlers. The railroad arrived in 1904 via a torturous crossing of the Continental Divide, ending the isolation and ushering in a ranching and logging boom. Towns sprang up overnight, and the forest filled with logging camps and sawmills. Hard times in the 1920s and 1930s were tempered by the construction of US Highway 40, a major coast-to-coast route that bisected the valley, as well as the completion of the Moffat Tunnel, a six-mile bore that eased the passage of trains and the diversion of precious valley water. During the 1950s and 1960s, tourism grew in popularity. Logging gave way to lodging, and log cabins morphed into condominiums. By 1970, outdoor recreation dominated the local economy.










The Shuswap


Book Description




The Fraser River


Book Description

MAGNIFICENT, EXHILARATING AND TREACHEROUS, the Fraser is one of the world's great rivers. In this spectacular full-colour book, Alan Haig-Brown and Rick Blacklaws share their longtime fascination with all 850 miles of the largest salmon-spawning river on earth, the longest and most powerful undarnmed river in North America, and one of British Columbia's most breathtakingly beautiful scenic wonders. From northeast BC, where the river is a clear mountain stream running quietly below Mt. Robson, to the dry belt where the Fraser slows to a tame trickle you can jump over, to the ferocious torrents of the world-renowned Canyon, to the fertile farms and urban sprawl of the Fraser Valley, Haig-Brown and Blacklaws document the wildlife and landforms of the Fraser system, as well as the full spectrum of vigorous human life on the river-the mills and marinas, ocean liners and gillnetters, houseboats and fish wheels that are home to more than half of BC's population. The Fraser River is a gorgeous, inspiring portrait of a mighty river - a vast, complex organism as magical and mysterious as a human body, a system fed by hundreds of streams, lakes, marshes and springs which in turn support many life forms, above all a living river whose future must be safeguarded.




Chinatowns


Book Description

This book is a definitive history of Chinatowns in Canada. From instant Chinatowns in gold- and coal-mining communities to new Chinatowns which have sprung up in city neighbourhoods and suburbs since World War II, it portrays the changing landscapes and images of Chinatowns from the late nineteenth century to the present. It also includes a detailed case study of Victoria's Chinatown, the earliest such settlement in Canada.




The Fraser Valley


Book Description

"This book overviews the history of the region extending from Hope to the mouth of the Fraser River, excluding the broad Burrard plateau comprising Burnaby and Vancouver."--Note to the reader.







109 Walks in British Columbia's Lower Mainland


Book Description

From trails to spectacular waterfalls near Squamish and historic urban forests in South Surrey, coastal headlands in Howe Sound and ridgetop meadows in the Fraser Valley,109 Walks offers a route for everyone who likes to be outdoors. In this revised seventh edition are 109 of the region’s best walks of four hours or less to suit every taste, whether you’re a visitor to the city or life-long resident, occasional recreationalist or avid walker. The trails have been reorganized from north to south, west to east, and the book includes fourteen all-new walks along with another twelve that have been substantially modified or revived from previous volumes. Most of the classics remain and their trail directions and maps have been completely updated with GPS coordinates to make route-finding easier. Unchanged are the comprehensive indexes that help ensure a trail that’s right for the season, the time frame and the fitness level of the group; the photographs and notes about points of natural or historical interest plus estimated hiking times and distances; and the clearly written, carefully detailed route descriptions. Accurate, authoritative and highly affordable, 109 Walks is an indispensable guide for exploring British Columbia’s Lower Mainland in all seasons.