plants « Visual Montage

Steveston is located in the south-west corner of the Vancouver area at the mouth of the Fraser River. It was founded as a small village in 1880 and soon became the hub of British Columbia’s salmon fishing and canning industry. Labourers were at first seasonal but soon began to move into the area year round and were made up of Japanese, First Nations and European. These photos show a re-creation of the original houses for the workers and some of original cannery buildings.

The Steveston Riverfront

Bulrushes and Wildflowers

The Britannia Shipyard is the oldest building in Steveston and the oldest shipyard building in British Columbia. It was originally built as a cannery in 1889 and converted to a shipyard in 1918. It was used to repair and maintain BC’s fishing fleet.

The shipyard is now a museum wiht many of the old tools used to work on the boat. It is a massive building.

The shipyard is now a museum with many of the old tools used to work on the boats. It is a massive building.

The boats would come right inside the building to be worked on.

Ships steering wheels would be made onsite.

From blanks to nearly finished.

The area is being restored to give the feel of old time Steveston. The houses were originally built out over the river on pilings and interconnected by wood boardwalks. The houses are furnished with items from the early 1900’s.

A local

Another river view

The wood boardwalk

The reason for Steveston’s existence.

One of the best known houses on the riverfront is the Murakami House built around 1885. My blogging friend Leslie Robinson recently did an excellent post on this house and it is worthwhile taking a look at.