Viewing Object

Object Description

Object ID

2015.001.030

Title

Report on Archaeological Impact Assessment : Proposed Mixed-Use Development : McDonald Cedar Mill Property, Fort Langley, B.C.

Date

Apr. 2000.

Description

1 Report : 20 pages, printing paper ; 28 x 21.5 cm. This report describes the company Golder Associates' work to identify and evaluate archaeological sites within the McDonald cedar mill property [i.e. Bedford Landing] before any development was to take place. For the report, Golder Associates Ltd. worked with International Forest Products Ltd., the Sto:lo Nation, and the Kwantlen First Nation to identify any potential archaeological sites within the property, and to assess any risks posed by development of the property. The work was completed under the Heritage Inspection Permit 2000-054, and the Sto:lo Nation Heritage Investigations Permit 2000-09. The title page is black and white, and contains text, as well as the logo for Golder Associates. The logo is at the top right corner of the page, and consists of a world globe behind a stylized "A" in a black circle. The words "Golder Associates" are aligned right in a bold serif font. On the top left corner of the title page are the words "Golder Associates Ltd." with the address of the company immediately proceeding. The title of the report is centered on the page, with the words "REPORT ON" a few lines above the rest of the title: "ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT/ PROPOSED MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT/ MCDONALD CEDAR MILL PROPERTY,/ FORT LANGLEY, B.C./ HERITAGE CONSERVATION ACT/ PERMIT 2000-054." Some lines below that, also centered, are the words "Submitted to:/ International Forest Products Ltd." followed by their address, and "Attention: Mr. Hew Kidston." The title page also includes a summary of the distribution of the report at the bottom of the page, with 1 copy each being sent to International Forest Products Ltd., Kwantlen First Nation, Sto:lo Nation, and Equitas Development Corporation. Two copies were sent to the Archaeology Branch, Victoria, and to Golder Associates Ltd.

Dimensions

1 Report : 20 pages, printing paper ; 28 x 21.5 cm.

People/Subject

Fort Langley Sawmill

Sawmill located in Fort Langley, on the Fraser River on the west side of the Haldi Bridge. Developed in 1920s by Messers Irvin, Young and Kidd of New Westminster. Believed they started using the site as a tie mill in about 1928 or 1929, and later enlarged the operation to include dimension lumber. Wilfred (Winky) Muench used to graze his cattle on the west end of the mill site. The mill used to burn their waster on the land to the west of the mill, but with a breeze it got all of the village ladies laundry dirty. Local tradition records the mill as having a series of short-term owners in the 1930s. An Indo-Canadian, Lal Singh, bought the mill in the mid 1930s and ran it as the Fort Langley Sawmill. Singh sold the mill to a New Westminster firm (John R. Morley) who ran it as "Fort Langley Sawmills Limited" and subsequently sold it to McLellan and Fred Chadwick in about 1942. Chadwick built the water tower. The Langley Advance newspaper reported on May 11, 1939, that Langley businessmen were among the 17 who formed a company to acquire the Sawmil, which had been sitting idle for the previous 18 months. Due to flooding in the 1940s, a raised platform was built, as well as a larger dyke in 1949. The mill burned in the early 1950s and was rebuilt in 1951-52 as McDonald Cedar, by Bob and Ian McDonald. The McDonalds built the beehive burner in the mid 1950s. Sauder Industries purchased the mill in 1973, but retained the familiar McDonald Cedar name for many years afterward. The mill later became part of the Interfor network of mills. Dimension lumber ceased to be manufactured in about 1977, when the mill was retooled to become a remanufacturing plant. The mill operated until 1996 and was demolished and sold as the Bedford Landing housing development in approximately 2006. Also includes the Fort-to-Fort trail, which, in 2010, began including artifacts along the trail, including a 50 foot saw, to commemorate the mill.

McDonald Cedar Mill

The McDonald Cedar Mill was started by William McDonald Sr. in 1895 on the south side of 48th Avenue beside Barichello's farm in Murrayville. It mill cut rough lumber and shipped to Bellingham for processing by rail. It closed in 1912 when William Sr. sold and moved to Cloverdale. The family lived in Murrayville.

Argus v4.4.0.36 - Langley Centennial Museum