In 1905 the Nichols Chemical Company, acid manufacturers based in Montreal, established their plant on a large point of land just east of the North Pacific Lumber Company. This company was later amalgamated and acquired by General Chemical and remains in operation on the original waterfront site.
Located on the shore of Burrard Inlet, these poured concrete piers of the smokestack burner and the former boiler and plant of the North Pacific Lumber Company are among the only remains of the once-thriving industrial site located on the waterfront on the south shore of Burrard Inlet. The sawmill and the Village of Barnet were initiated by David MacLaren, a wealthy lumberman from Buckingham, Quebec, who had previously established the Fraser Mills in Coquitlam in 1889. McLaren gambled that a sawmill on the main line of the C.P.R near Vancouver would serve the Canadian domestic market and be a profitable venture. The North Pacific Lumber Company established itself on this peninsula on Burrard Inlet and was fully operational in 1900. In 1909, the mill was completely burned out by a fire starting in the boiler room. Immediately the plant was rebuilt, modern in every respect and absolutely fireproof, as the entire power plant and boiler room was built of reinforced concrete and steel, of which these ruins are the last remains. The plant closed during the First World War and reopened as the Barnet Lumber Company in 1925 only to close forever in 1931 after a strike during the Great Depression.
Photograph of the front garden and exterior of the North Pacific Lumber Co. (NPLC) Manager's house at Barnet. The caption on the card reads: "A Pretty Dwelling, Barnet B.C."
Photograph of the front garden and exterior of the North Pacific Lumber Co. (NPLC) Manager's house at Barnet. The caption on the card reads: "A Pretty Dwelling, Barnet B.C."
Photograph of 7820 Barnet Road including the Barnet School and adjoining teacher's residence. Dr. Carl Eaton once taught there (this photograph was taken by him). Burnaby Mountain is visible in the background.
Photograph of 7820 Barnet Road including the Barnet School and adjoining teacher's residence. Dr. Carl Eaton once taught there (this photograph was taken by him). Burnaby Mountain is visible in the background.
handwritten on back "Burnaby Schools" "23R" twice, "1783"
Oath on plan reads: "I, D.J. McGugan...and did personally superintend the survey..." "completed on the 27th day of May 1915"; signed by D.J. McGugan, notarized by "Walter Edmonds" "sworn "...29th day of May 1915" "Burnett and McGugan" "B.C. Land Surveyors Etc. New Westminster, B.C.";
Photograph of workers' houses in Barnet Village. Some 700 people were employed by the North Pacific Lumber Co. mill at its peak. The roof of the Canadian Pacific Railway station is visible.
Photograph of workers' houses in Barnet Village. Some 700 people were employed by the North Pacific Lumber Co. mill at its peak. The roof of the Canadian Pacific Railway station is visible.
Photograph of a large building at the site of the submarine works yard in Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instea…
Photograph of a large building at the site of the submarine works yard in Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, the company operated a facility at Barnet to complete the contract.
Photographic postcard of a Canadian Pacific Railway train pulling into the train station at Barnet. The caption on the bottom of the card reads: "The Depot. Barnet B.C."
Photographic postcard of a Canadian Pacific Railway train pulling into the train station at Barnet. The caption on the bottom of the card reads: "The Depot. Barnet B.C."
Photograph of the headquarter buildings at the submarine works yard at Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, …
Photograph of the headquarter buildings at the submarine works yard at Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, the company operated a facility at Barnet to complete the contract.
Photograph of the headquarters of the submarine works yard at Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, the compan…
Photograph of the headquarters of the submarine works yard at Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, the company operated a facility at Barnet to complete the contract.
Photograph of a large number of labourers (all unidentified) seated outside a building at the submarine works yard at Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs fr…
Photograph of a large number of labourers (all unidentified) seated outside a building at the submarine works yard at Barnet. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, the company operated a facility at Barnet to complete the contract.
Photograph of scaffolding erected for the construction of submarines at the manufacturing site in Barnet, Burnaby. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being b…
Photograph of scaffolding erected for the construction of submarines at the manufacturing site in Barnet, Burnaby. During World War One, the Royal Russian Navy contracted with a Seattle-based company to build submarines for Russia, but American neutrality in the war prevented the subs from being built in the United States. Instead, the company operated a facility at Barnet to complete the contract.