Powell River Townsite
Information provided by the Townsite Heritage Society
The Powell River Townsite is a unique coastal community in British Columbia, Canada that was designated as a National Historic District of Canada in 1995 (one of only seven in Canada at the time, and the only one in Western Canada). A very prestigious designation, it confirms that the Powell River Townsite, remarkably intact with over 400 original buildings contained within the borders of the 1910 town plan, is a historical asset to the entire country.
The prime mover behind the town's development was the Powell River Company, the founder of western Canada's first pulp and paper mill, and responsible for the planning, construction and provision of most of the community's needs. The Company was founded by Dr. Dwight D. Brooks, Anson Brooks, and Michael J. Scanlon and incorporated in 1909. That same year, construction began on the mill and the hydro-electric dam across the river (i.e. Powell River, believed to be named for Dr. Israel Wood Powell). The town of Powell River itself was platted and preplanned on blueprints as early as 1909. The construction proceeded methodically, block-by-block, with up to ten homes being built simultaneously. The progress of the town's construction also depended on the economic conditions of the Company in any given year. The year 193 marked its completion, with the exception of housing for returning World War II veterans.
The town was modelled after the Garden City Movement from the late 19th century, which addressed the problems associated with industrialization at the time. The proponents of the movement felt that preplanning an entire town on principles which enhanced the livability for its residents, the opportunity for a fuller life would be possible, thus encouraging intellectual, moral, and physical development. In Powell River, our planners drew from this philosophy in the creation of the town: it was preplanned, complete with public gardens and tree-line streets. The Powell River Company tool on the role of patriarch, providing: homes, schools, playing fields, recreational and commercial amenities, and contributed to religious buildings as well.
Another movement that influenced the development of the Townsite and which remains visible today, is the Arts and Craft Movement. This architectural style emphasized the skills of craftsmanship, which was threatened by mass production and industrialization. Some characteristics include: bellcast roof lines, verandahs, porches, dormer windows, the use of natural materials, exposed beams, fireplaces with large chimneys, shingle siding, hand crafted built in cabinetry, double hung windows, etc. The movement itself promoted the principle that happy and healthy head, hands, and heart (i.e. opportunities for intellectual, cultural, and recreational stimulation made available in their community) would produce healthy and productive employees. This premise is very closely aligned to the underlying principles embodied by the Garden City Movement.
This Company town flourished until 1955 when the Company passed out of the hands of the founding families and into the ownership of MacMillan Bloedel. As this company had no intentions of assuming the responsibilities of a landlord, employees were allowed to purchase the houses, and the municipal Corporation District of Powell River was formed, incorporating Powell River (now identified as the Townsite), and the surrounding communities of Cranberry Lake, Wildwood Heights, and Westview. Since then, buildings have been privately owned and the maintenance of the public gardens and boulevards has been done by the Townsite Heritage Society since the early 1990's.
The prime mover behind the town's development was the Powell River Company, the founder of western Canada's first pulp and paper mill, and responsible for the planning, construction and provision of most of the community's needs. The Company was founded by Dr. Dwight D. Brooks, Anson Brooks, and Michael J. Scanlon and incorporated in 1909. That same year, construction began on the mill and the hydro-electric dam across the river (i.e. Powell River, believed to be named for Dr. Israel Wood Powell). The town of Powell River itself was platted and preplanned on blueprints as early as 1909. The construction proceeded methodically, block-by-block, with up to ten homes being built simultaneously. The progress of the town's construction also depended on the economic conditions of the Company in any given year. The year 193 marked its completion, with the exception of housing for returning World War II veterans.
The town was modelled after the Garden City Movement from the late 19th century, which addressed the problems associated with industrialization at the time. The proponents of the movement felt that preplanning an entire town on principles which enhanced the livability for its residents, the opportunity for a fuller life would be possible, thus encouraging intellectual, moral, and physical development. In Powell River, our planners drew from this philosophy in the creation of the town: it was preplanned, complete with public gardens and tree-line streets. The Powell River Company tool on the role of patriarch, providing: homes, schools, playing fields, recreational and commercial amenities, and contributed to religious buildings as well.
Another movement that influenced the development of the Townsite and which remains visible today, is the Arts and Craft Movement. This architectural style emphasized the skills of craftsmanship, which was threatened by mass production and industrialization. Some characteristics include: bellcast roof lines, verandahs, porches, dormer windows, the use of natural materials, exposed beams, fireplaces with large chimneys, shingle siding, hand crafted built in cabinetry, double hung windows, etc. The movement itself promoted the principle that happy and healthy head, hands, and heart (i.e. opportunities for intellectual, cultural, and recreational stimulation made available in their community) would produce healthy and productive employees. This premise is very closely aligned to the underlying principles embodied by the Garden City Movement.
This Company town flourished until 1955 when the Company passed out of the hands of the founding families and into the ownership of MacMillan Bloedel. As this company had no intentions of assuming the responsibilities of a landlord, employees were allowed to purchase the houses, and the municipal Corporation District of Powell River was formed, incorporating Powell River (now identified as the Townsite), and the surrounding communities of Cranberry Lake, Wildwood Heights, and Westview. Since then, buildings have been privately owned and the maintenance of the public gardens and boulevards has been done by the Townsite Heritage Society since the early 1990's.
