Wildwood
Wildwood is a community north of Powell River and Townsite that was settled by many of the Italian families that immigrated to Canada and came to Powell River. The district is known for its large, long plots of land, and has always been famous for its gardens.
Wildwood was given its name by pioneers clearing the land in 1914. Some later residents wanted to call it Wildwood Heights or Arbutus Heights, but the name Wildwood has remained.
The Tla'amin people walked this area long before the first white loggers and their cross-cut saws harvested the virgin woods in 1900. Wildwood's real development started in 1914, when the government divided the area into homesteads of 40-60 acres. 13 Pre-emptions were made available in Wildwood on a first come first served basis and for 40 days and 40 night prospective homsesteaders waited in line on Vancouver's courthouse steps. At the time, to obtain a crown grant for pre-emption, it was necessary to clear five acres, do improvements to the value of $10.00 (approximately $250 dollars today) for each acre in the pre-emption, and the homesteader or a relative had to sleep on the property for at least 10 months of the year for the first 5 years.
Crossing the river to develop the pre-emption, proved to be the incentive to build the first bridge at the foot of Cedar Street in 1916. Prior to the bridge being built all food, furniture, stock, feed and equipment was rafted across the river and packed in. Farms were developed, a school was built, stores started and Wildwood became a wonderful close knit community. By 1955 nearly 1250 people resided in Wildwood with 450 homes in the community.
Jimmy Springer who had logged in the Powell River area in 1883, returned in 1900 to log Wildwood for the B.C. Timber and Trading company. A network of skidroads, overgrown when logging moved further inland crisscrossed Wildwood.
Wildwood was given its name by pioneers clearing the land in 1914. Some later residents wanted to call it Wildwood Heights or Arbutus Heights, but the name Wildwood has remained.
The Tla'amin people walked this area long before the first white loggers and their cross-cut saws harvested the virgin woods in 1900. Wildwood's real development started in 1914, when the government divided the area into homesteads of 40-60 acres. 13 Pre-emptions were made available in Wildwood on a first come first served basis and for 40 days and 40 night prospective homsesteaders waited in line on Vancouver's courthouse steps. At the time, to obtain a crown grant for pre-emption, it was necessary to clear five acres, do improvements to the value of $10.00 (approximately $250 dollars today) for each acre in the pre-emption, and the homesteader or a relative had to sleep on the property for at least 10 months of the year for the first 5 years.
Crossing the river to develop the pre-emption, proved to be the incentive to build the first bridge at the foot of Cedar Street in 1916. Prior to the bridge being built all food, furniture, stock, feed and equipment was rafted across the river and packed in. Farms were developed, a school was built, stores started and Wildwood became a wonderful close knit community. By 1955 nearly 1250 people resided in Wildwood with 450 homes in the community.
Jimmy Springer who had logged in the Powell River area in 1883, returned in 1900 to log Wildwood for the B.C. Timber and Trading company. A network of skidroads, overgrown when logging moved further inland crisscrossed Wildwood.
