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Pioneer Display

Pioneer Corner Theme

At the time of incorporation, in 1874, the population of what was to become "Maple Ridge" consisted of about 20 families scattered across the landscape between the Pitt and Stave Rivers in a narrow strip on the north side of the Fraser River.

As the population slowly grew, small centres formed - each named along with its post office with a name of its population's choosing. Today, the old post offices are gone, except for Whonnock, but the old names persist on streets, schools, churches and other community facilities. The list below gives the names of those centres and some of the pioneer families associated with them.

Centres Pioneer Families
The Ridge (Laity Street area) William Nelson, Adam Irving, William Hampton, John Laity
Port Haney Thomas and Anne Haney, Dan Callaghan
Hammond John McIver, John and William Hammond
Albion Samuel Robertson, Peter Baker
Whonnock Robert Robertson (no relation to Samuel), Rolley
Ruskin Ruskin Co-op, Charles Wetham
Webster's Corners James Murray Webster, Daniel Docksteader
Yennadon Sam Edge, Dairons, MacDonalds

One picture on display shows James Murray Webster standing proudly in front of his post office home. The sign above his head says "Webster's Corners" and the 's' on the end signifies that he was located at an actual intersection and not just a bend in the road. As intersections were rare, it was worthy of note.