Month: July 2024

How is it the end of July already? Hockey season is almost upon us again, so here are some of Harry Hunt's Aldergrove Hockey photos from March 2012.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

Canadian history buffs, here's a challenge for you - the 2024 Canadian Museum of History & Canadian War Museum Crossword puzzle.

We somehow missed the call for questions this year, but maybe we'll be able to send in a question for next year. =)

…

The HMCS Aldergrove Navy Log for February 1962. Also note that the base had an active bowling team as well.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

Sometimes museums and archives deaccession items in their collections when they no longer meet the criteria of the materials they hold, or they have more than what they need of said item. Last week we added these military and Red Cross items to our own military collection, thanks to the British Columbia Aviation Museum in Victoria.

We also managed to get a CNR Dining Car Service stir spoon, but that is going over to our friends at @Langley Heritage Society's CN Station in Fort Langley for their collection.

…

Many remember the old Husky station that used to stand on the southeast corner of 264 and Fraser. It was demolished for the new retail centre that is there now. The first service station on that corner was Westgrove Esso, owned by the Sawatsky family. Here's a page from the 1st May 1968 Aldergrove Star (microfilm) announcing the opening of the service station, along with other local bowling news and also the introduction of Ruby's Ceramics.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

This week's 1944 Victory Garden article looks at blight and propagation, although I'm not sure if the anti-blight products mentioned are still available today.

There are a few activities going on in the community this weekend, details on the ones shown in today's post can be found in the Events section on Facebook. Drop by the museum on Sunday afternoon, we're open from 12-4pm, entry is by donation.

#localhistory #storiesmatter #makesomememories

…

New residents often complain about "the smell" in our fine community - possibly not realizing that the town is surrounded by farms, and with farms come smells. However, if they lived here prior to 1997, they may have been complaining about a different odour in the air - even many of the long time residents raised a stink about the stink. Here are a few articles about Aldergrove's sewer history.

In an interesting aside, if memory serves correctly, the lagoon used to freeze over enough in the winter for ice skating.

#localhistory #storiesmatter #welcometofarmcountry

…

Motocross Racing at what was called Jackman Park. These photos are from the Aldergrove Star Collection, and were in a box labelled 1990-1991, which would have been the sunset years for the LMMC's 20+ year history of riding and races at the old gravel pit.

#localhistory #storiesmatter

…

Lots of familiar names and faces in the photo features from the Aldergrove Star for the 28th of May, 1969.

#localhistory #storiesmatter #makingmemories

…

There didn't seem to be as much activity going on at HMCS Aldergrove in January 1962, but at least the 10 January column lets us in on post-holiday happenings. Apparently Clyde Burgess had quite the beard as it warranted front page mention in the 3rd January paper.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

Here's one for the County Line kids from the Aldergrove Star for 22 May 1968. How many names can you put to the faces in Mrs. Janzen's Grade 1 class?

#schooldays #localhistory #storiesmatter

…

Inspired by a conversation - we've not come across the original photos for this article, but we have the original paper which has a better image than the microfilms. (Unfortunately it's in newspaper storage and not easily accessible at this point in time).

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

This week's 1944 Victory Garden column features information about collecting seeds and cross-pollination. On a related side note, there is an event coming up in August called Seed Collecting 101. You can find it in FB events, but we'll post a reminder closer to the workshop's date.

In the meantime, there are some great events happening around our community this weekend - the Aldergrove Fair continues today and tomorrow at the Kinsmen Centre. Sage & Solace Farm will be hosting a flower pressing workshop this afternoon from 12-4, and Campbell's Gold is hosting a Bee-Friendly Demonstration Garden Tour from 11am - 12pm.

#storiesmatter #gomakesomememories #rememberthesunscreen #howdoesyourgardengrown

…

How many RCMP officers did the Township and City have in 1970? This many. =)

#localhistory #storiesmatter

…

Today we're visiting the Mt. Lehman community. In amongst the 1967 Aldergrove Star photos I found the photo of the school class seen in image 2, which was featured in the Star with the accompanying article on 27 June 1967, as was the content of image 2.

These articles were part of the Star's Centennial year featured stories about our region's history. Of particular interest to us is further confirmation of the relationship between the Matsqui and Nooksack First Nations people. The earliest notation of 272 Street on a map names the southern portion as being Nooksack Trail.

Both photos can also be found in The Place Between Volume1, pages 554 and 568

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

From the Aldergrove Star Collection, Box D 1990s, Folder 1992 (although we've found there are duplicates of some photos in the 1995 Folder, which makes sorting these easy...).

As always, photo information and people names is welcome - especially if you tell us where in the photo any named people might be situated. =)

#storiesmatter #localhistory #schooldays

…

It's Tuesday, so here is this week's Navy Log from HMCS Aldergrove, December 1961. There wasn't a newspaper on 27 December due to the Christmas holiday, but there is, however, proof that James Kirk served in Aldergrove. 😉

#localhistory #storiesmatter

…

110 years ago - the official prize list & regulations for the 3rd Aldergrove Agricultural Association Exhibition, which was held on Thursday 17 September 1914.

#localhistory #storiesmatter

…

What were we watching 50 years ago, way before streaming services and even before cable TV service was readily available to homes outside of the downtown core. Here's a look at the TV Listings from the Aldergrove Star, 10 July 1974.

…

This week's Your Victory Garden article is timely for those planning to enter your summer flowers in next weekend's @Aldergrove Fair (entry forms on the Fair's website).

Also this weekend we have two very important fundraising events that we hope you will get out and support. Perogy fanatics, you can get your Deep Fried Fruit Perogies from Veronica's Gourmet Perogies and support the Cops For Cancer Tour de Valley. Vintage car fans, head out to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #265, Aldergrove BC on Sunday to help raise funds for a local cancer patient.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #thiscommunitycares #howdoesyourgardengrow

…

Alderwood Manor, 1972. Converted to today's dollar value and without taking into account interest rates, etc., these townhouses would go for about $125,425.00 - a far cry less than what those new "condos" went for.

We can relate to Alderwood residents' 1974 Parking Issues - when the Township put in the bike lane along 32 Avenue the museum lost a lot of needed street parking. Now we just cross our fingers and hope that there will be somewhere for us to park during our volunteer shifts.

…

Another step in working backwards through our district's history - When was the Aldergrove area surveyed and put up for settler acquisition? According to this government report, it was 1876. However, you'll note that some land sections in the bit about Township 13 have been omitted - 1,2,11,12,13,14,22,23,24,25,26,27,34,35 and 36, which are technically in Abbotsford. It is probable that those sections had already been claimed by pre-emptors, as it is stated in the report that it was hoped that the new survey would solve land disputes among settlers. The orange dotted line shows the boundary between Langley Township and what was then Matsqui Municipality.

We also recognize that the lands we are discussing and learning about are part of the traditional & unceded territory of the Coast Salish people who inhabited this area long before the first white explorers arrived.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…

Here are a few pages from the 1889 Lands and Works Report that would have been submitted to the BC Legislature to show the progress being made on building and improving the roads in our community and surrounding districts.

There are many familiar names listed as having a foreman, contractor or member of a road crew, and in some cases it even shows amounts paid for the services rendered as well as materials. Each little fact we find in old reports like this is another little piece in our puzzle.

#localhistory #storiesmatter

…

The Navy Log column was a (mostly) regular feature in the Aldergrove newspaper, so for the next several Tuesday mornings, we'll have a look at the Base's social news that was shared with the community at large. Here are the first four columns from November 1961.

Please note that historical language may appear in some of these columns and while we recognize that such terminology is not acceptable in today's society, it is part of our past and serves to remind us of the reconciliation work and learning still to be done.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #inthenavy

…

Aldergrove Fair Days is less than two weeks away. Let's take a look back at the Aldergrove Star's coverage of the Aldergrove Agricultural Association's Fall Fair, September 1969.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

…