Author: AGHS

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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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A look back at the Aldergrove Star from 24 January 1973, when our community newspaper drew the ire of the Township mayor while Abbotsford's mayor was pondering Aldergrove's secession into a new municipality with parts of west Abbotsford. Then, back at the Township mayor and the pondering of amalgamation with the city. The more things change, the more they stay the same?

#storiesmatter #localhistory #roundandroundwego

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As we head into what promises to be a very hot weekend, this week's Victory Garden article is a timely discussion about irrigation. Also check out a couple of events that are taking place in our community this weekend, as well as a couple that are coming up later this month.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #howdoesyourgardengrow #makesomememories

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Four years ago I posted about the Alfred Bynum family (search Bynum on our page). I've made a few references to the County Line family in a few other posts since then, but now I have more to the story. I knew that the family moved away from the County Line community in the mid 1930s, going to the Harrison Mills area. Thanks to a story in the Agassiz-Harrison Historical Society's books, we now have more details about the family's "life after Aldergrove".

The Agassiz-Harrison Historical Society operates the Agassiz Harrison Museum and one of the photos is from the online photo collection held by Kilby Historic Site. Never underestimate the importance of museums & archives in nearby communities when conducting your family history research. 😉

#localhistory #storiesmatter

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Over this past weekend, we came into possession of a real estate transactions book that dates from 1969 to 1977. Unfortunately little is known about the book, but it possibly belonged to Paris Realty, and only 1 page in the entire book lists a location for the property being sold. We haven't scanned the entire book yet, but here are a few sample pages. With a bit of research, we're confident we'll be able to place most, if not all, of the properties in the book. Once it has been fully scanned and indexed it will be available online, probably in the winter/spring 2024/2025.

#localhistory #storiesmatter #wholivedhere

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From the Aldergrove Star Collection, 1993.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #activekids

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From the Aldergrove Star Collection, dated 1993.

We haven't had a chance to go through the newspapers to find names and activities, but we'll get there soon-ish. =)

#storiesmatter #localhistory

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Nothing says "Happy Canada Day" like a group of fine young hockey-playing Aldergrove youths winning the annual Atom Hockey Tournament in November 2013. =)

#gomakesomememories #localhistory #storiesmatter

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Happy 101st Birthday to the Aldergrove Elks Assoc. - Aldergrove's oldest surviving community service society.

#localhistory #storiesmatter

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Your Canada Day long weekend Victory Garden update, along with some family-friendly fun activities happening around the Township on Monday. We'll be participating in the community event at the @Royal Canadian Legion Branch #265, Aldergrove BC along with several other community groups, and we hope you'll stop by to say hello. There will be cake. 😉

#makesomememories #localhistory #storiesmatter #CanadaDay2024

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As we prepare to head into the Canada Day long weekend, here's a look back at the Aldergrove Star for 2 July 1970, minus the Classified Ad pages.

Have a safe weekend everyone - get out there and #makesomememories

#localhistory #storiesmatter

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Although the Right To Vote for BC women was still 32 years off, there was a petition presented to the BC Legislature in 1885 requesting that the provincial government grant the franchise to its women residents. This petition, which was submitted to Victoria and is available through the BC Sessional Papers, is important to family historians who may have had an ancestor in the province at that time, particularly if that person was active in local politics and it's even better if they had an uncommon name. For reference, a timeline of voting rights for all women has been included with this post.

#localhistory #storiesmatter #suffragettes

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From the Aldergrove Star Collection - one of the 1997 boxes, the envelope is dated 4 March, but we're not sure at which school, nor the activity. If you know, let us know. =)

#schooldays #localhistory #storiesmatter

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Picture Day At Aldergrove School 1916.

Unfortunately, at this time we don't have a class list identifying the students. In the future we may be able to garner some names by comparing these photos with the many family photos in our archives.

Photos donated by the Stan Deans Estate.

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Aldergrove School 1928 (names from The Place Between Volume 1)

Back Row L-R: Dick Endacott, Bill Gladwin, Gilbert Wallis, Gordon Vanetta, Stan Ross

Third Row L-R: Bill Endacott, Louis Chard, Kessen Goldsmith, Alice Blakey, Doris Eve, Margaret McDonald, Jack Miller, Gordon Sims, Mrs. Clark

Second Row L-R: Mary Chard, Alma Brown, Eura Good, Florence Brown, Annie Endacott, Ellen Vanetta, Nellie Larson, Verna Hamre, 9____,

Front Row L-R: Les Williams, Fred Kuhar, Bob Blakey, Eric Hagberg, Jack Vanetta, Sam Kuhar, Roy Cottell, Lloyd Ingraham

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A few Harry Hunt photos from March 2006 - Mad Science demonstrations

#schooldays #localhistory #storiesmatter

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How is your garden coming along? Here is this week's 1944 Victory Garden post, along with some Glen Valley School students minding their garden plots. There are some great events happening around town this weekend, let's hope the weather remembers that it's going to be a summer weekend.

*Special Note* - if you're driving to Philip Jackman Park for Nate's Memorial Ball Tournament, may we ask that you please don't park in front of the museum on Sunday? Our volunteers need somewhere to park, too. Thank you =)

#storiesmatter #localhistory #makesomememories

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It's the first weekend of summer, so let's head over to Doc Java's for a look back at the 1990s. =)

#localhistory #storiesmatter #summerfun

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Aldergrove Elementary School served our community from 1914 - 2015.

We are gathering names for these school photos. Some are complete but you are welcome to add names (and position in photo) and school memories in the comments. Your assistance is appreciated. =)

#storiesmatter

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