From Facebook

Today we remember D-Day, launched 80 years ago on the beaches of Normandy. The push to start the end of World War 2. Over 18700 Canadian casualties, over 5000 dead.

#werememberthem #canadaremembers #DDay80 #honourandrespect

Statistics from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission blog:

https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/blog/d-day-canadian-casualties-remembering-their-stories/ (we recommend following the CWGC - they do incredible work to remember so many.)

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Three years ago (11 June & 3 July 2021) we made two posts with information about the Empire Oil drilling efforts that were done in the Otter community. A little more information about the oil drill, the company and the men behind it was found yesterday in The Mining And Engineering Record 1919, published in Vancouver by Technical Press Ltd.

Our previous posts about Empire Oil can be found by using the Search option on the page (it's sometimes hiding behind the "..." menu), just search "empire"

#storiesmatter #localhistory #blackgold

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Sometimes tidbits about Aldergrove's history are found in the most unexpected of places. "Mount Pleasant, Early Days - Memories of Reuben Hamilton Pioneer 1890" is a bound copy of a series of letters written by Mr. Hamilton to Major JS Matthews, founder of the Vancouver City Archives. The two men had carried on their correspondence and conversations over a number of years. Mr. Hamilton passed away in Vancouver in January 1968. He was born in June 1888 in Torbolton Ontario.

In the book are a few entries about Aldergrove, including some information about 3 settlers, one of whom was Mr. Hamilton's uncle. I have only found land information about one of the men, Mr. Dingle. If it's the correct Mr. Dingle, he took up land at what is now the southwest corner of LeFeuvre and 48th. The rail didn't come through that property, so perhaps Mr. Hamilton is speaking of …

A random selection of Aldergrove Star photos from our Archives to go with our very random Monday morning weather. =)

#storiesmatter #localhistory

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Today is Canadian Armed Forces Day, and we thank the men and women of our country who have served or are serving in our national military forces for their dedication, courage and sacrifice. Thank you also to HMCS/NRS/CFS Aldergrove for being a part of our community for the past 81 years.

#CanadaRemembers #CAF #StoriesMatter #LocalHistory

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This week's Victory Garden installment and what's happening in Aldergrove this weekend.

#supportlocal #storiesmatter #localhistory

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Sending you into the weekend (and a new month!) with some great Aldergrove memories from 1996.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #summerfun

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Finishing off this folder of Aldergrove Star sports photos. None of them had captions on the back, so identification will either be up to the Aldergrove Hive or wait until all of the 1990s editions of the Aldergrove Star have been digitized. =)

Also...whoever decided it was a great idea for the Aldergrove Spartans to have white uniform pants obviously didn't have to wash them. #justsaying

#storiesmatter #localhistory

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More Aldergrove Star photos from the same envelope as yesterday, but none of these ones had captions on the back.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #makingmemories

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A little sports action from the Aldergrove Star Collection.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #makingmemories

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A few examples of the newspaper items I found over the weekend, all of which add either important information to our research or add names to our ever-growing list of early residents. Thanks to that little tidbit in the Abbotsford Post's social column, we also now know when Mr. & Mrs. James Dobson took over Aldergrove's Western Home Hotel. (Mr. Dobson's name is spelled wrong in the article).

It's interesting to note that one probably could not take a boat trip without it making the newspaper - and once you landed at your destination, chances are your name would also be in the list of those registered at the hotels.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

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What a great initiative - if you're a museum fan and headed up Highway 3, here's a downloadable guide that you can take along on your travels.

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A little Aldergrove Senior Rugby action from the June 2006 BC Provincials. From the Harry Hunt Collection.

#wearetotems #storiesmatter #gladwedonthavetodotheirlaundry #localhistory

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This week's 1944 Victory Garden installment has some great gardening tips.

The Summer Weekends Food Truck Festival gets underway at noon today at the Otter Co-op 248th Street location, and the Langley Arts Council Speaker Programme continues this afternoon with Architecture as the topic. We're looking forward to next Saturday's presentation on Collecting, Conserving and Canadian Heritage.

#supportlocal #whatdoesyourgardengrow #storiesmatter

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Five Harry Hunt photos from June 2006. What awesome looking young people!

#storiesmatter #localhistory #schooldays

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Starting off the day with a little 1916 family history humour.

#storiesmatter #familyhistory

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Looking for something to do? Check this out. =)

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Another look at our community through the lens of Harry Hunt.

#storiesmatter #localhistory

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1911 real estate advert inviting interested parties to purchase land at Coghlan.

#localhistory #storiesmatter

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Happy Victoria Day! Here are two sets of Maypole dancers to start off your holiday Monday. One group is from Bradner, one is from Fort Langley, both are from the Aldergrove Star Collection.

#VictoriaDay2024 #storiesmatter #localhistory

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Cuteness overload for your Sunday, from the Harry Hunt Collection.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #bcmw24

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44 years ago at 08:32....

#localhistory #storiesmatter

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There are loads of activities going on this Victoria Day long weekend - Monday has parades & festivities at Bradner and Fort Langley, the 2024 opening of Langley Heritage Society's CN Station, the annual Victoria Day BBQ at Royal Canadian Legion Branch #265, Aldergrove BC. There's another installment of the Langley Arts Council's speaker series today (Saturday) & Music Bingo at the Legion, plus our Aldergrove Museum & Community Archives will be open on Sunday afternoon from 12-4pm.

#somuchtodo #supportlocal #VictoriaDay2024 #bcmw24

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Back to the Harry Hunt Photo Collection - hockey, vintage cars, soccer, rugby and horses. Harry was everywhere at everything, truly dedicated to our community.

#storiesmatter #localhistory #bcmw24

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Switching gears from photos to documents today. In going through pages and pages and pages of Crown Grant ledger books, this nugget was found. Well, there have been loads of other nuggets, but this one is really cool.

The land for the original Beaver School was donated by Mr. John Knox, who had received a land pre-emption from the government in 1889. Here are images of some of the documents officially transferring the school property to the Township of Langley. Mr. Knox's Quarter Section is marked on the map.

Research into land records and settlers is ongoing (and time consuming), but piece by piece we're working through our community timeline back to before settler contact and beyond.

#localhistory #storiesmatter #bcmw24

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