Powell River 100

About the Book

Happy Birthday Powell River! For 100 years the Powell River pulp & paper mill has been the economic hub of this isolated community on Canada’s West Coast. In 1910 the Powell River Company created a company town called the Townsite; it was designed as a model community built on the Garden City Movement. A town with all the amenities which gave the workforce a pleasant place to live – golf course, tennis courts, bowling green and movie theatre. Houses were spacious and built in the Craftsman style on streets planted with trees. In 1955 the company sold off the Townsite houses to their employees. This unique example of a company town had been declared a National Historic District of Canada (1995). In 1955 the Townsite and surrounding villages amalgamated to become the town of Powell River. Old-time families from the company Townsite and villages give first-hand accounts of arriving in this wilderness area. During the Great Depression the area prospered – a unique story of economic survival. In WWII the young men left the town and women worked in the mill. Fascinating stories and 150 photos tell the story of this 100 year-old town.

About the Author

Originally from the U.K., in 1968 Barbara Ann arrived as a young teacher in the pulp and paper town of Powell River. She intended to stay one year in this isolated community; however, she fell in love and married a tall, handsome farmer, Stuart Lambert. Living on the Lambert farm, Barbara Ann met many of the old-timers in the area. Listening to their fascinating stories of pioneer life, Barbara Ann made a promise that one day she would write them down. In 1997, after retiring from teaching, Barbara Ann began writing and publishing local history books.