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Photo courtesy City of Richmond
Appreciating our Heritage
Published 2:19 PDT, Fri September 26, 2025
In their own words…
As a longtime resident of the City of Richmond, I have always wondered about the history of our community, the first settlers, and how the settlement on Sea Island became the origin of the Municipality of Richmond. After being approached by the Sea Island Heritage Society to record their history, I decided to write my fourth book on Richmond’s history called “Sea Island British Columbia – The Beginning of Richmond”. Its 223 pages contain numerous historic details and over 380 photos, many from the Society and the City of Richmond Archives, providing an understanding of the people who settled there and made it a successful and prosperous community.
Found at the mouth of the Fraser River, Sea Island is renowned for YVR Airport, but its history dates back to 1861 when Hugh McRoberts became its first European settler. By 1887, all the parcels of land had been secured either by purchase or Crown Grant by the provincial government, making Sea Island a complete settlement. By November 10, 1879, Richmond became incorporated after the settlers signed a petition of incorporation requesting the provincial government form the Municipality of Richmond.
It is important to remember, Sea Island was a thriving community in the early 1900’s. With a growing fishing industry, European settlers, Indigenous Peoples and Japanese settlers worked together in the six fish canneries. Agriculture, including 30 large dairy farms, was the main economic activity of Sea Island well into the 1940’s. Fresea Farms became the largest farm in Richmond. Grauer Store, which operated from 1912 until 1976, was the largest retail store in the province at that time.
With the advancement of the aviation industry, the City of Vancouver purchased farmland on Sea Island to build an airport. It opened in 1931 and became an international airport in 1948. The expansion and development of the airport over the years resulted in the demise of the farming and fishing industry on Sea Island.
During World War II, several army and air force squadrons were stationed at RCAF Sea Island which was a training base that included family housing. The community of Burkeville, built in 1942 and completed in 1944, accommodated workers at the Boeing Plant which was built in 1941. In May 1947, Burkeville became part of the Municipality of Richmond.
On August 4, 1944, a community hall was opened on Miller Road. It was remodeled from the old Cooney barn, and is today the site of the current Sea Island Community Centre.
Limited copies of my book, “Sea Island British Columbia – The Beginning of Richmond” are available through the Sea Island Heritage Society by sending an email to: info@seaislandhome.org.
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