The District of Maple Ridge's Web site.
History of Maple Ridge.
The Katzie and Whonnock natives that have lived in this favored land for thousands of years traveled in their cedar dugout canoes on the many rivers and streams that now define our borders. The settlers that began to come here in the mid 1800's also traveled by water, on the paddle wheeler that plied the Fraser River.
Fewer than fifty families had begun the task of building acommunity here in 1874 when they formed the Municipality of Maple Ridge. Thiswas the fifth area in British Columbia to incorporate, preceded only by Victoria, New Westminster, Langley and Chilliwack, so Maple Ridge is a true pioneer district. Many early settlers had worked at the Hudson's Bay Company trading post at Fort Langley, and some were members of the Royal Engineers who were dispatched to this area in 1858 when British Columbia became a crown Colony.
John McIver took up a land grant on the height of land north of the Fraser River and cleared it for farming. He had the vision to bring the men of the district together on his farm to form this Municipality. The stately western broad leafed maple trees that bordered McIver's property lent their name to both his original farm and in 1874 to the whole district. Story has it that the organizing meeting took place under the shelter of one of these maple trees. People may still visit that tree, on the south end of the first hole on Maple Ridge Golf Course, now occupying McIver's farm property.
Nothing was easy for these early pioneers of Maple Ridge, which then stretched from the Stave Riveron the east to the Pitt River on the west. The first task was to cut down the heavy forest cover so they could begin farming. Building roads, collecting taxes and lobbying the B.C. government for a bridge occupied early council members. Mean while, people formed community groups to build churches, erect schools, and begin the Fall Fairs that have continued here since 1901.
Some of that original community spirit in Maple Ridge lives on today as local groups work to volunteer their time and effort to help make this a viable, human scale district that still respects its natural endowment of water and wild areas.