Langley Centennial Museum
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Object Description
Object ID
2005.034.002
Title
Tape Measure used at the Beaver River Mill.
Description
Linen measuring tape for measuring log lengths for the saw to cut, ca. 1925. Made by the Lufkin Rule Co. of Canada, Ltd. in Windsor, Ontario. Bought by Charles Pihan at an auction. It had belonged to a millwright who'd worked at the Beaver River Mill. The Pihan family had purchased the mill property in 1920 and sold it in about 1943.
People/Subject
Beaver River Mill
The Beaver River Mill began operating around 1900, and was apparently one of the largest mills in the Fraser Valley at the time. The mill had its own store, and by 1915 there were 400 loggers employed there. The crew included Caucasians, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian (South Asian) workers. Each nationality had their own separate living quarters and cookhouse. The mill burned down in 1919 and everything was destroyed, including the railway cars. It was never rebuilt. The Petersen family owned some of the Beaver Mill property, and found relics of the business on the property. When they moved to the property in 1954, a spur line of the BC Electric Railway (BCER) ran right outside their house. The Pihan family owned the property for about 20 years too.
Term Source: "The Place Between," by the Aldergrove Heritage Society; George Pihan.
Pihan Family
Charles Arthur Pihan (1888-1943) was born in St. Helier, Jersey, Great Britain. He moved to Manitoba in 1911. He lived and worked in Vancouver for a time before moving to the County Line area, buying land between 264th and 62nd Avenue. Charlie met his future wife, Violet May Clemas (1902-1966), when she was hauling milk for her father to the Country Line Station. The couple married in 1920 and had 8 children: George, Violet, Ethel, Lily, Clarence, Minnie, Ann, and another that passed away. They went to County Line School, and in the early 1920's the family bought the property on which the present County Line School stands. In 1928 they bought property on the east end of Kendall Road (62nd Avenue). Charlie worked for the BCER for 25 years.
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Argus v4.3.6.40 - Langley Centennial Museum