Flooded area near Leski's Crossing behind Golden's house. October 1981.

Harness racing at Pat Brennan's track, Smokey Downs.

Pat Brennan (#4 racer) harness racing on Smokey Downs track during the Loggers Sports Celebration.

Pat Brennan and Al Hendrickson organized the first Loggers Sports Day held from 1-5pm on September 1, 1958.

Flood at the Venekamp's home on Lawson Road.

Date unknown

Judd home built in 1916. Still standing on Judd Road in Brackendale.

Although not the oldest structure in Squamish, the Judd Home (1199 Judd Road) is regarded by many to be one of the District's primary heritage resources, providing an important anchor in reconstructing the early history and development of Brackendale and Squamish. It is in association with the Judd Home that many other local heritage sites are best interpreted. Henry Judd (or Harry, as he was also known) and his wife Anne were among that small group of settlers which included the Robertsons, the Raes, William Mashiter, E.B. Madill, George Magee, Tom Reid, and a few others who are now regarded as the Pioneers of the Squamish Valley.

Having made purchase by public lottery of a major piece of property covering much of what is Brackendale today, Henry Judd arrived in the Valley in 1889 to begin farming his land. Building his original home at the present site of the Brennan Home, Judd sold that house to his parents after marrying Barbara Anne Edwards, who had come to work at the Squamish Valley Hop Ranch. A new home was built by the young couple on the site of the present Judd House.

The present form of Brackendale did not begin to take shape until the subdivision of the Judd property in 1910 into 20 large lots along the Government Road, including the original lot purchased for the Brackendale Store. The original Judd Home itself burnt to the ground in 1916 and was rebuilt as the structure which stands there today as the current home of Mrs Farquharson, one of Henry and Anne Judd's youngest daughters.

Although not a "grand" structure, the Judd Home is nonetheless an attractive example of the functional charm of Western farm homes of the early part of the century. Perhaps more importantly, the Judd home and the lovely surrounding property on which it stands are a reminder of the farming history of Brackendale, and the industriousness of the earliest settlers in Squamish.

Original use: Private residential / farmhouse.
Current use: Private residential.
Current condition: Although some renovation has occurred, the Judd Home maintains most of its original form. Some restoration would be required to bring it back to its original condition. The large property on which it stands is beautifully landscaped and private, allowing a setting which adds to the character of the house.

Left to right, back row: ?, Charlie McKinnon, Fred Downer, ?, Wilfred Rae, ?, Earl Parkest, Lance Bracken (architect who designed hotel).
Front row: Mr Hickey, Bert Rae, Albert Edwards, ?, Bob Hutchinson, Charlie Clerk, Hughie Mills, Al Armstrong, Chief Long George, Fred Thorne, Tom Brett, Bill Mallett, Mr Blodgett.

Those thought to be in the picture although position unknown: Cliff Thorne, Bert Perkins, Harry Judd, Jack Edwards, Wilbie Judd, Fred Magee, John Bracken, Jack Habricht, Charlie Fairman, Jack Greer, Ralph Brereton.

Chief Long George, who lived around the turn of the century, always won top prize at John Bracken's turkey shoots.

The Bracken Arms hotel was located on the east side of Government Road, near the Brackendale General Store. A fire destroyed the building in 1914, but the chimney and fireplace still stand today.

Chief Long George, who lived around the turn of the century, always won top prize at John Bracken's turkey shoots.
Back row, left to right: ?, Charlie McKinnon, Fred Downer, ?, Wilfred Rae, ?, Earl Parkest, Lance Bracken (architect who designed this hotel). Front row, left to right: Mr Hickey, Bert Rae, Albert Edwards, ?, Bob Hutchinson, Charlie Clerk, Hughie Mills, Al Armstrong, Chief Long George, Fred Thorne, Tom Brett, Billy Mallett, Mr Blodgett.

Those thought to be in the picture but their positions unknown: Cliff Thorne, Bert Perkins, Harry Judd, Jack Edwards, Wilbie Judd, Fred Magee, John Bracken, Jack Habricht, Charlie Fairman, Jack Greer, and Ralph Brereton.

Steam donkey and Spar tree at Merrill & Ring Logging operation, 500 feet south of Alice Lake.

Photo by: Bun Yarwood.

Merrill and Ring, an American company bought their claim in 1888 for 25 cents per acre. This went from Valleycliffe through the foothills to Brohm Lake. They did not set up in the valley until October 1926. The operation had come from Duncan Bay, before that they had been at Camp O near Alert Bay. Their first camp is where Valleycliffe is located now. They employed 200 people. The hiring was done by Loggers' Agencies in Vancouver. They would fall the trees with cross cut saws then haul the logs with a steam donkey to the train. They used a steam axe to split the wood as machines used only wood fuel at the time.

A lot of Merrill and Ring timber was burnt in a Norton McKinnon fire in 1927. The McKinnon's engine was given as payment. Aloysius McNalley and John Broomquist collected it. The same year, Arthur Edwards assisted in the building of the Merrill & Ring camp at Edith Lake.

In 1929, Merrill and Ring moved their operation across the Mamquam valley to Edith Lake east of Alice Lake. A settlement of 225 men was set up there. Railway track covered the mountainside from Cheekye River southward.

Merrill and Ring closed in 1930 due to the low price of logs during the Depression. Logs were selling from 5 to 6 dollars per thousand. At this time, the logs were hauled by train to the dump at the mouth of the Stawamus River. Merill and Ring started back up in 1932.

Merrill and Ring shut down 3 times in 1937: after New Years due to snow, due to fire season, and in the fall when a bridge over the Cheekye River was washed out. Merrill and Ring left Squamish in 1940.

Donald McCallum came to Squamish in 1909. He married Margaret Dewar in March 1913. She owned the first cafe: The Waltz Inn Cafe. He retired and left Squamish in 1949.

The hop fields and buildings of the Squamish Valley Hops Raising Co. ranch in Brackendale, across the road from the Seaichem Indian Reserve, were landmarks for valley travellers.

Hop farming was Squamish's first major industry. The major producer was Squamish Valley Hop Raising Co. (Bell-Irving Ranch). Hops are perennials and grown about 6 feet apart. They are picked during September and August. Hops are dried and bleached with sulphur in a kiln. In Squamish, Chinese labour was brought in to tend the hops. Local First Nations picked them. They would camp in the area now between Petro Canada gas station and the Cottonwood condominiums. The hops in Squamish were top grade. They were shipped to Vancouver in bales wrapped in Burlap, then shipped to Britain where they were used to make beer.

Timeline
1890 - Hops first grown by E.B. Madill.
1891, February - Group from Puyallup Valley (near Tacoma) examined Squamish as potential hop growing area. The Squamish Valley Hop Raising Company was formed by Vancouver businessmen. Dr Bell-Irving (great uncle of previous Lieutenant Governor) was owner of the company. President was William Shannon and Secretary was T.T. Black; and Directors: Dr Bell-Irving, W.E. Green, George Magee, E.L. Phillips.
1892 - The Squamish Valley Hop Raising Company leased land from E.B. Madill. 1.5 acres of hop vine nursery stock was planted. In addition, 260 acres were purchased, 20 acres of which were cleared. Ranch was in the present location of Eagle Run extending from Heidenriech's house to Judd Road to Horse Creek. Frank H. Potter, a hop rancher from Puyallup, became a manager. No hops grown but frame house and out-buildings built for Potter.
1893, Fall - 5 acres hops grown on Madill's leased property. No hops grown on Squamish Valley Hop Company's own land. 40 acres cleared but planted potatoes, oats, and hat. W. Shannon still president of the company. Chas. McLaughlin, secretary.
1894 - Fred Clayton Thorne replaced Frank Potter as manager of Squamish Valley Hop Company. Hop industry began to thrive. Allen Rae, E.B. Madill, George Magee, and Tom Reid grew hops.
1897 - D.H. Tweedie was manager of Madill's hop ranch.
1898 - Charles Rose was manager of Squamish Valley Hop Company (Bell-Irving ranch). Wife, Alice, was ranch cook.
1906, March - 28 acres of hops planted at Bell-Irving ranch.
1914 - With beginning if war, hop prices fell. Hop ranches were shut down. The Squamish Valley Hop Company was owned by Dr Bell Irving and Mr Murry (manager of Bank of Commerce in Vancouver) owned ranch at that time. Fred Thorne took over Squamish Valley Hope Company ranch and started raising short horn cattle.
1917 - Hop industry had died in Squamish.
~1931 - George Carson was running his brother Robert (Bob) Carson's hop ranch when it burned down.
1944 - Roderick Mackenzie owned old Squamish Hop Co. ranch. Referred to as the mackenzie Ranch or the Pig or Hog Ranch. Since he produced hops for export to help the war effort, it received those names.

Margaret Thorne, 2nd from left, holding Clayton Thorne. Ella Thorne, 2nd from right.

Government Road looking south in the area of Brackendale Crossing. In 1984 the crossing is by the Brackendale Art Gallery.

The main structure of the Brackendale Store was built in 1916 by Hughie Mills to replace John Jackson's old store which burnt down the year before when a fire started in the upstairs pool hall. The site was originally bought from the Judd family as Lot 6 of their subdivision. During the new store's first year, the upstairs served as a temporary home to the Judd family after their own house burnt down.

Although the appearance of the original store is difficult to see in the store's present form, the basic structure is still apparent when viewed from the back. Regardless of any alterations which have occurred, the Brackendale Store retains heritage value tot he community as a long standing local landmark which has continuously provided service to the community since its early days.

Suspension Bridge across Squamish River at the end of Judd Road, 1958. A logging operation took place on the other side.
Left to right: Adolf Seymour, Ray Binning, and Herb Dawson.

ERECTING NEW AUTO SHOWROOM

BRACKENDALE

CBC PRODUCER
[PHOTO]

NEWCOMER BEATS HOUSING SHORTAGE

BUY XMAS SEALS

TAX INCREASE

FURTHER EFFORTS FOR NEW HIGHWAY

ARMISTICE SERVICE FOR NOVEMBER 11

DISLOCATES ELBOW IN MILL ACCIDENT

SCHOOL PUPILS HOLD GOOD MASQUERADE

CHANGE HANDS

RECEIVE GRADER

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

JAMES SINCLAIR'S SURPRISE VISIT

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

WOODFIBRE

BRITANNIA

CARD OF THANKS

ASSOCIATION FAVORS 'MISSING LINK' ROAD

PUBLIC NOTICE

ILL CHILD RUSHED TO CITY HOSPITAL

BRACKENDALE

BUILDING MATERIAL FOR LEGION ARRIVES

SCHOOL INSTALLS SOMETHING NEW

WIND HAMPERS UTILITIES HERE

CHALET SNOWMOBILE ARRIVED TODAY

FAVORS CAPILANO HIGHWAY ROUTE

SQUAMISH IS BACK IN BANANA BELT

ROADS VERY DANGEROUS

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

HOWARD MANNING
[PHOTO]

CLASSIFIED ADS

LOGGING COMPANIES RESUMING WORK

ANSCOMB HINTS CONDITION WILL SOON END

INDEPENDENT GROCERS

CLEARANCE SALE STARTS SATURDAY

LEICESTER SQUARE'S HARMONY QUARTET
[PHOTO]

NEW CBC HEADQUARTERS
[PHOTO]

W. A. STEWART IS NAMED PREXY BOARD OF TRADE

STORMY WEATHER HITS DISTRICT

SNOWMOBILE CAUSES STIR

GOOD SEAL SALE

ST. JOHN'S W.A. ELECTS OFFICERS

PLANNING SPRING BUILDING PROGRAM

FOREMAN HEADS LOCAL SKI CLUB

PRIME MINISTER
[PHOTO]
L. S. ST. LAURENT

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

SINCLAIR TO VISIT SQUAMISH SOON

JUNIOR SKI CLUB IS FORMED HERE

BRACKENDALE

PTA MEETING

STAFF SELECTED FOR SCHOOL ANNUAL

PEGGI BROWN --- RADIO ACTRESS
[PHOTO]

NEW CBC TRANSMITTER
[PHOTO]

CARD OF THANKS

LOCAL RESIDENT IS LAID AT REST

WELL BABY CLINIC OPENS TOMORROW

CLASSIFIED ADS

STORM HAMPERS MERCY FLIGHT

[PHOTO]
ERIC CHRISTMAS, HEARD OVER CBC

LIBERAL LEADER
[PHOTO]
PREMIER BYRON JOHNSON

BRACKENDALE

HARVEY HURREN IS LEGION PRESIDENT

MAY TRY TO CARRY ON B.C. COALITION GOVERNMENT SPLITS

STORM CUTS LONG DISTANCE SERVICE

OPPOSITION LEADER
[PHOTO]
HERBERT ANSCOMB

NEW PGE LINK READY IN JUNE

TRADE BOARD TO HOLD BANQUET

SCHOOL BUS HAS DIFFICULT TRIP

TO OPEN CBU
[PHOTO]

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

LADIES AID ELECTS OFFICERS

CANCER SOCIETY OFFICIALS NAMED

CBC NEWS ROUND-UP EDITOR
[PHOTO]

FRESH SNOWFALL BLANKETS DISTRICT

SCHOOL BOARD HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING

BOXING ENTHUSIASTS TO MEET

CLASSIFIED ADS

CANADIAN DOLLAR OVERTAKES U.S. IN EXCHANGE

BIRTHDAY PARTY

ANITA GORDON
[PHOTO]

AROUND TOWN