Picture taken at 19 mile bridge, 4 miles above Swift Creek. Circa 1930.

November 2, 1967, Premier Bennett (W.A.C.) presents the No. 2 locomotive to the people of Squamish. Mayor Brennan to the left, Fred Downer to the right.

It says "Fifteen 138-foot" on the back of the photo.

FMC is an international corporation that produces basic chemicals and industrial and agricultural machinery. The original company produced equipment specifically for canning, dried fruit, and orchard spraying. Hence the name: Food Machinery Corporation.

In 1948, when the company began producing chemicals, the name was changed to the Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation. With further product diversification in 1961, the name simply became FMC Corporation.

The FMC chemicals division in Squamish produces mainly chlorine, caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and hydrochloric acid. The chemicals result from the breakdown of sodium chloride by the mercury cell process. The salt that is used by Canadian Oxy's Squamish plant comes from the San Francisco Bay region, where it is recovered by natural evaporation in huge ponds of salt water exposed to sunlight. It is barged from the bay area to Squamish 14,000 or more tonnes at a time.

The chemicals are mainly distributed to the BC pulp and paper industry. Hydrochloric acid is transported by truck while chlorine and caustic soda are stored in tanks and transported by rail or barge.

CanadianOxy has installed equipment that salvages the hydrogen, a byproduct, for burning in the boiler. This provides heat used in the operation of the system.

FMC Squamish plant covers 60 acres of land leased from BCR.

Timeline
1957, June - Pennsalt Chemicals Corporation of Philadelphia announced plans of building a chemical plant in Squamish. Fred Shanneman, president.
1960 - Pennsalt dropped plans. Partly due to high cost of power. Western Minerals Ltd. of Calgary had also dropped plans to build a chemical plant.
1964, July 9 - FMC Corporation announced that a $10 million chemical plant would be built in Squamish.
1965 - Chlor-alkali plant built on the Squamish River estuary by FMC Canada.
1965, October - The British S.S. Argyll bought first cargo of 13,000 tons of Mexican salt to the nearly completed FMC Squamish plant. Was the largest ship ever to enter Howe Sound being 39,665 gross tons and 764 feet long.
1965, December - FMC Squamish began operations as the first outdoor chlorine cell installation in the Western Hemisphere. Plant manager was Charles E. Barnabe and controller was R.C. Bryant. Approximately 60 people were employed.
1970 - Original wastewater treatment plant built.
1974, November 8 - FMC Squamish earned award from Pacific Northwest Pollution Control Association. Presented to resident manager, Ralph Ross.
1983 - Approximately 70 people employed. Plant managaer Jack Selby. Production was at 175 tonnes of chlorine, 200 tonnes of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and 30 tonnes of muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), daily.
1986, December 23 - FMC was taken over by Canadian Occidental Petroleum Limited.
1988, July - 75 people employed at the Chlor-Alkali plant. Plant manager, Brian Thorton. President, Brian Thorpe. Production has risen to a peak of 185 tonnes of schlorine, 217 tonnes of caustic soda and 32 tonnes of muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), daily. The plant uses 340 tonnes of salt each day. There was not much change after the takeover (eg. no layoffs, strikes, or modernization programs). Products are shipped to Woodfibre and Powell River. Plans to build a hydrogen peroxide plant are on hold. Land has been set aside for the purpose though.
1988, August - Thomas A. Sugalski, senior vice president replaced Brian Thorpe as president.
1989 - Nexen buys plant from FMC Canada and assumes environmental liability.
1991 - Plant shuts down; Ministry of Environment becomes involved and recommends the company pursue independent remediation.
1999 - Remediation order issued by MOE.
2003 - Site remediation complete.
2004 - Provincial Crown transfers the site to the District of Squamish. Special Environmental Award presented to Nexen by the Minister of Environment.

Photo by: H. Brightbill.

Picture taken from trackside of PGE Excursion Train.

Photo by: Evans

James and Janet Eadie with son Fred sitting on a train (Engine #51).

TRAINMEN SIGN NEW CONTRACT

MORE FLOWER STANDS FOR FAIR

TENNIS COURT COMPLETED

COMING EVENTS

DENTAL CLINIC RATES EXPLAINED

SIDEWALKS AND ROADS RECEIVE ATTENTION

LEGION FILM AND SMOKER

RUSSELL --- FOWLER

RECENT WEDDINGS OF INTERSET HERE

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

SUMMER DOCUMENTARIES
[PHOTO]

FISH ARE IMPORTANT TOO

SUFFER IN SILENCE
[PHOTO]

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

SUMMER SCENE IN GARIBALDI PARK
[PHOTO]
VIEW OF DIAMOND HEAD FROM ELFIN LAKES AND THE CHALET

BEACH PARTY FOR IVAN SMITH'S

BRACKENDALE

CLASSIFIED ADS

MAKING A HIT
[PHOTO]

STAFF CHANGE AT HOSPITAL

TOT NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED BY SCHOOL BOARD

SCHOOL BUILDING SHOWING PROGRESS

LOSES FOREARM IN RAIL MISHAP

IMPROVEMENTS TO LOCAL STREETS

ANGLICAN CHURCH IS RENOVATED

ELKS NEW HOME MOVED TO SITE

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

CUCKOO CLOCK HOUSE HEARD OVER CBC
[PHOTO]

BRACKENDALE

FORMER LOCAL GIRL IS TENNIS STAR

CLASSIFIED ADS

BILL HERBERT
[PHOTO]
TO COVER ROYAL TOUR

SUNSHINE SOCIETY HEARD DAILY OVER CBC
[PHOTO]

KNEES TAKE BEATING

BOARD OF TRADE VISITS CHALET

MURIEL MILLARD
[PHOTO]
HEARD OVER CBC

NO STEEL FOR PGE; ROAD LINK URGED

SUGGESTIONS FOR FLOWER EXHIBITORS

HIGH WINDS CAUSE DAMAGE HERE

SCHOOL TO OPEN ON SEPTEMBER 4

HE NEARLY MADE IT

FALL FAIR SLATED FOR LABOR DAY

LARGEST DIESEL TRAIN LEFT HERE RECENTLY

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

HIGHEST MARKS
GLEN VALDE WINS PTA SCHOLARSHIP

SEYMOUR - NOVIK

BRACKENDALE

CLASSIFIED ADS

LOCAL BOY WINS SPEEDBOAT TROPHY

HARDWOODS TAKE ALL THREE BALL GAMES

OF INTEREST TO LOCAL MUSICIANS

NOTICE

HOWE SOUND ROUTE IS BEST

INSTITUTES HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS

LEGION NOTES

XMAS FESTIVITIES COMMENCE HERE

LONG DISTANCE SERVICE IMPROVED

BOARD WEEKS BETTER DYKES

PGE EMPLOYEE PASSES SUDDENLY

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

SEAL SALE DOING WELL

WEST VAN WINS BASKETBALL GAME

USE YOUR BALLOT

COMMUNICATIONS

SCHOOL BOARD HAS NEW SECRETARY

EXAMS START

BRACKENDALE

LADIES' AID HOLDS SUCCESSFUL SALE

BOY SCOUT BANQUET TOMORROW NIGHT

SQUAMISH VALLEY PIONEER PASSES

THE CRADLE

SEEING DOUBLE
[PHOTO]

CLASSIFIED ADS

LOCAL SERVICE FOR LATE KING

LOCAL GIRLS ATTEND CGIT CONVENTION

CCF CLUB IS FORMED HERE

TRAIN SERVICE BACK ON SCHEDULE

PLANS START ON SQUAMISH ROAD

BE THERE!
LEGION BUILDING SHOWING PROGRESS

BRACKENDALE

SOMETHING NEW

HELICOPTER PILOTS TO TRAIN HERE

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

DONALD MANSON
[PHOTO]
DIRECTOR OF THE CBC

PTA PLANS COUNTRY FAIR

A SKIER'S PARADISE
[PHOTO]

HOSPITAL READY IN EARLY APRIL

COFFEE SHOP WILL RE-OPEN

ANOTHER LOGGING SHOW OPENED

JAMES NESBITT
[PHOTO]
PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER

CLASSIFIED ADS

COMMUNICATIONS

GOVERNOR-GENERAL

PARLIAMENT OPENS

REID FORSEE
[PHOTO]

AROUND TOWN

RAILROAD GETS MORE DIESELS

REPAIRS CLOSE ROAD

TEAMS SPLIT SUNDAY GAMES

SQUAMISH BOYS WIN IN SCOUT RALLY

TO CALL TENDERS FOR NEW DYKE

SCHOOL'S OUT

NEIGHBORLY NEWS
[PHOTO]

STRIKE CONTINUES

BRACKENDALE

WAITING AND WISHING
FINAL ELECTION COUNT STARTS NEXT WEEK

GRAVELLING ROADS

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

PRETTY WEDDING SOLEMNIZED HERE

AND IT'S NOT EVEN A ROAD

AWARD WINNERS

CLASSIFIED ADS

OLD-TIMER PASSES AFTER LONG ILLNESS

CARD OF THANKS

JAMES K. NESBITT
[PHOTO]

MARION EADIE FETED AT SHOWER
[PHOTO]

3 MILLION ALLOTTED FOR NEW ROAD

AROUND TOWN

ST. PATRICK'S DANCE BIG EVENT

BRACKENDALE

PGE GOES FULL STEAM AHEAD

STOCKS NEW PRODUCT

ADDRESSES CCF MEETING HERE

OLD TIMER PASSES

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

SOBOTKA --- SMITH

HEROES SAVED

GOODS ALREADY BEING COLLECTED FOR SALE

PGE ADOPTING NEW OPERATING CODE

SQUAMISH CREDIT UNION
ANNUAL MEETING
FRIDAY, MARCH 14-'52
PARISH HALL, SQUAMISH
AT 8 P.M. SHARP

CONGREGATION BEARS BUILDING REPORT

CHECK THAT DATE

ATTENDS RE-UNION

JIMMIE SHIELDS
[PHOTO]

HOSPITAL BUILDING RISING RAPIDLY

HALLOWE'EN PARTY VERY SUCCESSFUL

BADMINTON CLUB CHOOSES OFFICERS

FINAL REPORT ON SQUAMISH FALL FAIR

NEW SCHOOL IS NEARLY READY

GYM CLASSES TO START ON SUNDAY

BRACKENDALE

WOODFIBRE GIRL WINS TALENT CONTEST

LEGION NOTES

THE CRADLE

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

W.A. WHIST DRIVE

KINDERGARTEN OF THE AIR
[PHOTO]

HOWE SOUNDINGS
BY WHOSIT

CBC HEADQUARTERS
[PHOTO]

PTA TO HEAR ADDRESS ON PARENT EDUCATION

BOY SCOUT NEWS

PGE OFFERS NEW PASSENGER SERVICE

CLASSIFIED ADS

SHOW HORSE HERE

SQUAMISH HAS QUIET HALLOWE'EN

FORMER RESIDENT VISITS CHILDHOOD HOME

BEAUTY SALON MOVES TO NEW LOCATION

THE BARBERSHOP QUARTET
[PHOTO]

PIONEER LOCAL RESIDENT PASSES

VETS PENSIONS ARE INCREASED

NOMINATIONS FOR 2 COMMISSIONERS

WOMEN HOLD TEAS FOR HOSPITAL FUND

ELKS CHOOSE NEW OFFICERS

GISELE
[PHOTO]

ON HUNTING TRIP

STRONG WINDS HIT SQUAMISH AREA

LOCAL BASKETBALL TEAMS SPLIT EVEN

BUILDS NEW SPUR

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

LET'S MAKE AN OPERA
[PHOTO]

SNOWMOBILE TO ARRIVE IN DECEMBER

MAIL EARLY

RUTH SPRINGFORD
[PHOTO]

CLASSIFIED ADS

LEGION DANCE

PUBLIC NOTICE

RESIDENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT LACK OF ADEQUETE DRAINAGE

CUCKOO CLOCK
[PHOTO]

BRACKENDALE

LLOYD PERCIVAL
[PHOTO]

COLD SNAP

DAMAGE SLIGHT ON HALLOWE'EN

THOUSANDS WELCOME PGE AT PRINCE GEORGE

WEAR A POPPY NOVEMBER 11

TURKEY DINNER IS GREAT SUCCESS

BRACKENDALE

REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE TUESDAY

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

COURT OF REVISION

ALTAR SOCIETY PLANS AMATEUR NIGHT

NEW BUS FOR SQUAMISH STAGES

NOTICE

CLASSIFIED ADS

LARGE TONNAGE INCREASE ON PGE

COALITION LOSES

KINDERGARTEN IS STARTED HERE

LEGION NOTES

CLOSURE LOSS HALF A MILLION

GIANTS WIN OPENER

SCOUTS STAGE FAST CAMPAIGN

THEN AND NOW

LOCAL AND PERSONAL

SPORTSMEN TO HAVE INNINGS

DEAR MR. ABBOTT

BRACKENDALE

SCHOOL BROADCASTS STARTED THIS MONTH
[PHOTO]

THE MORE WE GET TOGETHER

LUCILLE DUMONT
[PHOTO]
HEARD OVER CBC

NEWS ROUNDUP EDITOR

UNITED CHURCH ACQUIRES ORGAN

HIGH SCHOOL FORMS JOURNALISM CLUB

BADMINTON STARTS

CLASSIFIED ADS