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History
The Town of Mission City had an interesting beginning as a land promotion. The town's core commercial properties and residential streets were auctioned off at the "Great Land Sale" of 1891, with buyers brought in via the CPR mainline from Vancouver as well as from Eastern Canada. Some of the early houses and commercial buildings were, in fact, specifically designed to be reminiscent of small towns in southern Ontario in order to encourage buyers. Hailed at the time as a new metropolis, the fledgling town's location at the junction of the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline with a northward extension of the Burlington Northern Railroad brought name suggestions that included East Vancouver and North Seattle. The name Mission City was chosen due to the site's proximity to the historic St. Mary's Mission of the Oblate order just east of town, which was founded in 1868.
At the time of founding, the swing-span Mission Railway Bridge opened in 1891 was the only crossing of the Fraser River in the Fraser Valley below Yale, and all rail traffic between Vancouver and the United States was necessarily routed through Mission until the New Westminster Bridge at New Westminster was built in 1904. The rail bridge at Mission doubled duty as a one-way alternating vehicular bridge until 1973, when a long-promised new Mission Bridge was finally completed. The bridge's location is geographically important at the head of the tidal bore on the Fraser River, and its water level gauge is an important measure of the Fraser's annual and sometimes dangerously large spring freshet.
The building of the Highway 1 freeway on the south side of the Fraser in the early 1960s brought huge population growth and large shopping malls to formerly rural Abbotsford, Matsqui, Sumas and Langley; as a result Mission lost its "anchor", the main Eaton's department store in the Valley, and the town's Main Street businesses lost much of their business to the new shopping malls a few minutes away across the river. This process was accelerated with the opening of the new bridge in the mid-1970s.
The berry industry, formerly the district's largest and most important, formed the heart of the town's annual summer party, the Strawberry Festival. But with the impacts on this industry (relocation of the Japanese during wartime and the devastating flood of 1948), the strawberry theme was abandoned. The town acquired the rights to the Western Canada championships of the Soap Box Derby, which were held annually in a specially-built facility until 1973; the Derby has been revived in the new millennium.
Mission's other major industry was logging, and the town's several mills were noted for being the world's largest suppliers of red cedar shakes and shingles. The District of Mission has operated for many years its own tree farm, covering most of its northern and northwestern mountainous forests. This tree farm served as a model for silvicultural management on a larger scale throughout British Columbia as well as provided a unique income source for the municipality. From 1967 through the 1970s the Soap Box Derby shared Dominion Day with a large Loggers Sports event, one of the largest in British Columbia and important on the North American Loggers Sports Association circuit.
In the 1960s and 1970s there was a large cluster of productive mills on the waterfront in Mission, for many years world capital of red cedar shake production (the mill at Whonnock outproduced the largest of the Mission mills, but Mission's city of mills was the largest overall producer). Nearby Eddy Match Co., between Mission and Hatzic, was the largest matchstick-making plant in the world until it closed in the 1960s; its only rival was in Hull, Quebec.
Location
Mission is a Canadian district municipality situated on the north bank of the Fraser River, overlooking the Fraser Valley. Originally it was two separate incorporations, the District Municipality of Mission and the smaller Town of Mission City; these were amalgamated by plebiscite in 1969.
Places to See
- Xa:ytem Longhouse
The Xa:ytem historic site, location at the "Hatzic Rock", is situated on 18 acres, just east of the commercial core on the Lougheed Highway. Believed to be the site of the oldest dwelling in British Columbia, the boulder marks a location where carbon dating of hundreds of native artifacts indicates that the site is roughly 9,000 years ago. It was designated as a National Historic site in 1992. To the First Nations people, the Hatzic Rock is a rare "transformer site" that depicts the Sto:lo story of 3 chiefs who challenged the Creator, and were turned to stone. The Xa:ytem interpretive centre was constructed in 1994 to provide information about the site, and to preserve this important treasure. Tours are available.
- Power House at Stave Falls
Spark your imagination! The Power House at Stave Falls offers an exciting all-ages experience, with interactive games and historic displays that tell the story of how power helped build this province. Come experience an authentic 1912 generating station. Other amenities include a 50-seat theatre, a gift shop, and a BC Hydro recreation site nearby.
- Mission Museum
Located in downtown Mission, the Mission Museum's permanent displays trace the history of Mission from the first inhabitants in the area, through the arrival of Father Fouquet and his establishment of St. Mary's Mission, to the arrival of the railways and recent developments.
Also featured are special displays of kitchen, logging, and farming artifacts from early settlers, as well as the famous Western Canada Soap Box Derby. The Museum offers a wide variety of tours targeted specifically for children, as well as material for adults.
- Westminster Abbey
Perhaps Mission's most famous landmark, this beautiful monastery attracts thousands of visitors annually. The Benedictine monks who inhabit the Abbey have created a self-sufficient pastoral lifestyle at this inspiring location, and welcome visitors to their grounds and for services. Westminster Abbey is on a 180 metre elevation above the Fraser River, a 200-acre site that includes the abbey grounds, a farm, and a seminary campus. Its most distinctive feature is the abbey church and its tower with a ring of 10 bells. These may be heard Sunday mornings 15 minutes before the 10:00 am Mass. The views from the Abbey seem to stretch forever, providing a panoramic view of the Fraser Valley. Visitors are welcome at the chapel on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and on weekdays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Mission Raceway Park
Owned and operated by the BC Custom Car Association, a registered non-profit Society established in 1952, Mission Raceway Park is a multi-purpose motorsport facility consisting of a world class quarter mile Dragstrip, a challenging 1.4 mile Roadcourse, and a 2 mile Motocross Track.
Sanctioned by the national Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the Dragstrip is often referred to as the “Best in The West†by racers from all over North America, with many record-breaking runs on the track. Each year MRP hosts a number of NHRA events featuring some of the quickest and fastest Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars on the planet - low 5 second elapsed times and speeds in excess of 270 mph are common.
- Fraser River Heritage Park
Fraser River Heritage Park is located at one of the most breathtakingly beautiful locations to be found anywhere. The site of many community activities, including weekly Wednesday evening concerts at the bandstand during the summer months, the park is also visited regularly by local residents. The Norma Kenney House includes a gift shop, restaurant, and administrative offices. The park also houses the historic ruins of St. Mary's Mission and Indian Residential School, and will soon boast a fully restored Grotto site, an important pilgrimage location.
Things to Do
- Fishing
Fishing in Mission and the Fraser Valley is second to none. Offering a variety of species for anglers, it is no wonder that Mission is known as one of North America's premiere fishing destinations.
- Shopping
There are three main precincts available for people looking to shop in Mission: Downtown, the Junction, and the Lougheed Corridor.
- Mission Circle Farm Tour
From the bustle of the farmer's market to the serenity of an artist's retreat, the Mission Circle Farm Tour is an eclectic blend of excitement and repose. Sample wild berry wines, micro-brews, and 35 varieties of apples; reel in a lively trout, and travel through a majestic forest to arrive at a working farm of exotic beasts. Relax as you shop for garden topiary, stroll through one of the Fraser Valley's most scenic nurseries, and while away the hours at the folk festival. End your tour with a fabulous meal at one of the area's most popular upscale restaurants.
Events
- Annual Spring Ahead Run
Enjoy a scenic 5 or 10 kilometre run around Mission's Ferndale area. You'll be greeted with views of Westminster Abbey, Mt. Baker, and the rest of the pastoral Ferndale area.
- Mission & District Annual Soapbox Derby
From its humble beginnings in 1946 as a minor part of the Mission Board of Trade's Strawberry Festival, the Mission Soapbox Derby grew to be a major event, eventually overshadowing the Strawberry Festival and attracting 20,000 people in 1956.
In 1974, due to a lack of interest and the withdrawal of a major sponsor, the derby was cancelled, and although there were many attempts to resurrect it, the derby was not re-established until 1999, a quarter of a century later.
The first new race was held on 01 July 1999, sponsored by the Mission & District Lions Club along with businesses and community groups. The Mission Mission & District Soapbox Derby Association has been running the derby since 2002. The Association encourages everyone to come out to watch the races and participate in other fun events.
Contact Information
District of Mission
8645 Stave Lake St.
Mission, BC V2V 4L9
Telephone: 604-820-3700
E-mail: info@mission.ca
Website: www.mission.ca
Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce
& Visitor Information Centre
34033 Lougheed Highway
Mission, BC V2V 5X8
Telephone: 604-826-6914
Toll-Free: 1-877-826-6914
E-mail: visit@mission.ca
Website: www.missionchamber.bc.ca
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