Loggers' cabins along Burrard Inlet,
now Vancouver, in 1868
A-03227


Before British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871 the colony was a collection of scattered settlements and tiny towns that had sprung up near reserves of natural resources.

Ships powered by wind and steam connected B.C. to the outside world and provided transportation between the coastal communities.

Sailing and steamships,
Victoria Harbour, 1880s
A-03114
Until the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885 the best way to reach British Columbia, and the only way to ship out exports such as furs, gold, or coal, was by sea.

Furs were sold in Asia, Europe and eastern North America. Ships had to navigate the long way across the Pacific or around the dangerous waters of Cape Horn.

Sailing ships loading lumber,
Burrard Inlet (now North Vancouver),
in the 1860s
A-00397


After the railway was completed, and as various other lines were added, B.C. found new markets for its exports of minerals, lumber, and fish.

A-00443, A-00043, A-00039
B.C. harbours, particularly Vancouver became important entry ports for goods from Asia that were distributed throughout North America.

This kind of trade has increased greatly in the late twentieth century.


Continued...





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