Changing Transport, Changing Land

 

                                                                                      Abandoned railway track

Recently I saw a presentation about the early settlers on the Coquitlam River. This area of British Columbia was settled relatively late. The waning years of the 1850s saw the first pioneer claiming land. This, of course, was the story of European style settlement. There were already people on the land as it was the territory of the Kwikwetlem First Nation.The first peoples' relationship with the land was different than that of the European settlers. 

When settlement by the Europeans began there were no roads. Transport was by water. That meant those early settlers took up land and built on the banks of the river; river banks which were differently placed than today. In fact, a map of the early settlement showed that one of the pioneers took up land on an island in the Coquitlam River which is no longer there.

The river and the land around it have changed so much over the years that it is doubtful that the early settlers would recognize them. A city has grown up around the waterway's new course (actually two cities) and the river has been dammed. All of these factors are a reminder to anyone studying the history of the area that it would be best to consult old maps and photos to better understand the lay of the land.

Land use changed in other ways too as new avenues of transportation were built. This was more obvious in the less populated lands of British Columbia, but I'm reminded that even a more built-up country, such as England, was also changed by new forms of transport.

The first week of the Future Learn course "Working Lives on Britain's Railways: Railway History and Heritage", gave a potted history of the rise of railways in Britain. Railroads allowed people and goods to get around more quickly and easily. They also changed the landscape as miles and miles of track were laid. I'm eager to learn more about what my ancestors who worked on the railway did in their jobs.

As with most new technology, however, the push for new railway lines abated once the heyday of railway expansion was over. In some places there was also retraction, leading to abandoned towns and disused tracks, another alteration of the land. 

 

Sources:

Drew, Ralph. Coquitlam Pioneers: First Settlers on the Coquitlam River - presentation given to the BCGS April 14 2021