Sailing on Sumas Lake - Ca 1890

Another greats set of pictures provided by the Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, B.C.  If copies are wanted of any of their photos  please refer to their website:

http://www.thereach.ca/

Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, B.C.

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p825

According to the Reach Gallery Museum the description reads:  Group aboard Orion Bowman's sailboat, Argo, out on Sumas Lake.  Bowman would sail the Argo out of Sumas Lake via Sumas and Fraser Rivers and as far as Vancouver Island. 

Photograph and descriptions credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, British Columbia.

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p5748

 Bowman, family and friends took many trips aboard the "Argo". Ida (Bowman) Campbell chronicled one memorable trip in "The Log of the Argo", available at The Reach. Amongst other things, the Argo was sunk when the Mission bridge swing span closed prematurely but was raised and finished the trip.

Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, British Columbia

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p826

Another picture of the "Argo".

Orion Bowman resided in Canada.  He operated a Creamery across the border in Canada to accommodate the growing dairy industry locally.

Sumas Lake

Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, British Columbia

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p6298

  B.C.  Electric Railway track along Sumas Lake.

Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, B.C. 

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p5427

 Sumas Lake with snow on distance mountain Ca. 1920

 Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, .B.C.
http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p12433
Sunday School Picnic at Sumas Lake near Belrose Station.  Group includes nine people, children and adults swimming at Sumas Lake.  August 1919.

Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, B.C.

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p7702

Boating on Sumas Lake

Photograph credited to the Reach Gallery Museum, Abbotsford, B.C.

http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p5665

A woman seated next to the BCER,  B.C. Electric Railway tracks near Belrose Station painting the distance Chilliwack Mountain looking northeast.

Just to the north of Sumas across the border there was a large shallow lake that extended north to Abbotsford and east to Vedder Mountain and towards Chilliwack.  Sumas Lake was known for its abundant wildlife, including migrating birds.  According to Wikipedia the lake supported sturgeon, trout and salmon.  The migrating birds included Hutchins Goose, White Fronted Goose and Whistling Swans.  There was even allegedly grizzly bear inhabiting the area around the lake.  The lake was a major source of hunting and fishing for the local Sto:lo tribe.

During the wet flood season the lake grew and extended into the Whatcom County south of the border.  The flooding was severe and caused lots of damage to local homesteads, farms and communities.  

To control the flooding and to provide more farmland, the local Canadian officials decided to drain the lake.  They succeeded by building canals and dykes to direct the water with the help of large pump houses, to the Fraser River.   Unfortunately this destroyed the native food sources as well as displaced the wildlife.  This is the 90th anniversary of the draining of Sumas Lake.  

I recommend that people visit the Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford, British Columbia to visit their special exhibit regarding the draining of Sumas Lake.  There is a great art exhibit interpreting the impact of the draining.