We are a non-profit organization focused on promoting, preserving, and being a strong, active resource for all things of heritage value on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia. Join us to learn about the history of Sea Island and its residents, past and present.
Newsletter
Sea Island is nestled between the north arm and middle arms of the Fraser River in British Columbia. It is part of the City of Richmond. Once an island with thriving communities, most residents have been expropriated for the expansion of the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). The Burkeville neighbourhood, first built during the WWII effort, is the only remaining residential area on Sea Island. The Coast Salish peoples were the first to come to Sea Island to fish, hunt and collect berries, establishing summer camps and year-long homes primarily on the northwest corner of the island. The year-long homes were moved to different locations along the coast as needed. There is evidence of middens on Sea Island suggesting villages or permanent homes existed in one place for more than a year. Sea Island is also a place rich in the history of flying, but the many improvements to YVR were not without controversy.
In 1939 Boeing Aircraft of Canada built a huge manufacturing plant beside the middle arm of the Fraser River on Sea Island for the World War II effort. When first opened, the plant employed 175 people. The Sea Island plant built PBY Catalina Aircraft for off-shore air patrols, and the middle section of the B-29.
Boeing Plant
Between 1941 and 1944, the Burkeville housing project was created after the Wartime Housing Ltd. was granted authority to build 300 temporary houses for Boeing plant workers. Burkeville is the only remaining residential area on Sea Island to this day.
Burkeville
Before World War II, Sea Island had a thriving Japanese community on the south shore of Sea Island, where many worked at the Vancouver Cannery and Acme Cannery or as fishermen. In 1942, as the Japanese people were sent to internment camps, the canneries closed and the cannery-owned housing was destroyed.
Canneries
Many Chinese males moved to Sea Island in the late 1800s, early 1900s leading to six known pioneer Chinese families from the MAH clan or married into the MAH clan settling and becoming farmers on the island. As Chinese individuals were not allowed to own land at the time, they leased land from European settlers.
Chinese Pioneers
After World War II, tracts of land were set aside on Sea Island for returning veterans. One of these was the Cora Brown subdivision, located at the north end of Sea Island. Around 1960, another smaller subdivision was built to the west of Cora Brown on the other side of McDonald Road. The two neighbourhoods were entwined.
Cora Brown
Eburne was one of the earliest communities in Richmond. Eburne started on the Vancouver side of the Fraser River, in what is presently known as the Marpole area and expanded to Sea Island where the MacArthur-Glen Designer Outlet is now located. It was named after Harry Eburne.
Eburne
YVR opened in 1931 as the Vancouver Civic Airport and Seaplane Harbour. During WWII, it was operated by the government as RCAF Station Sea Island. In 1948, it was officially named the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). From its inception in 1928 to today, all farmland and residential areas were expropriated for the many expansions of the airport except for Burkeville.
Vancouver International AirportDuring World War II, the Vancouver Airport and its original terminal, now the South Terminal, were leased to the Federal Government and operated as RCAF Station Sea Island. After World War II, RCAF Station Sea Island was renamed RCAF Station Vancouver. RCAF Station Vancouver closed in 1964 as military bases were downsized, merged or closed. Learn more about the military history of Sea Island.
The Sea Island Heritage Society has been collecting anything and everything to preserve the heritage of Sea Island since about 1995. After one of the Cora Brown reunions, a few volunteers started gathering information, photographs and all things relating to Sea Island, with different Board members at the helm through the years. All our volunteers are passionate about the life of Sea Islanders, past and present and can provide you with a lot of information. The Society has a lot to share! Meet the whole team
Our mission is to make sure the history of Sea Island and its citizens gets recorded. We are working on a number of projects from the creation of genealogy trees of the Sea Island pioneer families on Ancestry to identifying students and teachers in class photos and recording family stories and house histories, amongst others. Find out about the Society's projects and help us capture the heritage of Sea Island.
From September to June the Sea Island Heritage Society volunteers can be found manning booths at community events, interviewing individuals, researching and documenting what happened on Sea Island through the decades, organizing monthly Coffee Chats or a yearly reunion of Sea Islanders, and anything else related to the heritage of Sea Island. Learn more about what we do.
The Society continues to work on a number of endeavours to document the history of Sea Island and its past and present residents. We could use your help with any of the projects listed below:
Donate your class photos and help us identify all students and teachers in each photo from the two Sea Island schools, the Japanese School, the Duncan McDonald Elementary School and the RCAF Annex. Learn more
Volunteer to help us record or write the family stories of past and present residents of Sea Island or let us assist you in writing your own family story. Learn more
Donate or scan your photos and help the Society preserve the history and heritage of each home on Sea Island, including the houses and farms that have already disappeared. Learn more
If you are a descendant of Sea Island pioneers or have an interest in the pioneers of Sea Island, contact our volunteer genealogists to get more information. Learn more
Were you a student at any of the schools on Sea Island? Perhaps a family member was? Contact us to obtain or share information about any of the Sea Island teachers or their biographies. Learn more
Many past Sea Islanders were World War II veterans with untold stories. Our volunteers first wrote their veteran parent’s story and now wish to encourage families to write their own veteran’s story. Learn more
The Sea Island Heritage Society hosts and participates in events in the community every year. Between our yearly annual general meeting, our monthly Coffee Chats, an annual Sea Island reunion, and participation in our community partners' events, our volunteers are kept busy. Stay informed about the Society's events.
