Major Features at Britannia
The Boardwalk
The boardwalk was rebuilt in 1995. The original boardwalk served as a main street for the Steveston waterfront. Workers, cyclists, school and supply carts shared the narrow walk built on lilies above the marsh. During the winter months, the boardwalk was often awash from high tides. The board walk was extended to the east side of the Britannia site in late 2006. It will be opened to the public once the site enhancement program has been completed.
The Japanese Duplex
Constructed in the 1890s, this building was once part of a complex of 16 buildings used by Japanese workers at the Phoenix Cannery. So far as we know it never served as a residence so the name seems a bit fanciful. The building is not currently open to the public but it is expected that it will one day house displays show some aspect of life and industry in the Fraser Estuary.
Britannia Shipyard
In July 1889, Britannia's first salmon pack was loaded into the 200 foot tea clipper Titania. This was the first direct shipment of salmon to the UK. This direct shipment proved that Steveston was a port capable of handling large vessels.
The building is a traditional L-shaped cannery and was built in 1889. Hard times came to the salmon fishing industry in 1913 when railway construction crews caused a major landslide in Hell's Gate canyon on the Fraser River a few miles above Hope. The debris blocked major spawning runs on the river and directly caused the collapse of fishery stocks. Many canneries simply closed their doors, Britannia converted to a shipyard in 1917-18.
It operated in this capacity until the late 1960s at which time it was shut down and stripped of most of its machinery. The building now houses displays of traditional boat building machinery (some of which was originally installed here and which has returned after serving in other industrial roles,) and nautical displays. These are open to the public staffing permitting.
Of particular interest at the time of writing is the vessel Fleetwood on the ways. Fleetwood was built as Skeesix, a distinctive west coast 'rum runner.'
Murakami House
The house was built in 1885 on piles over the marsh. The Murakami family lived here from 1929 until 1942. The restored home opened in 1998 as the official Murakami Visitor Center with the assistance of the Murakami family.
Richmond Boat Builders
Saeji Kishi and his employees constructed this building on piles above the marsh in 1932. The boat works was designed to accommodate up to four 30 foot fishing boats at one time. Gilnet fishing boats, 24 feet and 26 feet in length, with drums and Easthope engines, were the main product of the shop. That the building now sits on dry land some 50 feet from the water provides some idea of the amount of change that occurs in an estuary over the decades. The last vessel to be built in the building was the Silver Ann in 1969.
The Environment
The marsh, Steveston Harbour activities, Shady Island, Fraser River traffic, Westham Island and the Gulf Islands are visible from this spot. The marsh is an important fish habitat. It is a protected area for migratory birds and our family of swans.
The Stilt Houses
Also called the historic zone. This section of Britannia was completed and opened to the public in 2009. The buldings, original homes from Steveston, have been made sound and have been brought, as unobtrusively as possible, up to modern buidling code standards, The Chinese Bunk house, which once served as home from home for as many as 160 workers, has also been upgraded to serve as a meeting space and an historical display (second story, due to open in the spring of 2011.)