Bradner, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Bradner is a community within the City of Abbotsford
, British Columbia
, Canada
, located in a rural northwest region of that city which also includes Mount Lehman
. Bradner occupies a height of land above the Fraser River
, immediately across which is the community of Silverdale
, a part of the District of Mission
, and Ruskin
, on the border between Mission and Maple Ridge
. On the floodplain below to the west is the Langley
rural neighbourhood of Glen Valley, while on the floodplain to the east, which is called Matsqui Prairie, the nearest Abbotsford neighbourhood is Matsqui Village. Bradner was formerly part of the District of Matsqui, which in 1995 was amalgamated into the City of Abbotsford.
Bradner was named after Thomas Bradner, a settler in the area who homesteaded there in 1895. A Bradner Post Office was designated in 1939 and Bradner was a station on the British Columbia Electric Railway
interurban
line from New Westminster to Chilliwack
. Bradner is near-totally agricultural in nature, and is noted for its annual show of blooms, as the crops in the area are largely floral, particularly daffodils, a legacy of the many farmers of Dutch extraction
who helped found that area's agricultural industry. The village was originally there in 1910, but there were only a few farms, with no real town. In 1910, the B.C. Railway built a railroad through Thomas Bradner's backyard. The rail company decided to stop the line here, and name it after Mr. Bradner, the man who had started the town.
In 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Fenwick Fatkin settled in the area, after moving from Vancouver. Mr. Fatkin liked the area, because of its rich soil, and perfect daffodil growing climate. In 1928, Fatkin wanted other local growers to showcase their daffodils, and this was the humble beginnings of the famous annual Flower Show. In the beginning, only 10 types of daffodils were displayed. Today, there are over four hundred.
Another notable celebration in the Bradner community is the annual May Day parade. Every year, a grade six student is selected to become the May Queen. In 2009, the first May King was elected. This raised much controversy in the community, as tradition was not being followed.
Bradner also has a local, monthly newspaper. The Bradner Barker is distributed every month during the months school is in session. It often features work submitted by students at Bradner Elementary.
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located in a rural northwest region of that city which also includes Mount Lehman
Mount Lehman, British Columbia
Mount Lehman or Mt. Lehman is a small rural community located in the Fraser Valley of southwestern British Columbia, Canada...
. Bradner occupies a height of land above the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
, immediately across which is the community of Silverdale
Silverdale, British Columbia
Silverdale is a semi-rural neighbourhood of the District of Mission, British Columbia, Canada c. 40 km east of Vancouver on the west bank of the Stave River at its confluence with the Fraser. Noted for its historic Italian Canadian community, its economy was farming, fishing and logging based...
, a part of the District of Mission
Mission, British Columbia
Mission, the core of which was formerly known as Mission City, is a district municipality in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the north bank of the Fraser River overlooking the City of Abbotsford and with that city is part of the Central Fraser Valley. Mission is the...
, and Ruskin
Ruskin, British Columbia
Ruskin is a rural and industrial area about 40 kilometres east of Vancouver, British Columbia straddling the border between the suburban municipalities of Maple Ridge and Mission, on the west bank of the lower Stave River.-History:...
, on the border between Mission and Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
. On the floodplain below to the west is the Langley
Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)
The Township of Langley is a district municipality immediately east of the City of Surrey in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It extends south from the Fraser River to the U.S. border, and west of the City of Abbotsford...
rural neighbourhood of Glen Valley, while on the floodplain to the east, which is called Matsqui Prairie, the nearest Abbotsford neighbourhood is Matsqui Village. Bradner was formerly part of the District of Matsqui, which in 1995 was amalgamated into the City of Abbotsford.
Bradner was named after Thomas Bradner, a settler in the area who homesteaded there in 1895. A Bradner Post Office was designated in 1939 and Bradner was a station on the British Columbia Electric Railway
British Columbia Electric Railway
The British Columbia Electric Railway was a historic Canadian railway which operated in southwestern British Columbia.Originally the parent company, and later a division, of BC Electric, the BCER operated public transportation in southwestern British Columbia from its establishment in the...
interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
line from New Westminster to Chilliwack
Chilliwack, British Columbia
Chilliwack is a Canadian city in the Province of British Columbia. It is a predominantly agricultural community with an estimated population of 80,000 people. Chilliwack is the second largest city in the Fraser Valley Regional District after Abbotsford. The city is surrounded by mountains and...
. Bradner is near-totally agricultural in nature, and is noted for its annual show of blooms, as the crops in the area are largely floral, particularly daffodils, a legacy of the many farmers of Dutch extraction
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
who helped found that area's agricultural industry. The village was originally there in 1910, but there were only a few farms, with no real town. In 1910, the B.C. Railway built a railroad through Thomas Bradner's backyard. The rail company decided to stop the line here, and name it after Mr. Bradner, the man who had started the town.
In 1914, Mr. and Mrs. Fenwick Fatkin settled in the area, after moving from Vancouver. Mr. Fatkin liked the area, because of its rich soil, and perfect daffodil growing climate. In 1928, Fatkin wanted other local growers to showcase their daffodils, and this was the humble beginnings of the famous annual Flower Show. In the beginning, only 10 types of daffodils were displayed. Today, there are over four hundred.
Another notable celebration in the Bradner community is the annual May Day parade. Every year, a grade six student is selected to become the May Queen. In 2009, the first May King was elected. This raised much controversy in the community, as tradition was not being followed.
Bradner also has a local, monthly newspaper. The Bradner Barker is distributed every month during the months school is in session. It often features work submitted by students at Bradner Elementary.