2013

Welcome back and Happy New Year. I hope that all my readers enjoyed their holiday season and that 2013 brings you everything you wish.

The 99 cent sale I ran over the holidays for my first two eBooks was quite successful and I thank everyone who helped by either spreading the word and/or purchasing a book.

For today's blog entry, I want to talk a little about a business that used to be on Victoria Drive - Terminal City Iron Works.

Terminal City Ironworks has been in business since 1906 and was originally on Alexander Street, in the location that is now the Four Sister Housing Corporation. The original facade still stands.My information I had then was that this structure was built in 1912 or 1913. My new information suggests that this may not have been part of Terminal City since that company moved in 1908. Therein lays the confusion with history, conflicting information.

At the time, I wrote on the Four Sisters Housing Corporation, I was under the impression that Terminal City had become defunct and that this building was taken over by Burrard Iron Works. The company didn't go under and is still in operation today.

Terminal City Iron Works Ltd is a family owned business - founded by James Mason through Clifford A. Mason to Stanley J. Mason. The company was a manufacturer and supplier of municipal water work fittings, gate valves and fire hydrants as well as speciality castings.

When the small operation from Alexander Street in Gastown moved to Franklin Street, it wasn't an immense operation. That soon changed. Bit by bit the company expanded. At one time buildings were constructed in Prince Rupert then dismantled and shipped to Mission where they would be stored until the structures were ready to be reassembled and put in place. 

In 1945 the building burned to the ground but, as you can see, it was resurrected and started expanding. 1947 is when the company started to spread out to Victoria Drive. But it was the 1960s when Terminal City Iron Works began to encompass the block.

I am going to tell you about the 60s expansion and what is happening with the site on my next blog entry. I have so many photos of this city block that it will fill this week's blog entries with a few left over. 

Until Wednesday, I hope you find the beauty around you.

Health and wealth in 2013.

Karen Magill, Vancouver, James Mason, history, Clifford A Mason, Stanley J Mason British Columbia, Canada, Terminal City Iron Works, Four Sisters Housing Corporation,2013