Coquitlam in Bloom / Heritage Conservation
Heritage Conservation
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Fraser Mills townsite, circa 1910s Photo credit: City of Coquitlam Archives
Coquitlam’s rich heritage is evident in buildings, streetscapes, neighbourhoods, landscapes and other places throughout the city, as well as in the cultural practices of its diverse population. The earliest residents were the Coast Salish—in particular, the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people. European settlement began in the 1860s, leading to the incorporation of the District of Coquitlam in 1891. Fraser Mills, a state-of-the-art lumber mill, soon opened along the Fraser River and by 1908, a small town had grown around it. The timber trade attracted immigrants, each bringing their own culture and traditions, such as the ChineseCanadian market gardens, restaurants and shops, the Sikh community’s gurdwara at Fraser Mills, and the Francophone community in Maillardville. Chinese, Japanese and South Asian (primarily Sikhs from Punjab) people worked at the mill and area farms. Immigration has continued, establishing Coquitlam as a culturally diverse community.
