Named notable Hills in Abbotsford

Landing Road of Mount Lehman. Centre Edward Taylor, Bill Spallin and Lorne Goghlan

Mt Lehman, BC

Brian Kingman, September 2012

As time marches on, some of the pioneer landmark names seem to disappear from our written history. For some reason, in early British Columbia, naming of treacherous hills seemed to be in vogue. For example, the old King George Highway through Surrey had two notorious hills. One known as the Woodward hill rising from the Mud Bay region to past Highway 10 and the Petersen Hill which started at Whalley’s Garage and ended at the Pattullo Bridge. The old Hope-Princeton Highway had the infamous “Whip-Saw Hill” the bane of many early travelers. The Fraser Canyon with its’ famous “Jack-Ass Mountain hill.

Not to be left out, Abbotsford has its’ share of unique hills. The Beaver Creek hill on the old Inter Provincial Highway (58th Ave. & Nathan Creek), and the very dangerous Pemberton Hill on the northern portion of the Bradner Road, the Graham hill, both descending into Glen Valley. One always needed to be wary descending Sumas Mountain via the Cox Quarry hill on to Matsqui Prairie.
As a young man growing up in the old Matsqui, I often struggled on my bicycle, pedalling on the gravel roads whilst visiting friends in the outlying areas of our municipality. The gravelled Downes Road was by far the most daunting road to travel by car or bicycle in the early days.

In conversation with pioneer resident Annie (Murphy) McDonald, I was pleased to learn that three of the most treacherous hills on the Downes Road actually had names. I recall stories by my late father-in-law, James Taylor, who often talked about the hardships of travelling the Mount Lehman Road in the early years where corduroy roads were built of logs laid over swamp; stories of the ominous Gibson Hill, which wound around the high knoll just south of the Harris Road intersection and the difficulties that the long Macgregor Hill south of the Downes road presented to winter travelers when drifting snow and ice made it near impossible to drive on; But nothing could compare to the three hills of the Downes Road.

The first and worst was the hill known as the Campbell Hill which topped off at Thomas & Jane Scott’s farm, (Just across the road from the present day North View Church). This hill was so steep that many a car could not make it to the top. The hill named for the pioneer Campbell family who farmed at the present day Len Jansen farm, started at their driveway and just west of the Craig Creek. It quickly ascended on what seemed to be a 40% grade. Even the Cox Station Hill at the western end of the Sumas Mountain Road was not as steep as the Campbell Hill.

The old Campbell farm also has a distinctive knoll that we believe is the Mount Harvey mentioned in the 1874 Albin Hawkins dairy. Annie McDonald remembers stories from her pioneer parents telling her that the Telegraph Survey teams in the 1870’s camped at Mt. Harvey. Living pioneer farmer, Mr. Doug Rennie who lives at the base of the Glenmore Road hill and entrance to Matsqui Prairie, told this writer that he, as a young lad, often hunted grouse on Mount Harvey.

The next terrible hill on the Downes Road started just west of the Townline Road and was known as the White Hill. This hill was nearly as steep as the Campbell. It ends at the Gerry Powers property. (aka the Owl man).

And the last of the three terrible hills on the Downes Road was known as the Towlan Hill, commencing just west of the Mount Lehman Road and continuing past the Ross Road, peaking just past Kato’s Nursery.

The large and very steep Gladwin Road hill never to Annie’s knowledge had a nick-name, but the Gladwin Road hill south of the Riverside Road intersection was known as the Sand Hill. In those days, the Gladwin Road actually terminated at the bottom entrance to Matsqui Prairie was also called Scoggie Road then it picked up again at the Townshipline Road.

Matriarch, Anna Taylor walking on her namesake road "Taylor" with her granddaughter Kitty Taylor. Photo taken circa 1910; assumed as Kitty (Katherine) was born in 1906 to Ed and Elizabeth Taylor.

Steam ship Skeena, docked at Mount Lehman wharf based at the bottom of the Landing Road Hill.

The feature photo include; The 3 men walking up the Landing Road of Mount Lehman. The centre person is Edward Taylor, he happens to be my wife Donna's Great Grandfather (as well as her sister Janet, & cousin Gordon, Grant, Rosemary & Douglas) The other two, Bill Spallin and Lorne Goghlan

Steam ship Romona, that docked daily at Mount Lehman wharf based at the bottom of the Landing Road Hill

G" Grandfather Edward was the ships Purser on the steam ship Romona, that docked daily at Mount Lehman wharf based at the bottom of the Landing Road Hill. I have included a photo of the Matriarch, Anna Taylor walking on her namesake road "Taylor" with her granddaughter Kitty Taylor. Photo taken circa 1910; assumed as Kitty (Katherine) was born in 1906 to Ed and Elizabeth Taylor.