TEXADA ISLAND

Texada Island is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.  As part of the popular Powell River region of the Sunshine Coast, Texada Island enjoys rural living at its best.  The island has the most untouched land in the region which makes it a perfect place to go exploring and view creatures in their natural habitat.  The island is also home to a thriving limestone mining industry. 

TEXADA HISTORY

Spanish settlers first found and named the island sometime around the year 1791.  It’s an island that very quickly became known for its minerals although whaling was also one of its major industries for a time.  In 1876 Harry Trim, a whaler, discovered iron ore on the island and that discovery is what prompted mining to become the island’s major industry.  After iron, copper was discovered and shortly after that a gold mine was set up in Marble Bay in 1898. 

The Texada Island Gold Rush turned the town of Van Anda into a “boom town” and that boom town liked to brag that it had the only Opera House north of San Francisco.  Now, of course, the Gold Rush is over and Van Anda is much slower and sleepier, but the Opera House is still there and is still operational. 

Texada Island still has three limestone quarries that are operational and those limestone quarries ship out more than six million tons of limestone a year.  The marble mined in Texada was used to contribute to the Vancouver Post Office. 

In addition to its thriving limestone mining industry, Texada also has logging, sawmills, organic fertilizer and lots of other “cottage industries” that are popular on the other islands in the area.  In spite of its major industries, which are known for stripping land of resources, Texada Island has the most untouched land of any island on the Sunshine Coast.

Now Texada Island is a popular destination for tourists visiting the Powell River area.  For residents it offers a rich history, a strong sense of community and, for those more inclined to enjoy the urban life, it is a quick and easy trip to Vancouver, the nearest thriving city. 

POWELL RIVER HISTORY

The Powell River region used to be the home of the Sliammon First Nation. The entire Powell River region is thought to have housed somewhere around twenty thousand of the Sliammon First Nation’s people before the Europeans settled there.

In 1881 Doctor Israel Powell found what he called the second shortest river in the world and promptly named it and the area after himself.  At the time, Doctor Powell was the Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Canada’s British Columbian province. While it was “discovered” in 1881, it wasn’t until the turn of the twentieth century that the area started to grow as a community.  That’s when logging was introduced to the area.  A residential area started to spring up because of the logging and paper making industry.

Now Powell River is a major spot for tourism and relocation.  The area promises visitors and locals alike a great time in the outdoors.  Visitors to the area can find great fishing, hiking, and biking areas as well as Powell Lake where Ospreys and Eagles are abundant.   There is also shopping and lodging for visitors looking to make the Powell River region their choice of vacation spots. 

TEXADA REAL ESTATE

The Texada Real Estate industry is thriving and is ready and waiting for you to contact a local RE/MAX realtor to find your new dream home.  RE/MAX has an office on the island and that island is filled with agents who have an in-depth knowledge of the island and what its like to live there.  

Texada Island is the perfect place for people who want a quiet and close knit community to call home.  It’s an ideal location to start a new family and to retire and the population of the island reflects this.  Even if you just want to visit for a day, Texada has more than enough resources to keep you busy.  With untouched land to explore, and local shopping, the island is the perfect vacation destination. Everybody should visit Texada Island.