A hidden gem.
That’s how the municipality of Delta was described by the Winnipeg Free Press in an article reproduced for the front page of The Delta Times on Sept. 26, 1903.
Headlined “The Beauties of Delta Are Tersely Described”, the article stated the Delta municipality, located at the mouth of the Fraser River, to be one of the most fertile districts in British Columbia, if not the continent.
“The grain yield is enormous. The district consists of about 50,000 acres, and the town of Ladner is situated amidst scenes of exceeding beauty. Boundary Bay, some five miles from town, rivals California for beauty and is fast becoming a very fashionable camping and bathing resort. Families from Ladner, New Westminster and Vancouver assemble here in the summer months, attracted by the beauty of the place and the best bathing beach on the coast. Quite a number of cottages are being erected,” the article reads.
“Farm lands in Delta sell from $100 to $200 per acre, which conveys some idea of the richness of the soil. Fruit and flowers grow in rich profusion and in places the growth is almost semi-tropical…It seems extraordinary how little this very pleasant and rich district is known. It is within easy reach of Westminster and Vancouver, and six hours’ sail from Victoria. Trains and boats also connect with Seattle.”
The article added, “Mr. William Ladner, the pioneer of the place, has just been nominated as the Conservative candidate for the House.”
