Sayward Historical Society
Sayward Historical Society
The Sayward Historical Society was founded in 2025 by good friends Don Bruce and Jonathan Kervin. Don had a passion for preserving the history of the Sayward Valley. Jonathan partnered with Don to create a “digital museum”. Don passed away suddenly just 2 short months after the society incorporated. Today, Jonathan Kervin, Jess Bennet and Chris Marccacini serve as directors for the Sayward Historical Society, carrying on Don’s vision for historical preservation. Sayward Historical Society has incorporation number S0082451, and business number 70539 0623 BC0001.
Settlers For Salmon River – Carving A Life From The Wilderness
In the early 1920s, the Salmon River Valley was still very much a frontier—remote, rugged, and full of promise. The photographs from this era capture more than just landscapes and homesteads; they reveal the determination of the settlers who chose to build a life in...
Life On The Edge Of Wilderness – A Pioneer’s First Year At Salmon River In The 1920s
In the early 1920s, the remote banks of the Salmon River near present-day Sayward were not yet the quiet, scenic destination many recognize today. Instead, they were the frontier—rugged, isolated, and filled with both promise and hardship for the first wave of...
Steam, Steel, And Timber – Rail Logging On The Salmon River
In this striking historical photograph from the Salmon River, a small steam locomotive carefully crosses a rugged wooden trestle, its crew perched on the engine as it inches forward over the river below. The image captures more than just a moment—it tells the story of...
Building A Lifeline – The Story Of Sayward’s 1918 Swing Bridge
In the early 20th century, life in the remote communities of northern Vancouver Island was defined by isolation, ingenuity, and determination. A fascinating glimpse into that era comes from a Times Colonist newspaper account by Rene Harding, preserved by the Sayward...
Life and Labor at Kelsey Bay Logging Camp 2 (Circa 1950s)
Tucked into the rugged landscape of northern Vancouver Island, Kelsey Bay Logging Camp 2 offers a fascinating glimpse into a time when the logging industry shaped both the land and the lives of those who worked it. The black-and-white image captures more than just a...
Shorty McKinlay – A Sayward Original
In small coastal communities, legends aren’t made in headlines—they’re built over coffee at the café, in the bush, on the docks, and around stories that get better every time they’re told. In the village of Sayward, one such figure still lives on in memory and local...
B&S&W Logging In The 1950s And The Early Days of Larry McKinlay
In the rugged coastal forests of northern Vancouver Island, the 1950s marked a defining era for industrial logging—and few names were as central to that story as Bloedel, Stewart and Welch. Operating extensively in and around the Sayward region, B&S&W helped...
A Glimpse into the Sayward Valley in 1948 – Industry, Opportunity, and a Growing Community
Tucked away on northern Vancouver Island, the Sayward Valley has long been a region shaped by its rugged landscape, abundant natural resources, and quiet resilience. A recently surfaced excerpt from a 1948 government document offers a fascinating snapshot of life in...
The K’ómoks Peoples Of The Salmon River Region Circa 1917
The K’ómoks Peoples and the Salmon River Region: Relocation, Hardship, and the Formation of a New Community The Salmon River area near present-day Sayward lies within the broader traditional territories associated with the K’ómoks First Nation. This region, along with...
The Forgotten Coastal Community Of Port Kusam Near Sayward BC
Hidden along the rugged coastline of northern Vancouver Island lies the historical site of Port Kusam, a little-known coastal community located near Sayward. Today, it is quiet and largely reclaimed by forest and shoreline, but in earlier decades it played a small yet...
The Queen Of Prince Rupert Was A Gateway To The North From Kelsey Bay In The 1970s
The Queen of Prince Rupert at Kelsey Bay in the 1970s: A Northern Gateway Era In the 1970s, the quiet coastal terminal at Kelsey Bay was part of a much larger maritime network connecting remote communities along British Columbia’s rugged coastline. One of the most...
The Early Kelsey Bay Log Sort Helped Build A Coastal Timber Hub
Along the rugged shoreline of northern Vancouver Island, the small coastal settlement of Kelsey Bay became one of the most important timber-handling points in the region. In the early decades of industrial logging, the Kelsey Bay log sort played a crucial role in...
