Ruskin - a brief history

The recognition of Ruskin as a community distinct from Whonnock started with the establishment in 1896 of a sawmill on the confluence of Stave River and Fraser River by the Canadian Co-operative Society (Mission, 1995).

They gave the location the name "Ruskin Mills." The influx of workers and their families in 1896 warranted a school-Stave River School-and the establishment of a post office that continued carrying the name Ruskin even after the demise of "Ruskin Mills" in 1900. That sawmill was the first in a long series of lumber mills in the area creating steady work.

Around 1910 a railway station with the name Ruskin was established in conjunction with the construction of power stations at Stave Falls. That was also the time when the school was named Ruskin School, reflecting the consolidation of Ruskin as a community.

For many years logging, sawmilling, the damming of the Stave, and the power stations created hundreds of local employment opportunities providing some form of financial stability unknown in other areas. Sadly, with time Ruskin had to give up its railway station, its post office, its general store and its elementary school.

However, Ruskin Community Hall, opened in 1924, survived due to the dedication of proud volunteers.

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Heritage

Ruskin chapter of Donald Luxton's The Heritage Resources of Maple Ridge, April 2018. Click here to download