Eburne
Up until 1975 you could still buy groceries at the general store and butcher shop in this area once known as Eburne. Just as Steveston was a centre for fishing, Eburne was the agricultural centre for the Sea Island and Lulu Island (Richmond) farmers.
Named after Harry Eburne, a store owner, the original Eburne community started on the Vancouver side of the river (renamed Marpole in 1916) and expanded to Sea Isalnd where you are standing now.
Eburne was one of the earliest communities in Richmond. The building of two bridges in 1890 to connect Vancouver and Richmond prompted Harry Eburne to build a general store and Post Office on Sea Island which was soon followed by a blacksmith shop and butcher shop.
The building of the Arthur Laing Bridge eventually took traffic away from this area. The last remaining store, owned by the Grauer family since 1912, was closed in 1975.
Seismic upgrading of the bridge in 1999 resulted in the removal of a willow tree that once stood in the garden of the Grauer family home. A replacement tree has been planted in this location as a reminder of our recent past.
Interested in photographs of Richmond’s past? Visit Richmond Museum or Achieves at the Cultural Centre or www.city.richmond.bc.ca
Historical signage and tree funded by the Vancouver International Airport Authority.