“. . . I have bought the Capilano flume which runs from about a couple of miles north of the Dam down to the First Narrows together with some timber up the Capilano. I have also bought a little mill and am leasing it to some Japanese, who are going to cut timber on their own property up the Capilano and pay me $2.00 per thousand for the use of sawmill and flume . . .”
from a letter by Edward Mahon, May 4th, 1908
A project to humanize the Japanese Canadian carpenters who built the original Teahouse and a log cabin in Capilano Canyon is asking the community for help.
In 1911, Edward Mahon contracted some skilled carpenters to build these log structures with tongue and groove technology, something that Japanese boat builders and carpenters could do. The 1911 census lists six carpenters living in Capilano as: Watanabe, Yamamoto and Tahara and since the enumerator had trouble with transcribing the names, the others are listed as Mr. & Mrs. Naghi, Yananicho and Kerfuda. This is an opportunity to recognize those carpenters as the loghouse has historical designation and the project will be going viral in March. So if anyone can help identify these carpenters or has any information about the Capilano loggers or contractors, please contact Linda Kawamoto Reid at the museum 604 777-7000 X 111.
