Roberts Creek, BC, Canada was framed and influenced by both, First Nation and European culture and heritage. The Roberts Creek area was the original home of the Coast Salish people, specifically the Shishalh First Nation people. Sechelt's name is derived from the word Shishalh. Roberts Creek was referred to as hwah-sam, meaning fat salmon. There are surrounding areas still evident of the Shishalh First Nation people existence like the shell middens and rock formations.
In 1889 the first European settlers arrived in Pender Harbour B.C., the Roberts Family. The head of the family, Thomas William Roberts, established his land claim of many hectares around Roberts Creek. Soon later William built many log buildings to house his growing extended family as his parents and brothers arrived in later years.
The son of Thomas William Roberts, Harry, built the first store in area in 1908 servicing the Union Steam Ships and the growing community. In Europe, Harry Roberts, was a painter, author and philosopher. Harry had the biggest influence on the community and the pioneers of the day with his entrepreneurial and creative attitude. Soon after the General Store, Harry built a sawmill for building houses, for the construction of a government wharf, for vacationing cottages and for the 13 bridges to build Lower Road.
Harry Roberts coined the phrase "Sunshine Belt". He painted in large text "Sunshine Belt" on the side of the freight shed next to his General Store at the time, hence, with some modification became the term Sunshine Coast in the 1950s. Harry and his family moved to Merry Island in 1923.
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History
Roberts Creek