Port Moody was given its
name in 1859 in honour of the
commander of the Royal
Engineers, Col Richard
Clement Moody. However, the
site remained undeveloped
wilderness until 1879 when it
was chosen by the Federal
Government to be the Western
Terminus of the Canadian

Pacific Railway (CPR). A
flurry of speculation and
development followed. Hotels
and stores sprang up to
supply the needs of the
railway workers. The first
telephone system in British
Columbia was setup between
Port Moody and New
Westminster in 1884.

Excitement reached a peak in
1885 with the driving of the
Last Spike at Craigellachie,
BC and the arrival of the
first rain to Port Moody on
November 8, 1885.
   A celebration was held
for the arrival of the First
Scheduled Passenger Train on
July 4, 1886. However, the

celebration was short lived
as rumours had been that the
end of the line was going to
move to Coal harbour. After
numerous court cases, this
came to pass on May 23rd,
1887. Port Moody went into a
local state of depression and
didn't revive for 30 years.
   By 1907, the world