By Monte Wood

 

The beginnings of the modern history of Riggs Island are a bit murky, except that prior to 1950 it was likely called Grant Island. Captain Grant seemed to be identified with a lot of real estate around and about Buccaneer Bay. In addition to Riggs Island he owned the south half of North Thormanby Island, Holmes' place. The old pass house, and presumably Grant Island on the east side of Welcome Pass.

 

The early deeds are registered to names that do not ring a bell, presumably names of grub  stake homesteaders, middlemen persons, notaries, land agents and the like.  These early papers also show that the south half of Vaughn Island and Riggs Island were considered one property, and when the property was split into two, the water rights for a spring on the south west side were retained for the smaller island.

 

Presumably Captain Grant also had a hand in building several cabins. Among these were the Holmes' main cabin, the old pass house and the main house on Riggs Island. On the south east point of Riggs Island, the old Grant house started out as a series of single room cabins strung along a bank just above the shore. At one point, there was a boat house on the first gap, three living/sleeping cabins, and an outhouse, all connected by a path running along the back bank. The middle cabin, our current living room, had a centered front door and stairs leading directly to the beach. The old fireplace was off center  presumably to permit the curtaining off of the other end for sleeping.

 

At some point, someone had the bright idea to cobble these cabins together with links that accommodated the different floor levels and orientations. In turn, these links became rooms with their own doors, windows and roofs. Some are supported on log posts while others were built on mud sills directly on the ground. Some walls had an interior of blue oil cloth topped by a Grecian fringe. The material was stretched over an open 2 by 4 frame which was held up by the exterior board and batten siding. Other walls were just board and batten.

 

Another bright idea was to build a veranda across the front and to abandon the back path. Some photos show the house in Victorian splendor with fanned gingerbread brackets  bracing the verandah posts which held up a labyrinth of roofs.

 

In the early 1980's, a young Herbert Riggs and his long standing colleague, Dr. Burnett, were vacationing with their brides on their first cruise up the coast. Both men, Manitoba farm boys and recent graduates of Winnipeg School of Medicine, had decided to move to the booming town of Vancouver. His wife, Anna, an easterner from the Ottawa Valley was a teacher and taught in Ladner. We still have her atlas or what's left of it (some mice have the rest).

 

So the story goes, she leaned along the rail of the steamer as it lay at the float and said loudly  'Herbert, I would like that one'. They may have all laughed but Burnett must have remembered the incident for several years later he wrote to Herbert that the Grant lands were for sale. Things had changed in the Grant Family fortunes.

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It is said that Captain Grant had wished to retire with his family at Buccaneer Bay, but his daughter contracted TB and the cabin was not a suitable place to live. The Burnett's took the Surrey Islands and the house and lands of Clovelly and Anna had her island. Perhaps it is a coincidence, but some Grants continued to return, as witnessed by a pair of postcards that were found at a 1970's swap meet. The cheery notes on the back are written to and by persons with the name of Grant and the pictures show an aerial view photo of the resort at Oak Point, and a shot of the morning wash water being delivered to select guest  cabins.

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The Riggs arrived and took up summer residence. The young family with growing girls needed milk and fresh vegetables. On top of the island a garden and orchard were planted to accommodate their needs. The Chinaman shack was refurbished  for the gardener and a cow shed and fence were built for Calamity Jane, the family cow.

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The cottage was picturesque but by the 1920's it leaked a lot. Two Scottish brothers were hired to make the early Victorian house over. Stone walls were constructed along the shore to retain a level lawn. To the north they built a new boat house, replacing the one that faced into the middle of the First Gap.

 

The general form of the cabin has not changed  much in the 90 years of Riggs clan tenure.  Today, Captain  Grant would still recognize his old cabin. There have been a lot of changes, but the real surprise is that so much stays the same.