| Feature Type: | Community - An unincorporated populated place, generally with a population of 50 or more, and having a recognized central area that might contain a post office, store and/or community hall, etc, intended for the use of the general public in the region. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | N side Fraser River opposite Matsqui, in Mission (municipality), New Westminster Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 49°08'24"N, 122°18'59"W at the approximate population centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 92G/1 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Mission City (Post Office, Railway Station, Town) identified in the 1930 BC Gazetteer. Form of name changed to Mission City (Post Office & Railway Station) 12 December 1939 on 92 G/1. Mission City incorporated as a Village Municipality per Order in Council 2 February 1950. Mission City (Village) confirmed 14 August 1952 on 92 SE. Re-incorporated as a Town Municipality per Order in Council 1 January 1958. Mission City (Town) amalgamated with the adjacent District of Mission 1 November 1969 - the new District Municipality to be called District of Mission. At the same time Mission City (Post Office) was reinstated. Name confirmed as Mission (Post Office) 19 December 1973 on 92 G/1h, following post office name change. Form of name changed to Mission (community) 15 April 1982 on 92 G/1. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Mission derives its name from the old Roman Catholic mission, St. Mary's Mission, founded in 1861. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Matsqui Post Office was opened in 1875. Name changed to Mission City Post Office 1 October 1891. Post Office Dept changed the name to Mission Post Office 15 December 1973. Name confirmed in Geographical Names Board records as Mission (Post Office) 19 December 1973 on 92 G/1h. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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"In 1860 the Oblates of Mary Imaculate (OMI) established their residence at New Westminster and later in that same year Father Leon Fouquet came up the Fraser River .... and established the Mission of St. Mary, the existence of which brought about the settlement of white people, growing into Mission City." [see also the booklet published by the OMI to celebrate their Golden Jubilee on the mainland 1860-1910 (title not cited).] [see also History of the Catholic Church in Western Canada, by Rev. A.G. Morice, OMI; Musson Book Co, Toronto; 1910.] Source: Nelson, Denys; Place Names of the Delta of the Fraser River; 1927, unpublished manuscript held in the Provincial Archives |