NOW AND THEN

The People of Point Roberts

by Davea Fisher

Ron Nielson, a well-known resident of Point Roberts for 40 years, was born Ronald Alvin Nielson in Vancouver, October 8, 1929 to parents Ruth Evelyn Nielson (Sallis) and Jacob Nels Nielson. The family originated in Denmark, where his grandfather Niels Nielson was born. Ron is also related to one well-known Point Roberts family – his grandmother was a cousin to the Hansen family, of whom Dora Culp, Ella VanOosten, Anna Baker and Harry Thompson are members. Ron recalls his father telling of visits to the Point in the early 1900s when the area was a thriving business community with fish canneries, sawmills and farming.”

During his teens he began working part-time in a butcher shop. In later years he would say “it was this experience which gave me the interest and desire to start a business on my own.” After graduation from John Oliver High School, Ron worked in a sawmill for 16 years. The mill went through a series of names, but was known at one time as the Universal Box Sawmill. Ron was an avid softball player. The family album boasts photographs of the sawmill’s team with Ron as one of the valued players.
“Companies in those days,” says his son Lorne, “were so keen to have their teams win, they often hired a man just because he played well.” Ron, however, was outstanding at more than softball. He worked his way up through the lumber industry taking tallying and grading courses – winning the B.C. Lumber Manufacturers Association Trophy for tally in 1951 – and finally becoming production manager for the Marpole Sawmill Division of Rayonier Canada in Vancouver. He married Beverley Joan Wilson October 25, 1952 and soon was the proud father of three children: Brenda, Kristen, (Kris) and Lorne. Ron fell in love with the Point when he and his young family came here to spend summer vacations. In 1958 they built a tiny two-bedroom cabin on Regina Way that was less than 1,000 square feet. The kids’ bedroom was so small that it could barely hold the triple bunk bed. There was an old oil stove in the kitchen that was used both for cooking and to heat the place. It was snug, but there are many happy memories from that time.

Ron’s dream was to start a business of his own. He looked at a number of towns in British Columbia, but with the increased accessibility afforded by the opening of the new Deas Tunnel, he chose Point Roberts as the location.

In June 1963 Ron and Bev purchased a property on the corner of Tyee and Benson roads that was owned by Laugi and Ella Thorsteinson. It was the “Country Store,” a small place that sold gas and groceries situated on an acre of land. After completing their renovations, Nielson Lumber opened for business in March 1964.

In those early days Bev was Ron’s chief assistant, taking care of the yard as well as the bookkeeping while he was out making deliveries and often driving the truck herself.”

This was the beginning. Both were hard workers and had good instincts for business, so Nielson Lumber, the store with the horse and sulky weathervane, was soon a success. Tom Bradbury started working for Ron in 1966. Later, with Tom as a partner, the two men expanded the business. In 1974 they built the Blaine Building Center and then went on to build two more building centers, one in Ferndale (1977), with Rob Bloch and one in Mt. Vernon (1982), with Milt Armstrong. Ron and Tom also built the Shell gas station (1985), in Point Roberts at 423 Tyee Drive, (now the Texaco gas station), and bought the I-5 Exxon gas station in Blaine.

Ron was a well established and important member of the business community. Over the years he has been an active member of the chamber of commerce, the Pioneers, and the economic development committee. In 1981 Ron retired, spent his winters with Bev in Palm Desert, California, and spent his summers at the Point in their beautiful home overlooking the marina at 1668 Harbor Seal Drive. Here he took pleasure in working on various projects. In the 1980s Ron was a director of a bank in Blaine. During this time he became influential in bringing the first bank to Point Roberts, the Community State Bank, (the forerunner of Key Bank and now known as the Sterling Bank).

It was his dream during his retirement to work with friends to build a world-class hotel and resort at Lily Point. He also hoped to create an equestrian center off Benson Road. His original idea for the latter was to build houses around a large green for homeowners with horses. He thought this would not only be an ideal setting but would also be a wonderful place for the horses to graze on a common green. Recently there has been outside interest in building a grass racetrack and a clubhouse on the spot.

In four decades, Ron Nielson has seen the Point become less isolated. When he and his family arrived at the Point the population was much smaller, many of the original Icelandic families were still here, and a number of small farms were in operation. Then as now, the rural setting held great appeal. Ron considered the two biggest changes that occurred during the intervening years to be when the marina was built in 1978 and just recently when the Point Roberts golf course was completed.

Ron’s son, Lorne, says, “My father has three hobbies: golf, golf, and golf!” So it should come as no surprise then that Ron was also the inspiration for the golf course. Ron, with nine of his friends, bought the land, saw it through the permit stage, and then went out and found a buyer. One of his most satisfying moments was September 1, 2001, the opening day of the Point Roberts golf course at 196 Marine Drive. On that “glorious day” he was part of the foursome that played the very first round of golf on the course. Playing with the owner and architect of the course was a real joy. Then as now, it is exciting to see a dream become reality.

(Some of the material quoted above is courtesy of the Ocean Star.)
Ed. Note: While this article was being written, Ron passed away. His obituary is found on page 19.

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