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| The History behind Rowena's
Charles Nelson Pretty and Rowena Elizabeth Peters (known to her many friends as Pete) were married October 10, 1917. Charles and Rowena had 4 children. Charles Watson born February 3, …Rowena Charlotte born March 1, …James Ivan born June 12,…Elizabeth Anne (known as Betty Anne) born March 19, .
After they married Charles and Rowena shared a home in Vancouver with Charles parents. They purchased a 160 acres parcel of land from a widow, Mrs. Jackson. The property as it still is today has frontage on the Chehalis and Harrison Rivers extending out under the river for some distance. They would travel by train from Vancouver to Harrison Mills and paddle by canoe to their home on the river, staying a few days to renovate and to make alterations and extensions.
Charles Nelson was in the Timber Brokerage business with his father, and continued the business for many years after his father passed away. He also turned the property into a dairy farm, purchasing extra land across the river from the Indians. This land he made into more fields. Charles Pretty developed a large silvertip fox farm as well on the present property, where the guest cabins are now located. He won cups for the top quality of furs. Many years ago, the famous Miss Margaret of the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel, had them on display in their lobby. Charles Nelson designed a 52-foot pleasure yacht (picture by office). It was named Voyager III. He and Rowena had the boat for many years and had many fun filled days traveling up the river for picnics, or on up to Harrison Lake. There was a dock in front of the house where the boat could be moored during the summer in high water season. They belonged to the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club as well, where the family enjoyed many wonderful excursions. Eventually it was sold to some men in Mission who restored it. Unfortunately, after it's completion; caught fire and was destroyed.
Since BC Hydro had not made its way out to the Fraser Valley yet, Charles Pretty had a damn constructed to produce electricity for their home and adjacent buildings. It is still in existence today, and used for the Inn. The winter of 1947 and early 1948 was extremely cold. One very early morning, about 2:00am, the barn and workshop caught on fire. The flames spread quickly through to the hayloft area. The loss was devastating for the family. The cattle died quickly from the oxygen being sucked so quickly from the building. Betty Anne remembers losing her beautiful Arabian horse called "Zippy" and her cherished Irish setter named "Ginger". The only building saved, other than the root house made of stone, was the dairy walk in fridge and larger freezer room, which is still in existence today but is not used as such. They felt the cause of the blaze was due to the fact that there were too many heaters on. Following this disastrous winter was the famous flood of 1948, which mercifully, avoided the pretty property because of the sloping land.
Rowena Charlotte, eldest daughter, was tragically killed in a car accident in April 1968. She was 45 years old and left behind her husband Christopher Michael Foster Lepine and six children. Charles Watson passed away five months later due to a massive heart attack. He was forty-nine years old and left behind his wife Dorthea and two children.
Charles Nelson passed away in 1992 and it was decided by the remaining siblings, Betty Anne and her brother Ivan, to turn their home into an Inn. This allows others to have the enjoyment and entertainment as they and their parents had through their many privileged years of being in this area of enchantment. Along with the Inn, Ivan had a dream to build a golf course surrounding the house, and so it was implemented and is enjoyed by many golfers. The golf course, named Sandpiper Golf Resort, is a beautiful 18-hole course. The scenery that can be viewed while on the course, is as breath taking as the course itself.
Betty Anne, who bought out Ivan's fifty percent after he passed away in July of 2001, is now one hundred percent owner and lives on property with her husband Doug Faulkner. They both play an active role in the development and decision making of the entire Pretty Estates. Betty Anne's nephew, Christopher Lepine, is general manager and has been active with the present day business since the Inn opened in June of 1995. |
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