Charles Nelson Pretty and Rowena Elizabeth Peters 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 and Elizabeth Anne (known as Betty Anne) born March 19.
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 local First Nations. This land was converted into more fields. Charles Pretty developed a large silvertip fox farm as well on the present property, where the guest cottages are now located. Charles won awards 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. 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 its completion an accident caused a fire and the vessel was destroyed.
The local electric utility, BC Hydro, had not made their way out to the Fraser Valley; therefore Charles Pretty had a dam constructed to produce electricity for their home and adjacent buildings. It is still in existence today, and used to supply partial power for the Inn.
The winter of 1947 and early 1948 was extremely cold. On one very early morning, 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 quickly died from air rapidly leaving 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. 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 historic Fraser Valley flood of 1948, which mercifully avoided the Pretty property.
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 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 allowed others to have the enjoyment and entertainment as they and their parents had through their many years of living in this naturally beautiful area.
Along with the Inn, Ivan had a vision to build a golf course surrounding the house, and it was completed in 1998. This spectacular golf course, Sandpiper Golf Resort, is an unforgettable 18-hole, par 72 course. The scenery surrounding the course is as breath taking as the course itself.
Betty Anne, who purchased Ivan's shares after he passed away in July of 2001, is now the sole Owner & President and resides on the property with her husband Doug Faulkner. They both play an active role in the development and operations of the Pretty Estates business units. Betty Anne's nephew, Christopher Lepine, is the General Manager and has been active with the present day business since the Inn opened in June of 1995.
The rich lands and fish-laden waters of the Fraser Valley have always attracted a wide variety of people. Early natives made their homes along the waterways, hunting and fishing to survive. In 1808, Simon Fraser made his way down the Fraser and it was not long before fur traders followed, looking for beaver. In 1858, gold was discovered in the Cariboo, drawing thousands of fortune seekers up the Fraser and Harrison Rivers. No doubt they noticed the lovely Harrison and Agassiz area as they passed, and when the gold ran out many came to stay.
The first land claim for the Agassiz area recorded at Douglas was December 16, 1859 to Ferguson and McMillan, but many newcomers did not record their claims right away. The Agassiz family moved to their claim in 1867, calling it Ferny Coombe at first, later changing it to Agassiz. At Harrison Hot Springs, the natives were familiar with the hot springs, but a record of them was not made until Judge Matthew Begbie, on his way to the mining camps, mentioned the “St. Alice’s Well”, named for Governor Douglas’s daughter. Soon a hotel, the St. Alice, was drawing customers who wished to partake of the healing waters. When the St. Alice Hotel burned down, it was replaced by the Harrison Hotel in 1926.
By canoes, mule, steam boat, or on foot, a steady stream of settlers arrived, but when the CPR built the railroad through Agassiz in 1885, the Harrison Mills, Harrison Hot Springs and Agassiz areas really opened up. The District of Kent was incorporated in 1885, and although the Village of Harrison Hot Springs was not incorporated until 1949, many people had settled there much earlier.
Hop farming gave way to dairying, the logging industry spawned a tug boat towing industry and large mills, and fishing and hunting gained popularity. Times are always changing and new businesses are springing up as the old needs give way to the new. But one thing remains the same: people still come from all over to enjoy this beautiful area, the community on the shores of Harrison Lake, the small town of Agassiz in the shadow of Mount Cheam, and the lush farming areas of Harrison Mills.
Brief History of Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs and Harrison Mills courtesy of Agassiz Harrison Historical Society
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Pretty Estates Ltd. is the ownership group behind Sandpiper Golf Resort, Rowena’s Inn on the River and the Rivers Edge Restaurant.
Nestled in a centuries-old forest of Douglas Firs and surrounded by the West's most idyllic golf course, Rowena's is the perfect escape. Here, indulgence is a way of life. You'll find it in the tasteful tranquility that surrounds you and feel it in the attentive service that sets us apart.
Make our historic Inn your own. Styled as a grand English manor house and secluded on a lush 160-acre estate complete with its own private air strip, Rowena's evokes an atmosphere of understated elegance and traditional luxury. Laze in the coziness of a room in the Inn, or escape to the luxury of a chalet style cottage in the forest with its own stone fireplace & porch. Savour our unique West Coast cuisine and share cocktails on the lawn or poolside. Challenge your game at Sandpiper Golf Club, or surrender to an afternoon of aromatherapy with our visiting masseuse.
Enjoy your tour of our Inn; for once you've discovered Rowena's you've discovered a year-round departure from the ordinary.
THE #1 COURSE IN THE FRASER VALLEY: Sandpiper is an outstanding resort-style 18-hole golf course, gently sloped and features four sets of tees for all playing abilities. Heralded as one of British Columbia’s best new resort courses, Sandpiper is set along the blue-green waters of the Harrison River and runs 6500 yards from the back tees. Located only 90 minutes east of Vancouver and 40 minutes from Abbotsford, a trip to Sandpiper gets you out of the noise and stress of the city. Our rural resort setting also allows us the opportunity to offer a variety of activities that may appeal to golfers and non-golfers alike including but not limited to: fishing, river jet-boat cruises, horseback riding and lawn sports. Sandpiper’s manicured layout combines brilliantly with the area's rugged beauty to create an unforgettable golf experience.
