Living Landscapes

From Broad Axe to Clay Chinking
Woodpecker
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Woodpecker Landing was named by Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Downs, who thought the Chinese, chipping away at the trees at the river landing, sounded like woodpeckers. They built a store there in 1919 and then opened a post office in 1920, after which time they moved to the present little settlement of Woodpecker. They continued this operation, plus a farm on which one of the things they grew and sold were seed potatoes. When Mr. Downs died in 1945, he was buried on the grounds of the Woodpecker Church that is on that piece of land. It was built in 1939. One other pioneer, Mr. R. Widdis is also buried there. The land and all the buildings were then sold to the Baehr family.

Across the road from the Baehrs stands the old Woodpecker School, it’s roof now caving in. It was built and opened in 1923, with six pupils attending the first year. It closed down in 1950.

Another old building on the Baehr farm is an old barn that was built by pioneer Fred Voyt who came to the area in the early twenties and homesteaded across the road from the present Baehr farm and Woodpecker Church. The building was moved to the Baehr farm. Mr. Voyt passed away in 1948, at the age of eighty-two. If you happen to blink your eye while driving through Woodpecker, you may miss the barn.

Going north, off Camp Creek Road, lies the old Kerkhoff place. Mr. and Mrs. Kerkhoff and their five sons first settled at Edmonton after arriving from Holland. In 1913, they came on a riverboat to Fort George and then got the homestead in 1916, after working on the steel bridge spanning the Fraser. When Mrs. Kerkhoff passed away in 1924, Mr. Kerkhoff’s sister, Tina, came to live with the family. They had wonderful get-togethers with their neighbors during the Christmas season, putting on a real feast.

They raised black Angus cattle, pigs and chickens, and grew, grain, hay, potatoes and other root crops. They shipped cream. Two of the sons carried on the farming, after the others left or passed away, but they too are now gone.

Living Landscapes


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Woodpecker Landing was named by Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Downs, who thought the Chinese, chipping away at the trees at the river landing, sounded like woodpeckers. They built a store there in 1919 and then opened a post office in 1920, after which time they moved to the present little settlement of Woodpecker. They continued this operation, plus a farm on which one of the things they grew and sold were seed potatoes. When Mr. Downs died in 1945, he was buried on the grounds of the Woodpecker Church that is on that piece of land. It was built in 1939. One other pioneer, Mr. R. Widdis is also buried there. The land and all the buildings were then sold to the Baehr family. Across the road from the Baehrs stands the old Woodpecker School, it’s roof now caving in. It was built and opened in 1923, with six pupils attending the first year. It closed down in 1950. Another old building on the Baehr farm is an old barn that was built by pioneer Fred Voyt who came to the area in the early twenties and homesteaded across the road from the present Baehr farm and Woodpecker Church. The building was moved to the Baehr farm. Mr. Voyt passed away in 1948, at the age of eighty-two. If you happen to blink your eye while driving through Woodpecker, you may miss the barn. Going north, off Camp Creek Road, lies the old Kerkhoff place. Mr. and Mrs. Kerkhoff and their five sons first settled at Edmonton after arriving from Holland. In 1913, they came on a riverboat to Fort George and then got the homestead in 1916, after working on the steel bridge spanning the Fraser. When Mrs. Kerkhoff passed away in 1924, Mr. Kerkhoff’s sister, Tina, came to live with the family. They had wonderful get-togethers with their neighbors during the Christmas season, putting on a real feast. They raised black Angus cattle, pigs and chickens, and grew, grain, hay, potatoes and other root crops. They shipped cream. Two of the sons carried on the farming, after the others left or passed away, but they too are now gone.