Three Greenhorns Buy West End For $550.75

Back in 1862 the area now known as the West End was snapped up by three Englishmen, John Morton, Samuel Brighouse, and William Hailstone for the ghastly sum of $550.75. In those days the West End was nothing but trees, a forested area known as lot number 185 - 540 acres of rainforest.  These three men, known as the Three Greenhorns because people believed they were naive and paid too much for the land,  had great visions for the future. In their dreams they envisioned mining for porcelain clays in Coal Harbour and starting a brick works business.  Unfortunately the clay was not of the greatest quality used for making bricks and the distance to transport what could be produced to New Westminster, a mere 20 km away seen as too far.  In order to make money, some of the land by then referred to as the Brickmaker's Claim was divided into lots and sold to different investors. Of course the rest is history, as the West End now holds some of the most expensive real estate in the country.