Historical Photos

Historical photo galleries depicting the early stages of Underhill and the geomatics industry.

1910-1919

: F.C. Underhill in Ground Hog or McEvoy Flats, 1913.

: From Left: F.C. Underhill & J.T. Underhill, 1913.

: C.W. Spence, probably on the Ground Hog M.T.s, 1913.

: Crossing the Stikine River on the way to Little Klappan River, 1913.

: From left: Fred Mansell, C.W. Spence, W. Losee with cariboo, 1913.

: Second Camp in Kicking Horse Valley, 1913.

: Seymour Lake on the Britannia Mine Survey, 1913.

: McEvoy Flats in Ground Hog, 1913.

: Fording the Stikine, 1913.

: Bringing in grub from Britannia Mines, 1913.

: Ben Lomond on the Britannia Mine survey, 1913.

1920-1929

: Brunsviga Midget MA. portable hand crank calculator, ca. 1910-1927, 3324 built.

: The “Improved Willis Planimeter”, a mechanical integrator used to measure areas on plans. Planimeters were used up to the 1980’s, ca. 1901.

: The Metropolitan Building at 837 W. Hastings St. was the office of Underhill & Underhill from 1919 to 1921. Photo from City of Vancouver Archives.

: Portion of Triangulation Survey showing Underhill Island, Lewall Inlet, Turnbull Inlet, and Ward Channel (2Tu251). J.T. Underhill, 1921.

: Detail from Triangulation Survey (11Tu284) showing the trigonometric heighting of Mt. Waddington (Mystery Mountain) of 13,260 ft. J.T. Underhill, 1927.

: Part of Triangulation survey of Kinakline River Valley at the head of Knight Inlet (11Tu287), showing topography and Mystery Mountain. J.T. Underhill, 1927.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922 to 1956. View looking down Hastings St. City of Vancouver Archives, Bu P646.2.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922 to 1956. View looking down Granville St. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 1399-389.

1930-1939

: Corporation of BC Land Surveyors – 1935 Executive . Back Row: F.C. Underhill, A.S.G. Musgrave, A.G. Noakes, G.K. Burnett, H.McI. Elliott. Front Row: W.G. McElhanney, F.C. Green, G.F. Fountain, O.B.N. Wilke, R.D. McCaw.

: Facit Model LX mechanical 9 digit calculator. Produced from 1938-1954.

: J.T. Underhill, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1931.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922. View Looking down Hastings St. City of Vancouver Archives, Bu P646.2.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922. View Looking down Granville St. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 1399-389.

1940-1949

: Topographic plan of Bralorne Mines Ltd., Townsite No. 2. By J.T. Underhill, 1941.

: Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC – 1948 Executive. Back row: G.K. Burnett, Cyril Jones, H.S. Beckton, F.C. Underhill; Front row: P.W. Gregory, B.C. Affleck, F. Butterfield, N.C. Stewart.

: F.C. Underhill, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1940

: Curta hand-held hand crank calculator, the field calculator of choice from 1947-1970.

: J.T. Underhill at work at the Williams Building, 413 Granville St., Vancouver. (circa. 1940’s).

: Part of Group Plan of Mineral Claims, Bridge River, BC. 1946.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922. View looking down Hastings St. City of Vancouver Archives, Bu P646.2.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922. View looking down Granville St. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 1399-389.

1950-1959

: Corporation of BC Land Surveyors – 1950 Executive. Back row: W.R. Young, F.C. Underhill, Duncan Cran; Front row: H.S. Beckton, G.K. Burnett, Cyril Jones, J.W. Hermon, F.O. Morris.

: F.C. Underhill, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1952.

: Corporation of BC Land Surveyors – 1952 Executive. Back row: W.R. Young, A.J. Butterfield, Hesketh Roberts; Front row: G.S. Andrews, Duncan Cran, F.C. Underhill, H.S. Becton, G.K. Burnett.

: Corporation of BC Land Surveyors – 1953 Executive. Back row: Andrew Hunter, Ciril Jones, Hesketh Roberts; Front row: G.S. Andrews, A.J. Butterfield, W.R. Young, H.S. Beckton, F.C. Underhill.

: C.D. Underhill, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1957.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922. View looking down Hastings St. City of Vancouver Archives, Bu P646.2.

: The Williams Building at 413 Granville St., Vancouver. Underhill office from 1922. View looking down Granville St. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 1399-389.

1960-1969

: Surveying page from 1967 CANCON brochure. Underhill provided the surveying and computing expertise. This is the first time Underhill marketed it services outside of Canada.

: Underhill page from 1967 CANCON brochure.

: Underhill’s 1968 brochure cover. Photo is of J.W. Sharp measuring a distance with a Geodimeter Model 6, on Pavilion Mountain, during a BC Hydro transmission line survey.

: A.T. Holmes, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1966.

: A.T. Holmes measuring distance with Geodimeter Model 6 on BC Highway right-of-way survey.

: A.T. Holmes measuring distances with the Geodimeter Model 6 for controlling bridge construction.

: Computer programmers at Underhill’s Control Data LGP-30, purchased in 1966. The LGP-30 was a computer that was marketed as “Small Size…Mobile”, and having a “Large Memory”. It weighed 800 lbs and had a 4096 word magnetic drum memory.

: Hiller helicopter landing in the mountains. Helicopters revolutionized mountain control surveys in BC.

: J.M. Parnell measuring distances with a Tellurometer MRA3 for a control survey in the Lower Mainland of BC. The MRA3 was a long-range microwave instrument. Little Mountain, Vancouver.

: J.W. Sharpe on Hydro Transmission Line Survey, Pavilion Mountain, near Lillooet, with Geodimeter Model 6.

: T.E. Koepke operating the LGP-30. Computer time was charged by the minute hence the darkroom timer.

: A.T. Holmes instructing W.G. Robinson on the operation of the LGP-30.

: W.G. Robinson with Tellurometer MRA3, on photo control survey in BC.

1970-1979

: Air Space Plan 1 of the Capitol 6 Theatre bridge. It was the first Air Space Parcel in B.C. C.D. Underhill, 1974.

: C.D. Underhill measuring distances on a control survey, with the Geodimeter Model 76.

: I.J. Royan precise levelling for the Port Mann Bridge.

: C.D. Underhill measuring with a Geodimeter Model 76. Control survey.

: C.D. Underhill survey in Yemen in 1970 for CANCON was the first overseas project done by Underhill.

: Geodimeter Model 76 long-range laser EDM with Highland Helicopter Bell 206 landing. Control survey

: I.J. Royan operating a Kern DKM2 with a DM 501 EDM. The Kern was amazingly light-weight and accurate.

: C.D. Underhill and assistant turning sets of angles on a mountain control survey.

: C.D. Underhill and D. LePatourel with C.D.’s high pogo pole invention

: I. Royan in the Stikine area, BC Hydro Stikine Investigation, 1978

: D. LaPaturel on rim of Stikine Canyon, BC Hydro Stikine Investigation, 1978

: J.M. Parnell and programmer at the Wang WCS/20. The Wang had 32kB of memory, and dual 250kB floppy drives (one for the software, and one for data). Survey/plotting software (TRIAX) was developed in-house. ca. 1975-1985.

: John Biehl and Earl Shook setting signals, on a photo control survey in the Fraser Canyon.

: The partners in the boardroom of the W. 7th Ave. office in Vancouver. From left: J.W. Sharpe, C.D. Underhill, T.E. Koepke, F.B. Underhill, W.G. Robinson, ca. 1975-1979.

: P. Dawes with the Geodimeter 700 (introduced in 1971), on the Kootenay Power Project Survey for BC Hydro. The Model 700 was the first instrument that could measure angles and distances electronically. Data was stored on paper punch tape.

: M. Levesque turning angles with a Wild T1. The instrument on the seat of the Ski-Doo is an HP 3800 EDM.

: Earl Shook and John Biehl on mountain setting a signal on a triangulation survey in the Fraser Canyon.

: Wild T2 (under signal), and Geodimeter Model 76, on mountain control survey.

: Wild T2, and Geodimeter 76 (foreground), Highland Helicopter Bell 206 (background). Mountain control survey.

: T. Connolly with Geodimeter Model 6, surveying the CP Rail Dunsmuir tunnel under Vancouver.

: T. Connolly operating the Geodimeter Model 6, on the survey of the CP Rail Dunsmuir Tunnel under Vancouver, BC.

: C.D. Underhill with Wild T2 on BC Hydro Transmission line, Second Narrows cable crossing survey in Burnaby, BC.

: W.G. Robinson, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1971.

1980-1989

: GPS Ltd. crew on first TRIM GPS mapping control project in 1987 for the DMG in Northern BC. From left: B. Wong, C. Cryderman, I. Royan, G. Fiedrich, D. Bazett. Photo Courtesy of D. Bazett.

: C.S. Cryderman laying out foundation caissons in the CP Rail Front Yards, for Marathon Realty’s Waterfront Centre Project, ca. 1988-1989. The Province, Rick Loughran.

: On the Inuvialuit Land Claim Boundary – near Horton River, NT. C.S. Cryderman (foreground), G.C. Friesen (background), 1988.

: C.S. Cryderman on Slocan Lake, with WM 101 GPS receiver on Kootenay photo control survey.

: Shot from top of DP World Crane 6 showing a number of buildings surveyed by Underhill, including: Canada Place, Pan Pacific Hotel, Granville Square, Waterfront Centre, and The Bentall Centre.

: G.C. Friesen on bridge construction for the BC Rail Tumbler Ridge Branch Line, ca. 1981-1982.

: I. Royan mounting special tooling for measuring nodes of the Ontario Pavilion geodesic roof, Expo ’86, Vancouver.

: From Left: I. Royan, M. Zukiwski, and S.B. Mah, in New Denver on the Kootenay GPS photo control survey, 1986. Lack of satellites and all day and night computing for just a few observations made the early days of GPS a little stressful.

: D. Browett and S. Fox on BC Rail tunnel control survey. ca. 1980.

: BC Rail Tumbler Ridge branch line tunnel control surveys, 1980.

: BC Rail Tumbler Ridge branch line tunnel control surveys, 1980.

: Drill Jumbo and Magic Carpet used in the drilling of the Table Tunnel. BC Rail Project.

: Blasting of rock for the Wolverine West portal. BC Rail project.

: I. Royan and D. Browett on BC Rail tunnel project, ca. 1982.

: J.M. Parnell, and D. Turner (programmer), at the Wang WCS/20. The Wang had 32kB of memory, and dual 250kB floppy drives (one for the software, and one for data). Survey/plotting software (TRIAX) was developed in-house, ca. 1975-1985.

: J.M. Parnell, President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1982.

: Kelly Lanigan (right) and assistant on the Mount Skookum mineral lease survey, YT, 1987.

: Surveying during the construction of World Expo’86 in Vancouver. Morgan Stewart.

: Surveying during the construction of World Expo’86 in Vancouver. Science World under construction in the background. Morgan Stewart.

: On the TRIM GPS photo control survey in Northern BC, 1987.

: Placer mining near Dawson, YT 1987.

: Tunnel surveys on the BC Rail Tumbler Ridge branch line project. 1982.

: C. Cryderman on the GPS Ltd. 1987 TRIM GPS photo control survey. Near Alaska in Northwestern BC.

: B. Wong, of MPT, in Highland Helicopter Bell 206, on GPS Ltd. TRIM photo control survey, 1987.

: Mountains of the Alaska Panhandle on GPS Ltd. 1987 TRIM GPS control survey.

: The drafting department at Underhill’s office on West 7th Ave. in Vancouver. The senior draftsman, Stan Thorne, is on the left., ca. early 80s.

: Steve Fox on the Kootenay GPS photo control survey in 1986.

: Twin Otter loading up to leave. At the Underhill Horton River camp. Inuvialuit Land Claim Boundary survey, 1988.

: Bill Robinson loading the helicopters in New Denver, BC, on the 1986 Kootenay GPS photo control survey.

: W.G. Robinson and G.C. Friesen at the Horton River camp, on the Inuvialuit Land Claim Boundary survey, 1988. The sign on the cook/calculation tent is the “Underhilton” a play on words by Sunrise Helicopters who supplied the camp.

: One of the first commercial GPS receivers, a Wild Magnavox WM 101. Single frequency, it could track 6 satellites, although in 1986 you were lucky to have 4. Data was stored on cassette tape. Used on the 1986 Kootenay control job and the later TRIM control projects.

1990-1999

: Aricibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. In 1999 Underhill provided GPS consulting services on Puerto Rico’s CRIM mapping program, for Entec Corp.

: Black Tusk from helicopter on the Squamish to Whistler, BC. GPS photo control survey for BC Hydro, 1992.

: Underhill provided GPS consulting expertise to IGS Corp. on its cadastral reform project for the World Bank, in Bursa, Turkey, 1997.

: C. Freisen took this photo during the GPS control survey for IGS Corp. on their mapping contract with Novacorp International Inc. for a gas pipeine route through the Andes Maipo Pass near Santiago, Chile. This was Underhill’s first overseas project since 1970.

: C. Cryderman and T. Connolly waiting for the helicopter to refuel at De Salis Bay, Banks Island, NT, during the Inuvialuit Boundary survey, 1991.

: C. Cryderman setting up a GPS basestation atop an old stone bridge near Amurrio, Spain. Underhill was providing GPS equipment and processing to MWH Geo-Surveys on their gravity survey for the Basque Oil Company, 1996.

: C. Cryderman standing next to an old triangulation tower on Bennett Lake. During the kinematic GPS survey of the White Pass & Yukon Railway from Skagway, AK, to Whitehore, Ed Hannosek of WPYR in foreground, AK,BC,YT, 1996.

: I. Royan during a CYFN Land Claim survey, YT.

: Pilot for Nunasi Helicopters at Underhill’s camp near Hadley Bay, north of Cambridge Bay, NU. On the Nunavut Land Claim survey, 1996

: Bruce Underhill surveying a right-of-way boundary post on the White Pass & Yukon Route kinematic GPS survey.

: Bruce Underhill in Bennett, BC, on the kinematic GPS survey of the White Pass & Yukon Railway, from Skagway Alaska to Whitehorse, YT.

: C. Kalluk, Nunasi Pilot and C. Cryderman at the Lady Franklin Memorial, on Beechy Island, NU. during Nunavut Land Claim surveys on Devon Island, 1998.

: G.C. Friesen doing RTK GPS of natural boundaries on Nunavut Land Claim survey in Paulatuk, NU.

: From 1993 to 1995 Underhill was responsible for all construction surveys for the New Canucks Hockey Arena in Vancouver (formerly GM Place, now Rogers Arena), for Dominion Fairmile Construction. D. Parkin and J. Whale ran the crews.

: Underhill provided GPS equipment and processing expertise on MWH Geo-Surveys Gravity survey for ESSO in T’chad, 1995.

: I. Royan setting up alignment laser for tunnel control. On the Wahleach Penstock revitalization project for BC Hydro, 1990.

: Survey crew at Bell/Porcupine camp east of Old Crow. CYFN, 1996

: IBM GFIS workstations in the Vernon office.

: IBM DASD (Direct Access Storage Device) controller and tape drives in the computer room of UGSL Vernon, BC

: J.L. Salesse doing field CAD work on Nunavut Land Claim in Cambridge Bay, NU, 1996.

: The crew of the Cambridge Bay Nunavut Land Claim survey in 1996. From left: J.L. Salesse, M. Kearney, C. Cryderman, S. Brown, daytime helicopter pilot, and assistant.

: Assistant J. Pudluk on Nunavut Land Claim boundary survey, Devon Island, NU, 1998.

: J.W. Sharp, of Sharp & Ekman, (former partner in Underhill & Underhill), President, Corporation of Land Surveyors of BC, 1992.

: K. Lanigan, S. Dixon, and Jim(pilot) near Summit Lake. On CYFN Land Claim survey.

: K. MacNabb of MWH Geo-Surveys on their gravity survey south of Bilbao, Spain, 1996. Underhill provided GPS equipment, processing, and least squares adjustment expertise.

: Part of North Fraser Harbour Commission GIS, by Underhill. Now part of Port Metro Vancouver.

: Assistants Teddy Eleehetook and Nelson Ruben on Nunavut Land Claim survey north of Gjoa Haven, NU, 1998.

: Post on the Sahtu boundary. Tulita, 1999.

: Assistants C. Kalluk and M. Manik on Nunavut Land Claim survey. Devon Island, NU, 1998.

: Assistant Matthew Manik on Nunavut Land Claim survey. Ellesmere Island, NU, 1998.

: Assistant setting photo target at Sahtu boundary corner. Tulita, 1999.

: C. deHaan GPS consulting on the CRIM digital mapping project for Entec Corp. , in Puerto Rico, 1999.

: C. Kalluk and C. Cryderman on Nunavut Land Claim survey. Devon Island, NU, 1998.

: Nunasi Helicopters A-Star AS350B on Nunavut Land Claim survey. Ellesmere Island, NU, 1998.

: Assistant S. Inutiq on Nunavut Land Claim survey near Arctic Bay, NU, 1997.

: UGSL GIS mapping facility in Vernon, BC, 1991. A dozen IBM PS/2 workstations with precision digitizers running off an IBM 4381 dual processor mainframe computer. UGSL mapped BC Hydro’s entire electrical distribution system in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, BC.

: UGSL’s IBM 4381 dual processor mainframe computer, with DASDY tape drives, 1991.

: S. Brown processing GPS data in Cambridge Bay, NU, on the Nunavut Land Claim survey, 1996.

: The remains of Northumberland House on Beechy Island during Nunavut Land Claim survey of Devon Island, NU, 1998.

: MWH-GeoSurveys GPS/Gravity survey near Chiang Mai, Thailand, 1996. Underhill provided GPS receivers, processing, and adjustment expertise.

: From 1993 to 1995 Underhill was responsible for all construction surveys for the New Canucks Hockey Arena in Vancouver (formerly GM Place, now Rogers Arena), for Dominion Fairmile Construction. D. Parkin and J. Whale ran the crews.

2000-2009

: First Cell Claims Plan done under the Mineral Tenure Act (BC). By F.B. Underhill, 2006.

: The CBC Vancouver redevelopment, 2005-2010.

: Underhill has done all surveys on DP World’s Centerm Port facility in Vancouver. Major capacity upgrade was undertaken.

: Old Bombardier near Russell Lake, SK. On MWH Geo-Surveys GPS/Gravity survey for CAMECO, 2007.

: Aerial shot of DP World Canada’s Centerm Port facility. Underhill has completed all survey work on this project.

: T. Hill doing calculations on Salt Spring Island for BC Hydro submarine right-of-way from Tsawwassen to Salt Spring Island, 2008.

: T. Hill on 5.5 km of precise control check survey of the Canada Line tunnel under False Creek, Vancouver, 2006.

: Precise levelling for the control survey of the Canada Line False Creek Tunnel. T. Hill, 2006.

: F. Taki on GPS photo control survey for Mapcon Mapping Inc., in Modesto, California, 2006.

: During GPS survey of mineral lease. Ruby Creek, Atlin, BC.

: Hydrographic surveying on Williston Lake for BC Hydro, near Tsay Keh Dene Village. From left: C. El Araj, boat driver, 2007.

: Fraser Surrey Docks. Underhill has done a number of surveys since 2002 for Wesgroup at this facility.

: G. Fletcher at Russell Lake, SK. establishing GPS control for MWH Geo-Surveys GPS/Gravity survey for CAMECO, 2007.

: Assistant B. Elke on GPS control survey on a mining property for Strata Gold Corp. in Guyana, 2007.

: Party Chief N. Manchon on GPS control survey on a mining property for Strata Gold Corp. in Guyana, 2007.

: Cadastral boundaries overlayed on Orthophotography, Little Mountain, Vancouver, BC.

: Part of the Air Space Parcel Plan for the CBC Vancouver redevelopment for Concord Pacific’s TV Towers, 2005-2010.

: C. El Araj perfoming as-built survey of the exterior of the existing CBC building in Vancouver.

: John Tom Tom GPS surveys a new road in the Yukon.

: Underhill did all of the subdivision, air space parcel, strata, construction, and lease surveys on Aquilini’s multi-tower King Edward Village. Photo of the S.W. side of Phases 1/2 from Aquilini.

: C. El Araj, and J. Dyke on 5.5 km of precise control check survey of the Canada Line tunnel under False Creek, Vancouver, 2006.

: Construction of the 2010 Olympic Village in Vancouver. As the City of Vancouver’s consulting surveyors, Underhill provided services throughout the project.

: Setting up the RTK Base during GPS survey of mineral lease. Ruby Creek., Atlin, BC.

: The Panda Pit at Ekati Diamond Mine, NT. Underhill completed a number of precise ramp and tunnel surveys in 2004 and 2005.

: Surveying the Maa-Nulth pre-effective lands, Uchucklesaht, Green Cove, BC. T.D. Connolly on left, 2009

: Surveying the Maa-Nulth pre-effective lands, Uchucklesaht, Green Cove, BC. T.D. Connolly, 2009. Weather on the BC West Coast is infamous.

: Levelling for track layout at New VCC Station of the Millennium Line, 2004.

: Twin Otter on skis. Support for MWH Geo-Surveys GPS/Gravity survey for CAMECO. Russell Lake, SK, 2007.

: Rendering of 3D laser scanning survey at the Chevron Burnaby Refinery.

: 3D laser scanning and precise traversing of 8km of the GVRD Seymour-Capilano twin water tunnels. C. El Araj, 2008.

: Precise check survey of the plumbing of the Seymour shaft of the GVRD Seymour-Capilano twin 8 km water tunnels, 2006.

: Surveying the Maa-Nulth pre-effective lands, Uclulet, BC. C. El Araj, 2009.

: K. PIckett on gravity survey in Russell lake, SK.

: MWH Geo-Surveys gravity survey in T’chad, Africa in 1995. Temperature reached +50C. Underhill supplied GPS equipment and processing.

: G. Fletcher of Underhill on MWH Geo-Surveys gravity survey near Russell Lake, SK.

: Screen shot of G-Control. Field data collection and processing of gravity and GPS data. Includes QC functions.

2010-2019

: 3D laser scanning for as-built check of one of the masts for the new BC Place roof, 2010.

: S.E. elevation view of Maxine’s in Vancouver, from 3D laser scanning.

: Surveying the north boundary of Pitt Lake IR#4, N. Manchon, 2011

: Surveying control on the new BC Place roof project. J. Newton, 2011.

: Measuring steel for the new BC Place roof. T. Hill, 2011.

: GPS control for the Pitt Lake IR#4 boundary survey. S. Porcellato, 2011.

: Canoeing to get to the west boundary of the Pitt Lake IR#4, 2011

: S. Porcellato, C. Matheson, N. Manchon on the Pitt Lake IR#4 boundary survey, 2011.

: Sample of 3D laser scan data, collected with a Faro Photon 120 at night, under Science World pier in Vancouver, BC.

: Science World, in Vancouver undergoing upgrade work. Supported by 3D laser scanning and precise layout by Underhill, 2011.

: 3D laser scan of underside of Science World pier structure (done at night when the tide was low) to support upgrade activities, 2010.

TIMELINE

Learn about the full history of the Underhill Group from 1907 to today in a graphical timeline.