When The Breakers burned

November is the 40th anniversary of arguably the largest single-structure fire in Point Roberts history. On November 21, 1983, the Breakers burned down in a major fire, causing $500,000 in damage (in 1983 currency).

The blaze raged for 14 hours at the foot of Gulf Road, destroying over three quarters of the structure. Fire investigators confirmed arson as the cause. It’s hard to overstate the importance of the Breakers to the Point Roberts economy before 1983.

Draconian drinking laws in British Columbia, including it being illegal to buy a drink on Sundays and other odd rules governing whether you could stand or eat with alcohol, gave rise to three enormous drinking halls in Point Roberts.

The biggest of the three was the Breakers, which many say was the largest bar in Washington, with a capacity of 999 and parking for 206 cars. A Canadian customs official said in 1981, “The Point goes bonkers every Sunday. Traffic is stacked up every Sunday for hours, with Canadian cars waiting to clear the American border station. Bars are not open Sundays in B.C. At the Point bars are going full blast Sundays with live rock bands.”

The owners immediately announced plans to rebuild after the fire. Whatcom County leveraged the situation to make changes. Before the fire, the foot of Gulf Road and several blocks of Marine Drive was completely clogged with parked cars each weekend. First responder vehicles sometimes couldn’t get through for emergency calls. To rebuild the Breakers, the county eliminated Front Street, a north-south road between the bar and the Julius Realty building, so the Breakers would have an enlarged parking lot to keep nearby streets clear.

The Breakers’ reopening on Labor Day weekend in 1985 set an all-time record for border crossings into the Point: 16,000 people in 7,000 cars came across the border to Point Roberts (population 500 at the time) a record which still stands today.

What nobody knew at the time was that the Sunday drinking ban in British Columbia would end the following May with the opening of Expo 86 in Vancouver, which profoundly changed the economy of Point Roberts overnight.

The Breakers is mentioned on three of the interpretive historical signs in the new Point Roberts History Trail. The Point Roberts Historical Society will be installing the final signs this month, successfully completing a four-year project funded by memberships and grants.

The Point Roberts History Trail showcases the history of the Point and will encourage locals and visitors alike to get out into the field and explore our unique community.

Thirsty to reminisce about the Breakers and the other drinking establishments on the Point? Stop by the Point Roberts History Center in the community center on Gulf Road and share your memories.