History
Cedar was first inhabited by First Nations People for thousands of years prior to European’s arriving in the mid 1800s. In 1850 it is thought that James Stove settled in the area to help develop a coal mine.
The first settlers worked in resource industries, including logging and mining. Many landmarks and streets were named after the first settlers, including Haslam, York, Quennell, MacMillan, Gould, Hemer, Cassidy, Holden, and Corso. The first post office was opened on April 1, 1888.
First settlers travelled from Nanaimo to Cedar by canoe. In 1865, the first bridge was constructed crossing the Nanaimo River near the current bridge site below the Cranberry Arms Hotel. Since then the bridge has been replaced several times.
Cedar was named because of the profusion of the Thuja plicata trees in the vicinity, known as the Western Red Cedar.