The City of Surrey is the second largest city by population after the City of Vancouver, and has six town centres: Fleetwood, Whalley, Guilford, Newton, Cloverdale and South Surrey. There are over 600 parks and green spaces to bird watch or fish for trout at Green Timbers Urban Forest. Surrey's past comes to life at the historic Stewart Farm, a 19th century farm house with orchards and gardens, interpreters in Victorian costume show off the vintage wood burning stove and family china.
When European settlers first arrived to this area, the Semiahmoo and Kwantlen First Nations People had already been here for over 6000 years. Settlements along the mouth of the Campbell River and Fraser River, at Crescent Beach and sheltered bends along the Fraser River were well established villages and seasonal settlements. Surrey was incorporated in 1879 and has a rich history with diverse ethnic backgrounds which makes Surrey one of BC's most unique communities. Surrey is one of the fastest growing major city in Canada, it is located at the crossroads of the Pacific Rim, Metro Vancouver and the United States with two major international border crossings. And in 1993 Surrey officially became a city.