history

Pharis and Jason Romero filmed their latest video with Rick Magnell in the historic 153 Mile Store. (Rick Magnell video capture)

VIDEO: Juno-award winning folk duo showcase B.C. history in new song

Video filmed in historic 153 Mile Store was the ‘perfect place’

 

President Dave Ferguson of the Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame said the museum will have to leave its current home at the Westshore Motorsports Park in September and is currently searching for space to store its artifacts. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

Victoria Auto Racing Hall of Fame needs homes for its artifacts as it faces fall closure

The museum is looking for storage space until a new permanent home is found

 

Nanaimo’s No. 1 mine. (Submitted photo)

May 3, 1887: Remembering 150 lives lost in Vancouver Island’s worst mining disaster

City of Nanaimo lowering flags to commemorate Esplanade Mine explosion that killed 150

 

Volunteers are organizing to purchase and preserve Golden’s Swiss Village. (RE/MAX Golden)

Golden’s Swiss Village Foundation crowdfunds to save property

The Swiss Edelweiss Village Foundation has temporarily secured the property

Volunteers are organizing to purchase and preserve Golden’s Swiss Village. (RE/MAX Golden)
Take a roadtrip from Victoria to Duncan as it was in 1966, with photos captured by the then-Highways Department and made into a video and loaded onto YouTube. (Courtesy of Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)

Road Trip Time Machine series improves video snapshot of 1966 Island Highway run

Extended, enhanced transportation ministry video offers 6-minute trip from Victoria to Duncan

Take a roadtrip from Victoria to Duncan as it was in 1966, with photos captured by the then-Highways Department and made into a video and loaded onto YouTube. (Courtesy of Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
In this photo, circa 1984, people stand on various levels of the clock tower at Harbour Quay. The man at the right front is Rob Duncan, whose father—Fred Duncan—made a contribution through his estate for construction of the tower. As of February 2022, the tower is being renovated and transformed into a “story tower” with Tseshaht First Nation artwork. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN17802 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

LOOK BACK: Port Alberni’s clock tower at Harbour Quay

The clock tower officially opened almost 40 years ago

In this photo, circa 1984, people stand on various levels of the clock tower at Harbour Quay. The man at the right front is Rob Duncan, whose father—Fred Duncan—made a contribution through his estate for construction of the tower. As of February 2022, the tower is being renovated and transformed into a “story tower” with Tseshaht First Nation artwork. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN17802 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)
This is a scanning electron microscope photo of some of the sediment from deep in the core from Topknot Lake (ca. 16,500 years ago), showing the remains of several species of diatoms, the identification of which indicates whether the water in the lake was fresh or marine at that time. In Topknot Lake there is no sign of marine diatoms, implying that relative sea level never rose to the height of the lake (13 metres above modern sea level). Photo: T. Holmes, NRCAN

Parts of Northern Vancouver Island missed by last Ice Age — researchers

Lake on west side of Island not covered by ice, prompting questions about early human habitation

This is a scanning electron microscope photo of some of the sediment from deep in the core from Topknot Lake (ca. 16,500 years ago), showing the remains of several species of diatoms, the identification of which indicates whether the water in the lake was fresh or marine at that time. In Topknot Lake there is no sign of marine diatoms, implying that relative sea level never rose to the height of the lake (13 metres above modern sea level). Photo: T. Holmes, NRCAN
The village is over a century old and is an important historical site and was at one point the gateway to the mountaneering community in the Canadian Rockies. (RE/MAX photo)

Saving Golden’s Swiss Village: Dr. Johann Roduit and Dr. Ilona Spaar reflect on iconic B.C. spot

The historic Edelweiss Village has been for sale for over a year, and preservation talks are moving

The village is over a century old and is an important historical site and was at one point the gateway to the mountaneering community in the Canadian Rockies. (RE/MAX photo)
A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village is from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson)

Lester Pearson’s grandson confirms letter, bow tie found in Value Village were his

Lester loved taking the time to respond to Canadians, says Michael Pearson

A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village is from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson)
A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village appears to be from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson/Value Village)

Bow tie, letter believed to be from Lester B. Pearson found at Victoria Value Village

Items addressed to a Vancouver woman who appears to have been working on a project

A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village appears to be from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson/Value Village)
Liam Robertson, the Nanaimo city worker who found the First World War Military Medal, meets with Margaret Sloat, whose home the medal was stolen when her home was robbed in 2019. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

First World War medal found in Nanaimo trash returned to recipient’s family

Vancouver Island Military Museum presented medal for bravery to WWI veteran’s daughter

Liam Robertson, the Nanaimo city worker who found the First World War Military Medal, meets with Margaret Sloat, whose home the medal was stolen when her home was robbed in 2019. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Greater Victoria photographer Don Denton is working to discover and preserve the history of B.C.’s forgotten photographers. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

B.C. photographer working to unearth province’s forgotten camera artists

Don Denton collecting and preserving details of mostly unknown photographers

Greater Victoria photographer Don Denton is working to discover and preserve the history of B.C.’s forgotten photographers. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
Greg Devenish, Vancouver Island Military Museum director and volunteer, conducted research that revealed the identity of the recipient of a First World War medal that was found by a city worker and turned over to the museum in December. How the medal came to Nanaimo remains a mystery. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Research unearths history of First World War mystery medal found in Nanaimo

Military medal belonged to veteran who fought at Battle of Passchendaele

Greg Devenish, Vancouver Island Military Museum director and volunteer, conducted research that revealed the identity of the recipient of a First World War medal that was found by a city worker and turned over to the museum in December. How the medal came to Nanaimo remains a mystery. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
This photo, circa 1950, shows the old Army Drill Hall, now the Glenwood Centre. It was built in late 1939 or early 1940. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN16020 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

LOOK BACK: Army camp in Port Alberni

The camp was built in 1941 in response to the Second World War

This photo, circa 1950, shows the old Army Drill Hall, now the Glenwood Centre. It was built in late 1939 or early 1940. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN16020 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)
Lee Brandt, A Langley-based crane operator who grew up in Milner will make his television show debut with History TV Canada’s new series, Lost Car Rescue. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

Crane, planes and automobiles star in History Network’s Lost Car Rescue

Rescuing classic cars requires more than a love for the classics and…

Lee Brandt, A Langley-based crane operator who grew up in Milner will make his television show debut with History TV Canada’s new series, Lost Car Rescue. (Special to Langley Advance Times)
Kirsten Smith, collections curator at the Alberni Valley Museum, demonstrates the interactive aspects of the museum’s newest exhibit, “Snapshots of Canada.” (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Alberni Valley Museum offers ‘snapshots’ of Canada’s history

From Confederation to present day, exhibit shows Canada’s triumphs, failures and sacrifices

Kirsten Smith, collections curator at the Alberni Valley Museum, demonstrates the interactive aspects of the museum’s newest exhibit, “Snapshots of Canada.” (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
MV Sea Lion, which was built in 1905 and was B.C.'s oldest wooden tugboat, is being scrapped at a shipyard in Nanaimo. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

B.C.’s oldest wooden tugboat being scrapped at shipyard in Nanaimo

MV Sea Lion, built in 1905, had a part in 1914 SS Komagata Maru incident

MV Sea Lion, which was built in 1905 and was B.C.'s oldest wooden tugboat, is being scrapped at a shipyard in Nanaimo. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Cape Beale Lighthouse today is owned and operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The grounds are open for public visits. Photo Courtesy Kraid Anderson, lighthousefriends.com

A Vancouver Island shipwreck heroine

The story of Minnie Paterson’s heroic hike

  • Dec 9, 2021
Cape Beale Lighthouse today is owned and operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The grounds are open for public visits. Photo Courtesy Kraid Anderson, lighthousefriends.com
This polaroid, circa 1960, shows a Woodward’s delivery van in Port Alberni. This and 24,000 other historical photos can be seen on the Alberni Valley Museum’s online photo archive at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN15522 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

LOOK BACK: Woodward’s Store offered deliveries in Port Alberni

Woodward’s Store opened in Port Alberni in 1948

This polaroid, circa 1960, shows a Woodward’s delivery van in Port Alberni. This and 24,000 other historical photos can be seen on the Alberni Valley Museum’s online photo archive at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN15522 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)
Four women are seen standing on either side of stacks of plywood, moving the top piece into the dryers at Alberni Plywoods Ltd., circa 1948. A metal bar in the centre of the machine reads “NO. 2”. At the far right, a sign can be seen that reads “In Case of Fire Break Glass Here. The female workers at AlPly became known as the ‘Plywood Girls’ during the Second World War. The plant was rushed into production in 1942 on the site now known as Canal Beach in order to help Canada’s war effort. This photo is one of 24,000 that comprise the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital photo archives. The archives are accessible to the public at https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN13192 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

A LOOK BACK: The Plywood Girls of Port Alberni

Take a peek at Alberni Valley history with the AV Museum

Four women are seen standing on either side of stacks of plywood, moving the top piece into the dryers at Alberni Plywoods Ltd., circa 1948. A metal bar in the centre of the machine reads “NO. 2”. At the far right, a sign can be seen that reads “In Case of Fire Break Glass Here. The female workers at AlPly became known as the ‘Plywood Girls’ during the Second World War. The plant was rushed into production in 1942 on the site now known as Canal Beach in order to help Canada’s war effort. This photo is one of 24,000 that comprise the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital photo archives. The archives are accessible to the public at https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN13192 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)