history

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)
This photo, circa 1914, looks west down Angus Street in Port Alberni. Two men stand in the centre of the dirt road with houses, the inlet and Arbutus Ridge in the background. The man on the right is identified as Mr. Johnstone. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN12531 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

LOOK BACK: Angus Street in Port Alberni

Angus Street stretches from the waterfront to Seventh Avenue

This photo, circa 1914, looks west down Angus Street in Port Alberni. Two men stand in the centre of the dirt road with houses, the inlet and Arbutus Ridge in the background. The man on the right is identified as Mr. Johnstone. This photo is one of 24,000 contained in the Alberni Valley Museum’s digital archives at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN12531 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)
Camas flowers in full bloom. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

Vancouver Island camas meadows reveal agricultural impact of B.C. colonialism

Lekwungen food expert Cheryl Bryce looks to raise awareness of traditional food systems

  • Sep 30, 2021
Camas flowers in full bloom. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)
George Manning (right), seen here in the pressroom of one of the publications he oversaw, was a legendary figure and mentor in the local community newspaper industry. He passed away last week at age 81. (Facebook/Gail Manning)

Newspaper executive left large mark on Vancouver Island journalism

George Manning dies at 81, was key figure in the growth of Black Press on Vancouver Island

George Manning (right), seen here in the pressroom of one of the publications he oversaw, was a legendary figure and mentor in the local community newspaper industry. He passed away last week at age 81. (Facebook/Gail Manning)
Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)

100 metre dash – on all fours: Vernon woman breaks unofficial Guinness record

Vernon resident Julie McCann sets unofficial Guinness mark as fastest woman to cover 100 metres on all fours

Vernon summer resident Julie McCann (née Holland) set an unofficial world record Monday, Aug. 9, at Greater Vernon Athletic Park, becoming the fastest woman to run 100 metres on all fours with a clocking of 22.99 seconds. (Christine Castrucow photo)
Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo

Vancouver Island man to be reunited with father’s 104-year-old First World War uniform

Geoff Goodship got a call out of the blue from an amateur historian who had acquired the outfit

Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo
Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Vancouver Island man donates 140,000 mollusk specimens to biodiversity museum

UBC’s Beaty museum grateful for Bill Merilees’s historical record of B.C. marine biodiversity

Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

VIDEO: B.C. man donates 140,000 mollusk specimens to biodiversity museum

UBC’s Beaty museum grateful for Bill Merilees’s historical record of B.C. marine biodiversity

Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
West Coast General Hospital, as depicted sometime between 1913-1915, was a two-storey building with two wings connected by a central piece. The hospital was located near the spot where the Port Alberni RCMP building is today, and underwent a few renovations over the years. This is one of 24,000 photos contained in the Alberni Valley Museum's online archives, available at https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN00108 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

LOOK BACK: Alberni Valley hit by Spanish flu in 1918

Some things change, while others stay the same

West Coast General Hospital, as depicted sometime between 1913-1915, was a two-storey building with two wings connected by a central piece. The hospital was located near the spot where the Port Alberni RCMP building is today, and underwent a few renovations over the years. This is one of 24,000 photos contained in the Alberni Valley Museum's online archives, available at https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN00108 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)
Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)

Cast in bronze, then into Victoria’s Inner Harbour: So who was James Cook?

Likeness of British maritime explorer commissioned in 1976, forcibly removed on July 1

Captain James Cook statue splashes into Victoria’s Inner Harbour, after being removed from its upper causeway pedestal on July 1. (@CJusticeVic/Twitter)