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Historical Markers and War Memorials in Canada

By Kevin Craft, September 17, 2017
Wideview of Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station Marker
GEOGRAPHIC SORT
| | Located at the top of Sulfur Mountain, the cosmic ray station was completed by the National Research Council in 1956, in preparation for International Geophysical Year (1957–1958) an undertaking involving 66 countries and a dozen scientific . . . — — Map (db m109422) HM |
| | The Cave and Basin Springs were brought to public attention after being located by CPR construction workers in 1883. These and the Upper Hot Springs soon drew private entrepreneurs and tourists. Growing support for public ownership prompted the . . . — — Map (db m108877) HM |
| | During Canada’s first national internment operations in World War One, thousands of immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the majority of Ukrainian origin, some citizens of Canada, were imprisoned as “enemy aliens”. Internment . . . — — Map (db m8827) HM |
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ENGLISH INSCRIPTION
Mountains create their own weather
As winds swirl around and rise above these massive barriers, clouds build up and bring the rain and snowstorms for which Storm Mountain was named.
Travellers . . . — — Map (db m82917) |
| | Strolling down the aisle, a conductor announces your destination. With steely squeals and a pish-sh-sh-sh of pent up steam, the locomotive glides to a halt. Descending the coach's stairs you step through the mist and arrive at Jasper . . . — — Map (db m108634) HM |
| | This renowned hotel had its origins in a simple log chalet built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1890. Early guests, including some pioneers of mountaineering in the northern Rockies, followed a packhorse trail from the station below. The advent . . . — — Map (db m109415) HM |
| | Prior to 1913 the Alberta-British Columbia boundary was defined by the divide or watershed of the Rocky Mountains. The discovery of valuable coal deposits and the availability of marketable timber and the incursion of railroads and roads required a . . . — — Map (db m70445) HM |
| | Imagine arriving here in the 1880s…the smell of pine forest, the sound of avalanches from the mountains above, and the wonder of vast unexplored country ahead. Today, the ice-capped peaks, hidden valleys and turquoise lakes are as spectacular as . . . — — Map (db m100116) HM |
| | How many creeks do you know of that split, with each fork reaching a separate ocean, 4500 km apart.
Here, Divide Creek forks on the boundary between Pacific and Atlantic watersheds, commonly called the Great Divide.
Water in the left fork . . . — — Map (db m70444) HM |
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ENGLISH INSCRIPTION
Did you know Waterton contains two national historic sites? Many more are nearby, some managed by Parks Canada and some by other agencies and groups. National historic sites celebrate over 1,500 places, persons . . . — — Map (db m82964) HM |
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ENGLISH INSCRIPTION
Welcome to Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada
National Parks protect the natural landscapes of Canada and also provide great places for outdoor adventures and connecting with nature.
As you enjoy . . . — — Map (db m82962) HM |
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ENGLISH INSCRIPTION
(Panel 1)
Bears Discover Oil?!
Oil seeps in this area were well known to Aboriginal peoples, who may have found them while observing bears. Bears are attracted by the smell of oil and may roll in . . . — — Map (db m80302) HM |
| | This was once the "jumping off point" for the vast northland. Here in 1887 the first steamboat "Athabasca" was built to ply the river between Mirror Landing and Grand Rapids.
Steamboats superceded the canoe, York boat, and scow, and were . . . — — Map (db m8837) HM |
| | A European food that was brought to Western Canada in the early 19th century by the working and poor people. It originated as a boiled dumpling, and later people added whatever they desired inside, and it became a pyrogy – pyrohy, sometimes . . . — — Map (db m8813) HM |
| | Born in Ceylon and educated in Scotland and Germany, Gibbon studied painting before turning to journalism. As publicity agent for the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1913 to 1945 he combined advertising with the promotion of a Canadian identity, . . . — — Map (db m108632) HM |
| | This plant, which was critical to the development of the Turner Valley oil field, is the earliest gas processing facility built in Canada and the only survivor of its type. The present complex was begun in 1921 after a fire destroyed the original . . . — — Map (db m8825) HM |
| | Turner Valley is Alberta’s first great oilfield. Initially the field, which began production in 1914, yielded mainly natural gas. Local plants, which provided the only extensive gas-processing system in the province, extracted the marketable . . . — — Map (db m9204) HM |
| | A preeminent topographical surveyor, Wheeler represented British Columbia on the commission which located and marked the boundary with Alberta between 1913 and 1925. His party surveyed and mapped the 1000 km-long mountain section, using photographs . . . — — Map (db m108876) HM |
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ENGLISH INSCRIPTION
Western Canada’s first producing oil was drilled in this valley at the turn of the 20th century. This success spurred further activity in this area, attracting more drilling and workers. A.P. Patrick, an investor . . . — — Map (db m82965) HM |
| | Opened in 1895, the Banff Park Museum was moved into this building in 1903. Its cross-log motif exemplifies an architectural style common in the town at the time. Norman Bethune Sanson, the museum’s curator from 1896 to 1932, energetically developed . . . — — Map (db m8836) HM |
| | This hotel is among the largest and most renowned of the fashionable resort hotels established along railway and steamship routes in Canada during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company in stages . . . — — Map (db m100084) HM |
| | End of the Road On the night of July 14, 1915 sixty prisoners were marshalled off a Canadian Pacific train just west of here and escorted to a barbed wire compound at the end of the unfinished Banff–Laggan (now Lake Louise) road. . . . — — Map (db m109003) HM |
| | Erected in honor of Sir James Hector K. C. M. C. Geologist and explorer to the Palliser Expedition of 1857 - 1860 by his friends in Canada, the United States & England. One of the earliest scientists to explore the Canadian Rocky Mountains. He . . . — — Map (db m70443) HM |
| | The development of this field in 1947 marked a turning point in the history of the Alberta petroleum industry. After the drilling of Leduc No. 1, the geographical focus of the industry shifted from Turner Valley northward to the central plains area, . . . — — Map (db m8856) HM |
| | Opened July 14th 1967 by their Imperial Highnesses’ Prince Takamatsu and Princess Takamatsu of Japan — — Map (db m100085) HM |
| | The earliest trade route between eastward and northward flowing waters followed the Clearwater River and the Methye Portage.
Discovered by Peter Pond in 1778 and used continuously for more than a century for more than a century by fur-traders . . . — — Map (db m8814) HM |
| | [Upper Marker]:
Pedro de Alberni, Captain of the Catalan Volunteers and Commander of the Spanish Establishment at Santa Cruz de Nootka, 1790-1792.
Offered by the Government of Spain on the occasion of the visit of the Spanish . . . — — Map (db m9155) HM |
| | Harvesting of the forest has long been an important aspect of life on the Pacific Coast. The native people were the first to utilize this valuable resource in the construction of dwellings, canoes, and implements. In the nineteenth century, spars . . . — — Map (db m9192) HM |
| | In 1952, the Kenney Dam was constructed on the Nechako River to service the new Alcan aluminum smelter at Kitimat, resulting in the creation of the Nechako Reservoir and the relocation of over 75 families. The damming also linked the rivers and . . . — — Map (db m8855) HM |
| | The mound in the centre of the quarry was of an inferior grade of limestone and therefore not quarried. Left intact, it provided a natural viewpoint amid the developing garden beds. Jennie Butchart planted a pair of arbor vitae (trees of . . . — — Map (db m74451) HM |
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Eagle with Salmon, Orca, Bear with Salmon
This Totem Pole, carve in Contemporary Coast Salish style by master carver Doug LaFortune of the Tsawout First Nation, was dedicated on September 9th, 2004 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of . . . — — Map (db m74456) HM |
| | Under the sponsorship of Mr. and Mrs. Ian Ross, the Victoria Symphony Orchestra performed summer concerts on the main lawn between 1953 and 1967. Conducted by Hans Gruber they featured many international artists such as Teresa Stratas, Bernard . . . — — Map (db m74461) HM |
| | Once the location of a large Japanese teahouse, the view from the fountain is a commanding one of the Butchart Residence across the Main Lawn. — — Map (db m74485) HM |
| | The Aeolian Pipe Organ played at The Butchart Gardens is an early twentieth century residence instrument equipped with its own pneumatic player. Built by the Aeolian Company of New York this model, once owned by Vancouver department store owner, . . . — — Map (db m74479) HM |
| | The present Rose Garden was built in 1929 and 1930 on the site of the Butchart's vegetable garden. The design was developed by Butler Sturtevant, a Seattle landscape artist, and adapted by Jennie Butchart. The head gardener at the time, Bob . . . — — Map (db m74483) HM |
| | This smaller quarry was a source of limestone in the 1860s. It was here that Ian Ross, grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Butchart, devised his spectacular fountain with the assistance of his plumber, Adrian Butler and his electrician, Vic Dawson. The Ross . . . — — Map (db m74441) HM |
| | Directly behind the Ross Fountain lies Tod Inlet and the site of the Vancouver Portland Cement Company established in 1904. Adjacent to the plant at Tod Inlet was a village that housed the employees. — — Map (db m74444) HM |
| | In 1903, the land now occupied by the Butchart Gardens was purchased from a local dairy farmer, Mr. Fernie. Reservoirs were excavated in 1969 to ensure a water supply for irrigation. The single jet fountain was installed to aerate the water supply . . . — — Map (db m74459) HM |
| | The factory buildings have been demolished and the land is now designated as provincial parkland. The one remaining chimney is within The Butchart Gardens and stands as a beacon to the cement industry it once served. — — Map (db m74447) HM |
| | This pond was designed by Mr. Butchart for his collection of ducks in 1931. Beyond is the entrance to the Italian Garden through a Lawson cypress hedge. — — Map (db m74549) HM |
| | Limestone was also quarried up the hill from the Sunken Garden. It was transported in ore buckets suspended on cables high above ground from some half a mile away. — — Map (db m74432) HM |
| | The original Porcellino, or little pig, sits on the south side of the Straw Market in Florence, Italy. For generations his nose has been affectionately rubbed to bring good luck, so that today his snout is finely burnished.
About 1620 Pietro . . . — — Map (db m74552) HM |
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Jennie Butchart began to shape this magnificent landscape in 1904. She established, in the style of the grand estates of the period, several distinct gardens to evoke a range of aesthetic experiences. An abandoned limestone quarry was . . . — — Map (db m74419) HM |
| | The Italian Garden is the most formal of Mrs. Butchart's gardens. Created in 1926 on the site of the family tennis court, the well known architect Samuel Maclure worked from Mr. Butchart's ideas to create the garden. — — Map (db m74551) HM |
| | The first of Jennie Butchart's formal gardens, the Japanese Garden was started in 1906. A Japanese landscape artist, Isaburo Kishida, assisted her with the design. Under the supervision of Hugh Lindsay the first of Mrs. Butchart's head gardeners, . . . — — Map (db m74513) HM |
| | The barren rock face of the quarry presented Jennie Butchart with a challenge. She hung in a bosun's chair to plant ivy in the crevices in the rock walls. — — Map (db m74437) HM |
| | The Limestone deposit was exhausted in 1908 and the quarry abandoned. Mrs. Butchart conceived the idea of transforming the barren pit into a garden and thus the Sunken Garden came into being. In 1910 she planted Lombardy poplar trees in an attempt . . . — — Map (db m74428) HM |
| | The deepest part of the quarry floor was sealed, lined and allowed to fill with water from a natural spring forming a lake 40 ft deep in places. Mr. Butchart stocked the pool with trout which would rise to the surface to be fed when he clapped his . . . — — Map (db m74438) HM |
| | In 1858, nearly 800 free Blacks left the oppressive racial conditions of San Francisco for a new life on Vancouver Island. Governor James Douglas had invited them here as promising settlers. Though still faced with intense discrimination, these . . . — — Map (db m72868) HM |
| | The Colwood Pioneer Cemetery was established in the 1890's on land donated by Alfred Thomas Peatt. Originally the site included St. Matthew's Presbyterian Church. The Colwood Women's Institute maintained the cemetery from 1925 to 1993, and then . . . — — Map (db m72869) HM |
| | The first permanent lighthouse on the Pacific coast of Canada, Fisgard was erected in 1859-60 by the British and Colonial Governments to guide mariners into Esquimalt Harbour. Brought from England with the first lightkeeper, the lantern became . . . — — Map (db m70876) HM |
| | This superb example of an Edwardian park was laid out for James and Laura Dunsmuir in the early 20th century. At its centre stands a Tudor Revival mansion, whose picturesque design is enhanced by a rich array of decoration and fine craftsmanship. . . . — — Map (db m72870) HM |
| | To seaward lies an anchorage or roadstead first used in 1790 by the Spanish and named in 1846 for its location between Albert Head and Victoria. Unloading place for large vessels serving Victoria in days of sail, it was once a scene of disaster. On . . . — — Map (db m72871) HM |
| | From 1878 to 1956 coast artillery installations protected the city of Victoria and the naval base at Esquimalt. Temporary batteries were constructed in response to the Anglo-Russian crisis of 1878, and in the 1890s Canada negotiated with Great . . . — — Map (db m72872) HM |
| | The long naval presence here has produced a unique legacy among defence sites in Canada. From its establishment in 1865 until Britain's Royal Navy withdrew in 1906, Esquimalt served as headquarters of the vast Pacific Station. In the Dockyard, the . . . — — Map (db m72867) HM |
| | Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC) Women's service in the military during the Second World War challenged the tradition of all-male armed forces. Between 1941 and 1946, close to 22,000 volunteers enlisted in the CWAC and were posted to bases at home . . . — — Map (db m72873) HM |
| | In spring 1872, classes began in Metchosin schoolhouse with Mrs. Elizabeth Fisher teaching 7 girls and 3 boys. On land donated by John Witty and with its $300 cost shared equally by local settlers and the colonial government, it was the first new . . . — — Map (db m70867) HM |
| | This place, chosen by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in 1903 for its harmonized elements of Nature expressing the principles of "feng shui", is a significant legacy of the first Canadians of Chinese origin. Traditionally it was a . . . — — Map (db m72874) HM |
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Town of Sidney
BC Spirit Squares
Beacon Park Pavilion
Opened June 28, 2009
by the Honourable Steven Point,
Lt. Gov. of BC
A legacy of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia . . . — — Map (db m75464) HM |
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Port of Entry Beacon
was seen in early days
by ships at sea
Hence, Beacon Avenue — — Map (db m75341) HM |
| | . . . — — Map (db m75469) HM WM |
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In memory of the men
of this district
who gave their lives
in the Great War
1914 - 1918
——— • ———
W.I. Apps • James Arden • H.H. Bedford • V. Cleaves • G.J. Coward • G.C. Cruse • Dean Arnold • H.A. . . . — — Map (db m75480) WM |
| | Before town planning and notions of the picturesque, waterfronts were convenient for industrial development. As a transportation hub, Sidney's waterfront boasted a sawmill, a cannery, boatworks and roofing plant, besides rail and ship . . . — — Map (db m75465) HM |
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If the Oceans of the world perish, so shall we. This mural was painted in celebration of the "International Year of the Ocean", and is a brief glimpse into the story of ocean science on the west coast. A mere fraction of the story is . . . — — Map (db m75463) HM |
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During the First World War, Victoria was unprepared to fend off air attacks. In 1921, the 2nd AA (Anti-Aircraft) battery was formed in Victoria. No AA guns existed in Canada, so the unit made do with 13-pounder guns on a locally improvised . . . — — Map (db m98996) HM |
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The Burrell family home, "Summerdyne", on Oak Bay Avenue at Monterey looking west - circa 1906
The Burrell family walking east along Oak Bay Avenue near their home - circa 1900 — — Map (db m75299) HM |
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The Elks and Royal Purple
of Canada
commemorate
Al Howie's record setting
"Tomorrow Run 91"
Began at Mile 0 St. John's Nfld.
June 21 and ended September 1, 1991 at
Mile 0 Victoria B.C.
72 days - 10 hours later.
Our . . . — — Map (db m74134) HM |
| | In commemoration of Stephen Fonyo’s run across Canada to raise money on behalf of the Canadian Cancer Society, for cancer education, patient care and research.
His “Journey For Lives” covered nearly 8,000 kilometers, starting in St. . . . — — Map (db m49230) HM |
| | The Legislative Buildings for the Colony of Vancouver Island were built on these grounds in 1859. Nicknamed “The Birdcages” because of their quaint style, they were replaced in 1894-97 by the present buildings. The original Legislative . . . — — Map (db m9196) HM |
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a replica of the original pole carved in 1960
by Chief Mungo Martin
Carved by Chief Tony Hunt
and
Raised on 8 September 2012
in the presence of
The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
in honour . . . — — Map (db m75002) HM WM |
| | Prior to 1910. the Royal Navy provided maritime defence of British North America and for the Dominion of Canada from 1867. With World War I brewing in Europe early in the 20th century, Great Britain redistributed the British fleet and reduced its . . . — — Map (db m49075) HM |
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Through arctic cold, desert heat, or jungle humidity, the rugged reliability of this no-frills "Vehicle, General Purpose" (G.P.) made it the most successful and recognizable Allied vehicle of the Second World War. Between 1939 and 1945 more . . . — — Map (db m99346) HM |
| | This building is a good example of Edwardian commercial architecture. It was built for William James Marble as a carriage factory, replacing the original wooden structure from 1885. Early painted signage is still visible on the east façade. In 1938, . . . — — Map (db m48748) HM |
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During the 1950s this type of anti-aircraft gun was part of the Victoria-Esquimalt defences, although it was not used here at Fort Rodd Hill.
This American-made weapon had begun to replace the British-designed 3.7-inch gun as the Canadian . . . — — Map (db m75031) HM |
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ca. 1860
[Photo caption reads] A detail of the View of Victoria, 1860.
Major Bay is largely undeveloped.
BC Archives POP01538
1878
[Photo caption reads] Bird's-Eye View of Victoria, Vancouver Island, B.C. 1878, detail.
Drawn . . . — — Map (db m74383) HM |
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Peggy Pemberton-Carter met Prince Nicholas Abkhazi, in Paris in 1922. Prince Nicholas, the last surviving son of an ancient line of kings of Abkhazia on the Black Sea, had been living there in exile since escaping the Bolshevik . . . — — Map (db m75253) HM |
| | City of Victoria Heritage Building — — Map (db m75297) HM |
| | [English] Amor De Cosmos (Lover of the Universe) was the name adopted by William Smith of Windor, Nova Scotia, while in the California goldfields. In 1858 he arrived in Victoria and founded the opposition journal, the Colonist. For over two decades . . . — — Map (db m49079) HM |
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The only native broadleaf evergreen tree in Canada, the Arbutus is found from the southern coastline of BC to California. In BC the Arbutus grows in a narrow band along the south coast line, generally within 5 kilometers (3 miles), of the ocean. . . . — — Map (db m74403) HM |
| | Death, life and happiness are in the story of Beacon Hill.
On these headlands, where an ancient race once buried their dead, early settlers erected beacons to guide mariners past dangerous Brotchie Ledge.
Here, too, ever since Victoria was . . . — — Map (db m49255) HM |
| | When Victoria was settled in 1843, this area was a natural park. It was reserved in 1858 for a park by Sir James Douglas, Governor of the Colony of Vancouver Island and given in trust to Victoria by the Province of British Columbia. In 1882 it was . . . — — Map (db m49252) HM |
| | You are standing in Bastion Square, a public space dating back to the Victorian Era.
There are many alleys and walkways to explore, connecting Bastion Square to nearby streets to see the heart of Victoria’s Old Town Historical Site.
Chancery Lane . . . — — Map (db m49226) HM |
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This tablet in memory of the
British Columbia Indians
who gave their lives in the
World Wars 1914 • 1918 - 1939 • 1945 — — Map (db m74139) WM |
| | This building was constructed in 1924 as the
Canadian Pacific Marine Terminal building.
Designed by the architectural partnership
of F.M. Rattenbury and P.L. James it became
headquarters for the Canadian Pacific
British Columbia Coast . . . — — Map (db m118545) HM |
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This building was constructed in about 1900 to served as a canteen where the off-duty soldier could make purchases from a limited stock, drink beer and relax.
The building was used as a canteen during summer training periods at Fort Rodd . . . — — Map (db m98860) HM |
| | After two historic voyages of the South Pacific[,] Cook was cruising the waters of the Pacific Northwest on his third and final voyage, with his two ships, Resolution and Discovery[.] He was searching for the western exit to the legendary Northwest . . . — — Map (db m48546) HM |
| | The cast iron panels on this fence are from the Driard Hotel, built in 1892 and designed by architect John Teaque. It was Victoria’s most prestigious hotel prior to the construction of the Empress Hotel. A reconstructed portion of the original hotel . . . — — Map (db m48477) HM |
| | Born on October 24, 1834, Cecilia was the eldest daughter of James and Amelia Douglas.
“The room of Mr. Douglas, partly an office and partly domestic, stood open and there I saw Cecilia his eldest daughter flitting about, active as a little . . . — — Map (db m48928) HM |
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Before 1903 the remains of early Chinese immigrants were buried in the low-lying, southwestern corner of Ross Bay cemetery. This area was often flooded after a heavy rainstorm. In the early 1900s, high winds and waves eroded a few waterfront . . . — — Map (db m75449) HM |
| | For many years the building on the near left side of this photograph (where you are standing) was a Chinese general store. It was taken down in the early 1960s to enlarge the intersection. You can see a streetcar on Johnson Street crossing . . . — — Map (db m49154) HM |
| | The harbours at Victoria and Esquimalt, and the adjacent coastline were defended by temporary gun emplacements from 1878. International crises during the latter part of the century led to an agreement between the Canadian and British governments . . . — — Map (db m75210) HM |
| | The Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue was built in 1863, just five years after the arrival if the first members of Victoria's Jewish community during the Fraser River gold rush period. Its opening was widely celebrated in Victoria for, despite their . . . — — Map (db m72875) HM |
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Built for coal magnate Robert Dunsmuir, Craigdarroch symbolized the desire of late 19th-century industrialists to assert their social position through conspicuous displays of wealth. Completed in 1890, the eclectic mansion features . . . — — Map (db m72876) HM |
| | [English]
The province of British Columbia was created on July 20, 1871. Formerly a crown colony established by the union in 1866 of Vancouver Island with the mainland colony of British Columbia, the addition of the Pacific coast province made . . . — — Map (db m49038) HM |
| | [English]
The 1957 portion of the building was renovated to provide retail space and a heritage facade compatible with the original 1914 section.
This project was completed by Public Works Canada as a contribution to the historical preservation . . . — — Map (db m48544) HM |
| | Defence Electric Lights on both sides of Esquimalt Harbour entrance were used to illuminate targets for the guns at night. Engine rooms generated power for the lights. Lights and engines were controlled from this Defence Electric Light Directing . . . — — Map (db m99440) HM |
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This wall protected the battery from attack from the rear. It was both a protected position for riflemen and an obstacle. Barbed wire entanglements and natural cliff faces provided additional defence along the remainder of the battery . . . — — Map (db m99395) HM |
| | John Sebastian Helmcken was born in London in 1924. He trained to be a doctor at Guys Hospital, London.
He arrived in Victoria as a surgeon and clerk for the Hudson Bay Company on March 24, 1850.
Dr. Helmcken entered politics in 1856, becoming the . . . — — Map (db m48865) HM |
| | Dr Helmcken earned acclaim for his work as a physician, colonial legislator and negotiator of British Columbia’s entry into Canada.
This statue, created by Armando Barbon and Gabriele Vicari, was donated to the Royal BC Museum by the family of Yole . . . — — Map (db m48992) HM |
| | During this district’s boom of 1881 – 1884, sixteen thousand Chinese established themselves within this area of Victoria. Thus emerged six blocks of businesses, theatres, a hospital, schools, churches, temples, opium factories, gambling dens . . . — — Map (db m49155) HM |
2656 entries matched your criteria. The first 100 are listed above. Next 100 ⊳