Latest News
Statutory Closures
The museum will be closed for Canada Day on Thursday, July 1st and BC Day on Monday, August 2nd, 2021. Have safe and happy holidays!
Winners of BC Historical Federation Writing Competition
Recognizing books that make significant contributions to the historical literature of British Columbia The British Columbia Historical Federation (BCHF) announced the winners for the 2020 Lieutenant Governor’s Historical Writing Awards on Saturday, June 5 at the online BCHF 2021 conference. Congratulations to all. 1st prize, $2,500. Chinatown Through a Wide Lens: The Hidden Photographs of Yucho Chow by Catherine Clement (Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia). 2nd prize, $1,500. Step into Wilderness - A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley by Deborah Griffiths, Christine Dickinson, Judy Hagen, Catherine Siba (Harbour Publishing). 3rd prize, $500. A Great Revolutionary [...]
Cultural and Heritage Tourism
According to the World Trade Organization, tourism is shifting away from active holidays towards vacations that offer richer, more meaningful experiences, including tourist attractions that offer educational opportunities. Because of this, cultural and heritage tourism is a fast-growing market. "Cultural and heritage tourism" is tourism in which arts, culture and heritage form a key attraction for visitors. The focus of their activities are experiential events, such as local festivals, museums, food and wine tours, and art galleries. Sharing cultural stories and history with tourists and promoting historic places in the community can create a richer experience for both visitors and local residents. According [...]
In Memoriam: Mary Slemin
Chuck and Mary Slemin with their personal doll collection at their home in Courtenay. Photo from the Comox District Free Press Collection, March 4, 1981. The Courtenay and District Historical Society lost a past supporter with the death of Mary Slemin on March 30, 2021. Mary and her husband, Chuck, were integral to the development of the museum for over two decades. In looking back over early documents and press releases, Mary’s name pops up again and again. She was ubiquitous on committees, work bees, and tea services. Mary and Chuck each held several offices with the Historical Society Board over the years. [...]
It’s All There in Black and White: The 1971 Royal Visit to the Comox Valley
In remembrance of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died April 9, 2021, a pictorial look back at the royal visit to the Valley from the May 12, 1971 edition of the Comox District Free Press. Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
May 2021 Stepping into Wilderness
Here now is an image from the museum’s newest book Step into Wilderness – A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley. Photo credit: A baseball game in progress at the Willows Hotel in Campbell River. Photo: CDM Childs Collection. Page 138.
May 2021 Gift Shop News
There is a brand-new line of giftware in-store from artist Hannah Dale of Wrendale Designs in the UK. All the items have amazing artwork depicting a variety of animals and birds. Insulated water bottles come with a lovely gift box and the charming designs make them perfect for adults or children. In the same range we carry keychains, compact mirrors, shopping pads and cards. All items are extremely well made and reasonably priced from $5.00 to $30.00.
Sports and May Day in Cumberland
In the early years of Cumberland's Victoria Day holiday, sports played a huge part of the celebrations. Attendants were invited not just to watch, but also to be active participants, in a whole host of races, games, football matches and a tug-of-war, with prizes given to the victors. In 1918 there were 31 separate events with prizes ranging from silver cups to cash. The 100-yard Single Ladies' Race had a first prize of $4 and a second prize of $2. While it boasted the same amount for prizes, the Married Ladies' Race was only 75 yards long. First Aid competitions were held with [...]
50 Years of Door-To-Door in the Comox Valley
This spring, celebrate the 50th anniversary of a valuable service that many Comox Valley residents use every day without much thought or effort: door-to-door mail delivery.A survey held in January 1971 revealed that there were 2,475 residences in Courtenay and 1,076 residences in Comox, pushing the region over the required minimum of 2,000 homes and qualifying them for the service.Preparations began in February. Circulars were hand-delivered to inform households that they must display their house number clearly and install proper mailboxes or slots for receiving their mail.The shift in delivery required sweeping changes in the post office's operations and handling of mail. All [...]
May is Asian Heritage Month
Coke ovens at Union Bay, ca. 1905. CDM 979.3.31. Union Bay's Chinese Community For almost sixty years, a Chinese community thrived at the edge of Union Bay. Many of the men who lived there had originally come from Guangdong province to Canada to work on railway construction and later located to Union Bay to work for the Dunsmuir’s Union Coal Company. Some men were trimmers, who would climb into a ship's hold to spread the coal evenly as it fell through chutes from the coal cars. Others worked as rakers, pulling coke from the sulfurous, searing-hot coke ovens with heavy rakes. These jobs were tedious, grueling and dangerous. Over one hundred men lived in this community in the 1890s. By the 1950s, only a few remained. [...]
An Honour to be Nominated
We are pleased and proud to announce that our book Step into Wilderness – A Pictorial History of Outdoor Exploration in and around the Comox Valley has been shortlisted for the British Columbia Historical Federation’s Lieutenant Governor’s Writing Competition. Awards will be revealed June 5. You can read more about it here.
When the Bridge Closed…
Local historian Isabelle Stubbs sometimes reminisced about bridge closures and detours in the "Coffee Cup Chatter" column she wrote for the newspapers. Isabelle and family were relatively new to the Valley in 1923 when the bridge crossing the Courtenay River was closed. Folks could either detour miles out of their way over the Condensory Bridge or try a shorter but more labour-intensive route. Isabelle recalled that "...a footbridge was built just north of the condemned structure while repairs and a new bridge was completed. During construction, farmers brought milk, eggs and farm produce to the Courtenay Hotel, then used wheelbarrows or carried the [...]
Thank You Volunteers!
Volunteer Appreciation Week April 18-24 What a strange year it has been! We are grateful to our volunteers who continued to support the museum in 2020, sometimes in very creative ways! Their dedication and assistance allowed our organization to weather the unprecedented ups-and-downs of a global pandemic, while continuing to support our community and preserve its stories for future generations. In a historic year that was both unpredictable and (let's face it) frightening, their commitment has been invaluable. We're thankful for the talents and hard work people share with us at the Courtenay and District Museum and we look forward to welcoming back our [...]