Latest News
January 2019 Watershed Moments
Here is the latest newsletter installment of an image and quote from the museum's award-winning book Watershed Moments - A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District. Photo credit: The Island Realty Company, ca. 1911. Left to right: Unknown, Billy (William) Miller, P. Leo Anderton. CDM 991.164.1. Pages 72-73. Photo caption: "In 1911, Peter Leo Anderton was one of the young businessmen who saw great potential in the new commercial district forming on the west side of the Courtenay River. Always known as P.Leo, he began as a notary public, working from his home, and then added insurance as well as real estate sales. He [...]
January 2019 Gift Shop News
Thank you to everyone who has supported the museum gift shop and made it another fabulous year financially. Gift shop proceeds support important museum programs. An extra big thanks to all the members who took advantage of the 25% discount offered throughout the month of December. We are pleased to provide this as a perk to your membership. The decision to carry work created by a range of unique local artists has been a success and will continue as we move ahead. Looking forward to another great year in 2019!
It’s All There in Black and White: The Leung’s Building
The Leung's building was under construction 70 years ago as noted in the January 20, 1949 Comox District Free Press. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
Periodical Wisdom: January 2019
Let's start the new year with an introduction. That's the "proper" way to make social introductions courtesy of the March 1931 edition of McCall's magazine. Periodicals and magazines from the archives can provide some great advice on a variety of topics. Stay tuned to this feature in our monthly newsletter for tips on things like special winter beauty problems, gardening advice and household chores. Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image
Happy New Year!
We hope you enjoy this example of an 1899 New Year's card. It was sent by Charles Laing Forrest to his son James (1867-1937). James and wife Ann (aka Tottie) settled in the Comox Valley in 1918 and ran the Forrest Dairy on Headquarters Road in the 1920s and 30s. They had four children: Ann, Charlie, Peggy and Bunty.
Merville – 100 Years and Counting
CDM 2004.42.1 "In late November of 1918 Mr. MacDonald of the Land Settlement Board and professor B.A. Boving of the University of British Columbia visited the Comox Valley with a view to investigating the feasibility of the Provincial Government taking over a large area of land located north of Grantham. Thousands of acres belonging to the Comox Logging and Railway Company had been logged off and were available… By the end of May, 1919 seventy-five veterans were engaged in clearing and building on the home sites...". From Land of Plenty, A History of the Comox District, p. 107. This quote sets the [...]
Periodical Wisdom: December 2018
Women's magazines and periodicals from the past offer some great advice on things like how to economize, care for your baby's teeth or even the proper way to make social introductions. We've scoured the archives for some examples to share with you. This month's write-up is an article is from The Christmas Peoples Home Journal of December 1917 and offers ways to celebrate "Summer in December."
Christmas Closure
The museum will be closed from December 23 through to January 1. Regular winter hours resume Wednesday, January 2, 2019.
December 2018 Watershed Moments
Here is the latest newsletter installment of an image and quote from the museum's award-winning book Watershed Moments - A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District. Photo credit: The Comox Co-operative Creamery building, 1927. CDM 986.73.3. Pages 84-85. Photo caption: "...the Creamery became a one-stop shop for dairy products, grains and farm supplies for Courtenay and the valley, and its milk, butter, cheese and ice cream were sold throughout British Columbia. By 1920, 2,700 cows were contributing to the co-op." Page 86.
Holiday Cooking from 1922
This year the newsletter includes two recipes to delight your taste buds. The Bestway Cookery Gift Book from 1922 is the source for the spin on turkey prep and A Calendar of Dinners with 615 Recipes including the Story of Crisco from 1916 provides a Christmas Dinner menu as well as a plum pudding recipe that (you guessed it) features Crisco as a key ingredient.
1948 Eaton’s Toyland Advertisement
Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image 1948 Eaton’s Toyland Advertisement
It’s All There in Black and White: Eaton’s Opens in the Comox Valley
Christmas shopping got a bit of a shake up when the T. Eaton Company came to town as seen in this Comox District Free Press article from December 2, 1948. Bonus! Click here to see the 1948 Eaton's Toyland Advertisement from the same edition. With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
December 2018 Gift Shop News
A reminder that the Museum Members Only Christmas Sale is on until Saturday, December 22, 2018. Members receive a 25% discount on most items in the shop. Valid membership cards need to be shown at time of purchase. Please note that the discount does not apply to consignment or already marked down items. The museum store also has a pre-Christmas sale table where everything is 50% off. There are still some wonderful gift ideas for the taking.