Latest News
Lecture: Don’t Never Tell Nobody Nothin’ No How
Time and Date: 7 pm, Tuesday, April 16, 2019 Location: Rotary Gallery of the Courtenay and District Museum Speaker: Rick James Tickets: $5 for Historical Society members; $6 for general public (plus GST). Advance tickets strongly recommended as lectures frequently sell out. Tickets can be purchased over the phone by calling 250-334-0686 ext 2. The real story of West Coast rum running presented with a bit of a twist. Click for More Info
March 2019 Watershed Moments
Here is the latest newsletter installment of an image from the museum’s award-winning book Watershed Moments – A Pictorial History of Courtenay and District. Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image Photo credit: CDM Sillence Collection. Page 147. Photo caption: View of the empty corner lot of 5th Street and England Avenue, 1940, that would soon boast the E.W. Bickle Theatre. Charles Sillence photograph.
Periodical Wisdom: March 2019
Spring is just around the corner so it feels like time for something light and airy. How about soufflés? McCall’s magazine from March 1931 shares the secrets to this tricky dish. Helpful hints, recipes and practical “how-to” advice can all be found in periodical magazines from our archival collection. Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image
March 2019 Gift Shop News
Amazing new items are arriving daily for your shopping enjoyment. There are too many to mention so staff have narrowed it down to these top three personal picks: Adorable felt mice and rabbit figures that couldn't be any cuter if they tried. A great Easter gift for $14.95 each. Animal and bird themed cotton tea towels at 14.95 each. Gorgeous smelling soy candles made by Aroma Botanicals with the heady scents of Raspberry Champagne, Lavender Orange and Chamomile or Coconut Lime. $5.95 each.
Merville – 100 Years and Counting Part 3
The soldier settlement of Merville consisted of more than just farmland. By May of 1919 bunkhouses for single men, a cook house, office, stables and a general store had all been erected at the town centre along the Island Highway under the direction of the Land Settlement Board. By July there were fifty shacks up for settler families. North of Nurmi Road, the Erskine & May sawmill was in operation by 1920. It seems that Erskine and May made quite a name for themselves in the area. Story goes that they had difficulty cutting a straight line and much of their lumber had an [...]
Courtenay Courthouse’s First Inmate
The front page of the Argus newspaper from April 9, 1952 spilled the beans with the headline ‘Smoky’ Johnson In Cells. “Mr. Anton “Smoky” Johnson, chimney sweep, was the first customer of the RCMP at their shining new quarters at the Court House. He over-stepped the mark too often and when he came before Magistrate Pidcock for making a nuisance of himself in a public place he got a sentence of $50 and costs. He hadn’t the coin so he is now in Oakalla and will be there for the next 60 days.”
It’s All There in Black and White: Courtenay’s Court House 1952
Courtenay's Court House officially opened on Monday, March 31, 1952. The building housed provincial government departments as well as the RCMP. This article from the April 3, 1952 Comox District Free Press gives all the details right down to the coal mixture used for heating (that's 50% Cumberland coal, in case you were wondering). With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
So Long Comox Creamery
Creamery booth at fair, 1920s. CDM 988.225.14. The Comox Co-operative Creamery Association reaches the end of a 118 year long story with the imminent closing of the Courtenay Saputo dairy processing plant. But it’s not the end for the Valley’s dairy farmers whose milk will now be hauled to the Island Farms plant in Victoria. "Smaller farms, with lower quantities of milk, could not always justify investing in a [cream] separator. Unless they worked co-operatively, they would retain a small share in the market. They had only a few cows to compete, and could not put as much to market as the [...]
Spring Fling and Easter Things
Mark Saturday, April 6 on your calendar as our annual family event is scheduled from 11am to 2pm here at the museum. Lots of new activities in store as well as some tried and true favourites (petting zoo alert!). Click for More Info
Courtenay’s Puntledge Elasmosaur Receives the Most Votes!
Thank You to All of Our Supporters! On November 23, 2018, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development closed its voting period for designation of a Provincial Fossil. Courtenay’s Puntledge elasmosaur, discovered by Mike Trask in 1988 was included as one of seven important fossils from around the province. Today we have the results with the elasmosaur having received forty eight percent of the votes. Thank you to the Ministry for seeking input through this process and to the British Columbia Palaeontological Alliance for its initiative. Thank you and congratulations to all who voted and to the City of Courtenay [...]
It’s All There in Black and White: Comox in 1959
In 1959 Comox was growing and on the move! Writer Ted Gaskell penned this inventory for a February 4 article in 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.
February 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: Picking up the pieces after Courtenay's devastating 1916 fire. King Studio photograph. CDM 972.54.5 Page 113. Photo caption: "In [July] 1916, a devastating fire destroyed a city block, and the residents had only a bucket brigade with which to fight it. Joseph McPhee went to work once more to persuade his fellow citizens that the city should be in the water business." Page 113.
Merville – 100 Years and Counting Part 2
Merville was originally founded as a farming community, a government initiative for returned WWI veterans to settle on their own plot of land. It soon became apparent that land quality was questionable and people had to turn elsewhere for income to make ends meet. Here's a look back at the folks who made up Merville in 1941. Many loggers and farmers are noted but you'll also find a maid, a school teacher, an artist and even a Fuller Brush dealer! This listing is from the British Columbia and Yukon Directory for 1941.