Latest News
Race to the End of the Earth
The Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria presents the exhibit Race to the End of the Earth on now to October 14, 2013. Race to the End of the Earth recounts one of the most stirring tales of Antarctic exploration, the contest to reach the South Pole. This exhibition focuses on the challenges that the Norwegian and British leaders faced as they undertook their separate 2900 km journeys from the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf to the South Pole and back. Click Here for Details
It’s All There in Black and White: Such Drama!
Such drama! Just for fun - an advertisement for a film at the Ilo-Ilo Theatre printed in the Courtenay Free Press April 21, 1931 edition. Click for Larger Image Click for Larger Image
Before Television: Comox Post Office Model
CDM 2002.102.1 While not created before the age of television, this model of the Comox Post Office certainly shows a dedication to handcrafting and embellishment. The model was made in 2002 by Dave McKay (b. 1930 – d. 2008) of Union Bay. Dave was well known for creating miniature replicas of Comox Valley landmark buildings. His replica of “old Union Bay” is on display in the former Union Bay School building. The Comox Post Office pictured here and modeled above, was built in 1913 and torn down in 1958 to be replaced by a modern facility. CDM P255-235a
Kids Discover!
The summer programme schedule is up and we are taking bookings already for childrens' programmes for July and August. Click Here for Details
100 Year Old Boom
From The Cumberland Islander Saturday, April 12, 1913 "Courtenay is on the boom, active business has commenced and the main street is now lined with building material. The Builders’ Supply Company have commenced to erect a large addition to their warehouse. O.H. Fechner, proprietor of the Riverside Hotel, is also doubling the size of his hotel and when completed it will be the most modern house on the north end of the Island. The foundation for C.H. Tarbell’s hardware store is nearing completion, with several other buildings in course of erection. The C.P.R. have their road graded into Courtenay." Stubbs Collection at CDM [...]
It’s All There in Black and White: A Perpetual Local Issue
In this Comox District Free Press article from April 30, 1953 you'll note that some stories just keep coming up!
On the Track for Happy Anniversaries
CDM 989.204.3Courtenay E&N station under construction. The Courtenay and District Museum is gearing up for the 100th Anniversary of the E&N Railway coming to Courtenay on August 14, 2014 and to the 100th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the City of Courtenay on January 1, 1915. To start on the right track, we'll be lending a hand to the Courtenay Rotary Club's Trail Along the Rails project by getting information out about their online auction. If you want to find out more about this initiative here's the link. In addition, the super curatorial team at the museum has been delving into archival, [...]
Easter Celebration Wrap Up
Our Easter Celebration at the museum was a fabulous success with over 300 visitors attending! There was a line up for everyone who wanted to make crafts; the most popular craft of the day was the rabbit mask. The mineral egg collection was also a hit. We would like to give a huge thank you to the Shamrock Gumboot 4-H Club for bringing a vast array of animals for the petting zoo and to the volunteers who helped us prepare for the day. It was such a wonderful opportunity for all the children to be introduced to friendly farm animals. To top it off [...]
Upcoming Lecture: Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway
Friday May 10, 2013 - 7 pm Join Robert (Bob) Turner, a leading authority on transportation history in BC, as he discusses the story of the E&N Railway's CPR steam years. During the days of steam power on the railway, the E&N was a distant outpost of the Canadian Pacific Railway's vast system, but it was a profitable one. It hauled logs and coal, fish and paper, strawberries and raspberries, beer and wine, automobiles and oil, and tons and tons of wood. Click Here for Details
Vancouver Island Mountaineering History
We hosted a great lecture last night with some wonderful slides about Vancouver Island mountaineering. To find out more about our speaker Lindsay Elms and how to purchase his book “Above the Bush, A Century of Climbing on Vancouver Island 1912-2012” click here
Before Television: WWI Easter Postcard
A lovely Easter postcard from our collection. It is from the WW I era and features what might be a primula bouquet on the cross. Sending postcards with their handwritten messages has definitely been on the decline since the invention of the internet and e-cards. Just ask Canada Post.
Bye Bye Wendy
The museum bids a fond farewell to longtime employee Wendy Fried Olsson who leaves us to move to eastern Canada. Wendy has been with the museum on and off since 1992. She has pretty much done every job under the sun here: from fossil casts to exhibit creation to archival processing. Why she has even been known to scrub clothes on a washboard for furthering the knowledge of social history! Wendy has made major contributions to Comox Valley research, organization of archives and to community projects such as the Wall of Remembrance on the Sid Williams Theatre. We extend our best wishes to Wendy [...]