Our Favourite Cretaceous Candidate
Exciting news! The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development has announced a final competition for a Provincial Fossil to be added to the official Provincial Symbols of British Columbia. Courtenay's elasmosaur is on the shortlist and could become an official provincial symbol with your vote.
The Ministry stated, "Seven fossil candidates have been shortlisted through a public process in partnership with the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance (BCPA). The following criteria were used to select the fossil candidates:
- Be well known and easily recognizable;
- be more or less unique to British Columbia;
- reflect the unique geography of British Columbia;
- have wide appeal to a general audience;
- serve as an educational vehicle through which the biology, ecology, and geology of the time it represents can be made clear; and
- be amenable to designs for posters, displays and logos.
The online voting process uses a web-based questionnaire tool, SurveyMonkey, allows one vote per computer profile and includes a simple verification step to avoid development of computer scripts for automatic votes.
Here's the link where you can see all seven candidates and make your choice. The voting period will close November 23, 2018.
Click to Here Vote
Museum's Cretaceous Candidate Takes a Pre-Election Stroll With Local Film Makers
Voting for British Columbia's Provincial Fossil ends on November 23, 2018. Courtenay's eighty-million-year-old elasmosaur has made one last stroll with Comox Valley film makers, Kim Bannerman and Shawn Piggott, owners of Fox & Bee Studios, to get the word out to vote before the deadline.
Click to Here to Watch
Elasmosaur B-Day Party
You are invited to the museum to celebrate the Elasmosaur's 80,000,030th birthday on Saturday, November 17th from 11am to 2pm.
There will be cake, crafts, door prizes, balloons, face painting, photo opportunities and games.
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Bells of Peace
On November 11, at the going down of the sun, communities across Canada will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War with the ringing of 100 bells.
When you hear the bells toll, take a moment to pause and remember all those who served and sacrificed.
Bells of Peace was developed by The Royal Canadian Legion in partnership with the Government of Canada.
To find out more about local activities click here.
Remembrance Day Reminder
A look back through an excerpt from The Courtenaian, Journal of the Courtenay Public Schools, Vancouver Island, B.C.
Vol. 1. No. 2. November, 1914
"On Monday, Nov. 2nd, the pupils of Divisions I and II went up to the station to say good-bye and give three cheers to the men who are going to the front. The platform was well crowded with people, and we had to wait quite a while before the train started. As the train pulled out we gave three hearty cheers to the Courtenay men who are answering the call of duty."
Photo of the Month
CDM #p80-223a
Beginning of Comox Legion Branch #160, 1941
You can view more photos like this on our website. Click here to visit our holdings.
National Philanthropy Day
The Courtenay and District Historical Society was registered as a nonprofit society in 1961 to preserve and interpret cultural and natural heritage of the Comox Valley. Funds are derived from the generous support of the City of Courtenay, British Columbia Arts Council, Comox Valley Regional District, British Columbia Gaming Branch, and from museum generated revenues.
Your donations play an important role in making special projects and future museum operations possible. November 15, is National Philanthropy Day. This month, the CDM extends appreciation to the Comox Valley Community Foundation and to donors who have, since 1996, supported the Courtenay and District Museum Endowment Fund. If you would like to make an online donation to this fund go to Canada Helps and click for Courtenay and District Museum, or contact us. Thank you for your support!
It's All There in Black and White
Grey Cup coming up! Courtenay entered a float in the 1963 Vancouver Grey Cup parade. Our float was described as the biggest in the procession and was truly a community effort to produce. All in the name of showing support for the BC Lions who held training camps here (on and off) starting in 1961. Check out this article from the Comox District Free Press of November 27, 1963.
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Bonus! Click here Click here to see photos including one of the Comox Valley float.
With legacy support from the Bickle Family and the Comox Valley Echo.
Gift Shop News
Members Only Sale
Dust off your debit cards! It's almost time for the annual Museum Members Only Christmas Sale.
From December 1 to December 22, members receive a 25% discount on most items in the store. This offer does not apply to items already marked down or on consignment. Your valid membership card must be shown at the time of purchase.
Not a member? Don't despair! Purchase a membership and you immediately qualify for the special holiday period discount.
Your Membership and Donations Make A Difference
Purchasing a membership to the Courtenay and District Museum, now in its 57th year, supports heritage preservation in the Comox Valley through special events, lectures, education programmes, research and exhibitions. Your membership benefits these award winning programmes on a year round basis and we appreciate it!
Becoming a member provides you with discounts in the gift shop and on lectures and an opportunity to support one of the most active regional museums in British Columbia. Thank you for your support.
Click here to Join
Click Here to Make a Donation
Periodical Wisdom
Women's magazines and periodicals from the past offer some great advice on things like how to economize in the home or care for your baby's teeth.
This month's sampling is from Farm & Home, The Magazine of rural British Columbia published November 15, 1930. This particular article provides some tips for the gardener - you'd get all that and more for the grand price of 5 cents per issue back in the day.
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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: A tranquil view of the Courtenay River, ca. 1900. CDM 972.235.9. Pages 22-23.
Photo caption: "The Courtenay River, one of the shortest navigable rivers in Canada, runs through today's downtown Courtenay. The Puntledge, Browns and Tsolum Rivers empty into it. Settlers' homes and farms stretched along the shorelines and on to the rivers' upper and lower prairies." Page 23.
Click Here for a Larger Version
Museum Funding
The Courtenay and District Historical Society was registered as a nonprofit society in 1961 to preserve and interpret cultural and natural heritage of the Comox Valley. It has functioned as an independent society since that time. Funds are derived from the generous support of the City of Courtenay, British Columbia Arts Council, Comox Valley Regional District, British Columbia Gaming Branch, and from museum generated revenues and donations.
Proud sponsors of the Courtenay & District Museum:
