Jonathan Kalmakoff

A story examining the short life of a Boundary industry has won the BC Historical Federation’s Anne and Philip Yandle Best Article Award.

“The Doukhobor Jam Factory at Grand Forks,” by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff, appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of British Columbia History magazine. It was chosen by a panel of judges from among 20 eligible articles published in the magazine last year.

The story examined the events that led to the construction of the factory in 1935 and its demise after just 10 days of production. One judge called it “deeply researched” and said it is “more than the history of a jam factory. It answers questions about a major factor in the complex fiscal collapse of the Doukhobor colonies and the eventual sale of communal lands.” Another called it “a fascinating look at a lesser-known bit of history.”

“It was such a privilege to submit this article to BC History and to serve as guest editor of the issue in which it appeared,” Kalmakoff said.

“In writing it, my hope was to reorient the historical narrative about Doukhobors, in a small but meaningful way, from being a ‘problematic’ people, unable to escape the debate associated with their suitability as Canadians, to being ‘province-builders’ who made a significant collective contribution to the growth and development of British Columbia.”

Kalmakoff is a Regina lawyer, researcher, and writer. He is the creator of the Doukhbor Heritage website at doukhobor.org and a leading authority on Doukhobor heritage in Canada. He is a past recipient of a BCHF Centennial Legacy Grant to support his research into land titles and Doukhobor-owned property.

The award was announced Saturday during the BCHF’s awards gala in Williams Lake and comes with $250 and a certificate. Honorable mentions were also presented to Catherine Clement for “A Match Not Made in Heaven,” and Wayne Norton for “A Question of Perspective: James Harold Trigg’s First World War Internment Photographs.”

Philip Yandle was the founder, editor, publisher, printer, binder, and distributor of the BC Historical News (now BC History) from 1968 to 1977. His wife Anne Yandle was also very active in BC Historical News for almost 40 years and served as its book reviews editor. In 2007, the BCHF renamed its Best Article Award Award in honor of the Yandles.