Southern Mountain Caribou Recovery in the Central Kootenay

In this excerpt from the Fall 2023 edition of British Columbia History, Skye Cunningham and Hugh Watt look at efforts by the Arrow Lakes Caribou Society to stop the decline of local caribou herds.

VIDEO: Exploring Mole Hill

Mole Hill is the last surviving block of pre-World War I housing stock in Vancouver. In his presentation to the BCHF 2023 conference, Quentin Wright explores how Mole Hill was saved and restored, highlighting the success of the block as a community resource.

VIDEO: The 2021 Princeton flood

A 2021 flood compelled Princetonites to confront the realities of climate change. In his presentation to the BCHF 2023 conference, Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne shows the collective resilience of his community and sheds light on the complexities of disaster management.

MEMBER NEWS

Exhibit recognizes Abbotsford’s South Asian Canadian community

Sunder Singh Thandi and Jassa Singh in Vancouver, when Sunder purchased a new threshing machine, 1939. (Photo courtesy of The Reach Archives)

The history, culture, and contemporary character of the South Asian Canadian community in Abbotsford is the subject of an ambitious exhibition organized by The Reach Gallery Museum. Des Pardes opens tomorrow from 12 to 3 p.m. with a family friendly event featuring hands on activities and entertainment. 

VIDEO: 60 Years of the Revelstoke Museum and Archives

The Revelstoke Museum and Archives started out in a basement of a downtown building in 1963. Find out how it developed into what it is today in this Brown Bag talk by curator Cathy English.

Nelson Museum executive director stepping down

After seven years at the helm of the Nelson Museum (formerly Touchstones Nelson), Astrid Heyerdahl (pictured) has announced she’s leaving in November. The chair of the board says she has been a “passionate leader and an exceptional director.”

HISTORICAL NOTES

Stolen totem pole returns to Nisga'a territory

Three members from the House of Ni’isjoohl enter the Living Lands exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland, where their house pole was kept. (Neil Hanna Photography)

Nearly a century after a totem pole was stolen from the Nisga'a Nation, it had been returned home from Scotland’s National Museum. The return was celebrated with a ceremony at the Nisga'a Museum in Laxgalts'ap.

Totem pole raised in Smithers

On Sept. 29, a new totem pole commemorating the history of the Wet'suwet'en community in Smithers known as “Indiantown” was raised at Walnut Park school.

Salmo Hotel damaged by fire

The historic Salmo Hotel has been damaged by fire. The hotel was built in 1931 on the site of a previous hotel that burned down that year. While it was originally a Tudor-style building, it received a new facade in the early 1980s that fooled many people into believing it was much older than it really was.

Historic Salmo school bell returning home

A 113-year-old school bell is expected to be returned soon to a prominent place in Salmo. The bell had been in front of the elementary school since 1961 but was removed after being damaged a few years ago.

96-year-old chandelier returned to Nelson theatre

An original 1920s chandelier, missing since before 1970 (pictured), has been returned to Nelson’s Capitol Theatre, which has its identical twin.

Film on lost Slocan Lake locomotive premieres

Courtesy Hoghead Media

A documentary chronicling the search for a train that sank in Slocan Lake in 1946 has had its first screening. The Last Stop: Canada’s Lost Locomotive examines an infamous incident that saw an entire CPR train fall off a barge. It features the last surviving crew member, who just turned 100.

Unarchived now streaming

The BC documentary Unarchived is now streaming free through the National Film Board of Canada. The teaser reads: “In community archives across British Columbia, local knowledge keepers are hand-fashioning a more inclusive history.”

BC History Digitization Program calls for submissions

The British Columbia History Digitization Program is now accepting applications for project funding. The program, initiated by the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre in 2006, provides matching funds to support digitization projects that make unique British Columbia content freely available.  

CORRECTION: In last month’s edition of the Buzz, we misspelled Angie Bain’s name. Sorry Angie!

ADVERTISING

The BCHF offers a number of advertising opportunities in our e-newsletter, which is distributed to our entire membership monthly. Advertisements are jpeg images sized to 600 px wide for electronic distribution. To submit an ad, contact Greg Nesteroff: greg@bchistory.ca

Members enjoy discounted advertising rates. Choose 12 months for the best deal:

1-3 months = $100 each ($100-$300 annually)
4 months = $90 each ($360 annually)
6 months = $80 each ($480 annually)
8 months = $70 each ($560 annually)
12 months = $50 each ($600 annually)

Rates for non-members are as follows:

1-3 months = $150 each ($150-$450 annually)
4 months = $140 each ($560 annually)
6 months = $130 each ($780 annually)
8 months = $120 each ($960 annually)
12 months = $100 each ($1,200 annually)

British Columbia Historical Federation

Box 448, Fort Langley, BC, V1M 247 • info@bchistory.ca

The BCHF Secretariat is located on the unceded traditional territory of the Coast Salish speaking Peoples. The BCHF is on Facebook. Join the conversation.