This issue of the Buzz is archived at https://tinyurl.com/ms63jx27

BCHF NEWS

In 2024, with your help, we were able to fund four incredible projects through the Centennial Legacy Fund (CLF), awarding a total of $10 000 to support small, innovative, and hard-to-fund projects in BC. In the coming weeks we will be highlighting these projects, and we hope you will consider partnering with us again to make these grants possible in 2025! The Centennial Legacy Fund is sustained through donations from individuals and organizations like you who believe that historical research, preservation, and commemoration are essential for building a bright future together.

To donate to the Centennial Legacy Fund, click the link to be redirected to the BCHF CanadaHelps page and receive an automatic tax receipt upon donation.

Deadline for the BC Historical Writing Awards is December 31st

It's that time of year again - we are accepting entries for the British Columbia Historical Federation Historical Writing Awards!

Entries are being accepted for books that were published in 2024, which are on a topic of British Columbia History. 

View our Awards Page for more information and to complete the online entry form. Applicants will submit three copies of the publication to:

PO Box 448

Fort Langley, BC

V1M 2R7

Awards will be presented at the 2025 BCHF Annual Conference Awards Banquet held in Williams Lake on Saturday, May 3. 

Conference Information

Johnson Belaire Direct Insurance Named Title Sponsor for BCHF Conference

The conference host committee is pleased to announce that Johnson Belaire Direct Insurance is again our title sponsor for the BCHF Annual Conference being held May 1-4 in Williams Lake. Johnson Belaire Direct has supported the BCHF for over ten years, providing group rates for BCHF members on private insurance.

Super 8 Hotel Williams Lake is Host Hotel for Williams Lake Conference

The Super 8 Hotel Williams Lake is offering delegates attending the 2025 BCHF Conference a special rate. The Super 8 is withing walking distance to the main conference venue – the Cariboo Chilcotin Museum and BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. Don’t delay, there are a limited number of rooms available.

• Address: 1712 Broadway Ave South, Williams Lake, BC
• Rate is $129 plus taxes for a standard room (2 queen beds)
• Includes complimentary breakfast
• Book by April 25, 2025 to secure room rate
• Book using the code: BCHFC or via this direct link. 

Visit our conference website to view other details of the conference and look for registration information and pricing early in the new year.

Membership Renewals during the Canada Post Strike

With the Canada Post job action affecting letter mail delivery across the country, BCHF would like to encourage members to use our online Membership Portal when renewing their memberships and subscriptions. 

To renew online and pay securely with a credit card, login to the BCHF Membership Portal below.

If you're experiencing any difficulty logging in, please contact membership@bchistory.ca.

MEMBER NEWS

Revelstoke Museum & Archives launches new "Stories Beneath The Surface" book

Just in time for holiday gifting, Revelstoke Museum & Archives is releasing their new book, "Stories Beneath The Surface", an accompaniment to their on-site and digital exhibits of the same name.

The photographs in this book portray life in the valley prior to the building of the Hugh Keenleyside dam, particularly the area known as Revelstoke Reach, from Revelstoke to Arrowhead. Discover the rich history of this region, as you dive beneath the surface and discover the lost stories of the valley.

"Stories Beneath The Surface" is available in-person, or online. Click the button below to learn more or purchase a copy.

Full Summary:

On June 9, 1969, the Hugh Keenleyside dam on the Columbia River was officially opened just north of Castlegar, B.C., creating a reservoir that stretched over 240 km.

The reservoir created by the dam wiped out or severely affected several communities between Revelstoke and Castlegar, and displaced 2000 people.

The construction of the dam was part of the terms of the Columbia River Treaty between the governments of Canada and the United States, and it was originally built solely as a storage dam, with no hydro-electric generation. It was built to control the flow of the Columbia River into the state of Washington, for flood control, irrigation, and maximization of the Grand Coulee Dam. The people who lived on the Columbia River were not consulted, nor were the Sinixt people or any other Indigenous nations.

More than 50 years later, the impacts of a dam built so far away and so long ago are often not understood by people moving to the valley. People visit the “flats” south of Revelstoke and notice the fluctuation of the water, but don’t know its cause. The stories of the valley have been flooded out along with the farmland and the communities that once existed.

Reclaimed Voices highlights Revelstoke’s overlooked stories

Reclaimed Voices, Revelstoke Museum & Archives’ (RMA) latest exhibit breaks down “glorified nostalgia” and shines a spotlight on stories long overlooked in dominating historical narratives. Hosted in the second floor exhibit room, soon to be accessible by the upcoming lift, the exhibit features panels focusing on some of the lesser known stories in Revelstoke, such as the historical Japanese population, Sinixt populations during Revelstoke’s earlier years, children who called Revelstoke home, and more.

“This exhibit came about due to a recognition that as museums and archives we are often missing stories and perspectives,” Cathy English, Curator, told a packed room at the opening of Reclaimed Voices. “I do a lot of research from the local newspapers, going back to 1890, but I have to be constantly aware that these stories were written mostly from a white, British, male perspective, and there is often racist content, as well as a total ignorance of other cultures and genders.”

Are you a member society with news to share in The Buzz? Send it to laura@bchistory.ca

HISTORICAL NOTES

Spencer Chandra Herbert appointed as the new Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport

From the BC Museum's Association:

"On Monday Premier Eby announced a new cabinet, naming MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert as the new Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport. MLA Chandra Herbert has represented Vancouver-West End since 2009 and is a long-time arts advocate. His arts background includes serving as the associate producer of the United Nations World Urban Festival and collaborating with numerous organizations such as the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, the Stanley Park Ecology Society, and the Save St. Paul’s Coalition.

Both the BCMA and the BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage have sent welcome letters to Minister Chandra Herbert and we hope to meet with him soon to promote the impact of our members and to advocate for continued support.

As part of BC Museums Week 2023, Spencer Chandra Herbert spoke on a webinar about effective government relations. The recording can be accessed here and is a good way to get to know our new Minister. He was joined in the webinar by Jim Rutkowski, who has been named David Eby’s interim Chief of Staff.

MLA Lana Popham is returning to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The BCMA has sent her a letter, as well, thanking her for her work as the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport and wishing her well in her new position.

If you wish to join us in welcoming the new Minister or your local MLA, the BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage has prepared a template letter to help you share our sector’s key messages and magnify their impact."

Chinese Canadian Museum Wins Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!

All aboard!: North Pole Express returns to Squamish this holiday season

South Asian Studies Institute receives over 3 million photos

The SASI received over 3 million photographs taken by the legendary BC photojournalist, the late Mr. Chandra Bodalia. These extraordinary images have been entrusted to SASI for stewardship and preservation.

As part of its key initiative, the South Asian Canadian Digital Archive, at the South Asian Studies Institute, plans to digitize, preserve, and provide open access to these invaluable photographs. This important project is a collaboration with the RBCM and BC Archives, ensuring that the rich visual history captured by Bodalia is safeguarded and made accessible for future generations.

Museum of Vancouver Makes Donation to the Association of Forest Communities of Petén in Guatemala

From the Museum of Vancouver:

"The Museum of Vancouver is pleased to announce that a donation of $5,000 has been made to the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP) in Guatemala, thanks to purchases of art, furniture, jewellery and more from Reclaim + Repair: The Mahogany Project. A cheque presentation ceremony was held at the Consulate General of Guatemala in Vancouver on October 28, 2024."

New exhibition at the Amelia Douglas Institute in Surrey

Lii fil di nutr istwayr, Threads of our History: Exploring Métis Identity and Culture Through Clothing is an exhibition that explores a pillar of Métis culture that is shaped by historic events including the fur trade, economic and political change, resistance, and displacement. The revitalization of traditional Métis arts and creating new methods of sharing Métis culture and stories through clothing and self-decoration is a testament to the resilience the Métis Nation.

The exhibit runs from now until the end of March, 2025.

Historic squatters' shack finds new home at Vancouver's Heritage Harbour

Photo: Carole Itter, Dollarton Cabin, 2015

The Blue Cabin has a new home at the Vancouver Maritime Museum’s Heritage Harbour.

Not bad for a modest squatter’s shack built in the 1920s. But it’s an appropriate location, given its new life as a floating residence for artists.

The cabin spent several decades on the North Vancouver waterfront beside the McKenzie Barge and Derrick shipyard near Cates Park. The story goes that a Norwegian craftsman built it in Coal Harbour, got a job at McKenzie in 1932, and floated it over to the North Shore to live in.

In 1966, the legendary local artist and musician Al Neil moved in. With the blessing of McKenzie Barge, Neil and his partner Carole Itter lived there for almost five decades, for many years getting free rent in exchange for Neil being an “unofficial beach watchman.”

In 2015, McKenzie Barge sold the land near where the cabin was located, and the structure had to be moved or torn down. A group of artists saved it and moved it to the Maplewood Flats in North Van, where it was restored by Jeremy and Sus Borsos.

B.C. museum to honour Chinese Canadian troops who fought in war and for citizenship rights

Former B.C. judge Randall (Bud) Wong remembers getting out of bed early one morning when he was five to greet his uncle at the train station in Vancouver at the end of the Second World War.

It was 1945 and his uncle Delbert Yen Chow was returning from India after years of service as an infantryman.

"I remember very vividly my uncle coming off the train, and he was wearing his army uniform and knapsack," Wong, 83, said.

"We were so happy to see him that we took him home, and then he came to live with us."

The service of Chinese Canadian soldiers like Chow in the First and Second World Wars will be honoured by a new exhibition at the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver's Chinatown.

Grist Mill & Gardens in Keremeos wants to hear from YOU!

From the Grist Mill & Gardens: 

As we prepare to celebrate 40 years as a heritage site next year, we've been diving into our archives—old photos, documents, and stories that capture the incredible journey of the Grist Mill & Gardens. It's been a joy to revisit these moments and reflect on everything that makes this place so special.

Now, we’d love to hear from YOU!

Do you have a favorite memory of the Grist Mill? Maybe a photo from a family visit, a special event, or even a quiet moment in the gardens? Your stories are a vital part of our history, and we’d be honored to include them in our 40th-anniversary celebrations."

VIDEOS

History of Senakw - Michael Kluckne

Vancouver Historical Society President Michael Kluckner presents an informal history of Senakw/Vanier Park at the opening of a lecture in September, 2024

Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong

In her time, Anna May Wong was a legendary beauty, witty conversationalist, and fashion icon. Plucked from her family’s laundry business in Los Angeles, Anna May Wong rose to stardom in Douglas Fairbanks’s blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. Fans and the press clamored to see more of this unlikely actress, but when Hollywood repeatedly cast her in stereotypical roles, she headed abroad in protest.

Anna May starred in acclaimed films in Berlin, Paris, and London. She dazzled royalty and heads of state across several nations, leaving trails of suitors in her wake. She returned to challenge Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry’s blatant racism. She used her new stature to move away from her typecasting as the China doll or dragon lady, and worked to reshape Asian American representation in film.

In this talk moderated by UBC Professor of English Dr. Mary Chapman, biographer Katie Gee Salisbury will discuss the vibrant, radical career of a groundbreaking artist, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history. Also included in this talk is the story of Wong’s first trip to Canada in 1924 and the actress's experience crossing the border under the U.S. Chinese Exclusion Act.

Oliver's Irrigation Ditch: Lifeline of a Community

Photo from the Oliver & District Heritage Society Collection.

For over 10,000 years the Sylix Okanagan Indigenous peoples have inhabited and used the land and waterways in Oliver and the Okanagan Valley for hunting and gathering purposes, and this continues today.

One of the earliest records of ‘’settlers’’ engaging in agriculture and irrigation within the Okanagan Valley dates back to the 1890’s with Chung Wu, an immigrant from China. He built a waterwheel alongside the Okanagan River to water vegetables in his garden; these vegetables were sold at the nearby mining towns of Fairview and Camp McKinney. Chung Wu left the area after a flood affected his crop, leaving him unable to restart his business.

The Irrigation Canal (‘’Ditch’’) Project was initiated by BC. Premier John Oliver (1918-1927) and his government to help support returning World War One veterans who were often unemployed and impoverished. The Oliver region has a dry, semi-arid climate, and Premier Oliver sought to harness the agricultural potential of the land. Veterans would be provided with work constructing the canal in exchange for discounted land to farm, supporting the drive to grow more fresh produce in post-war BC. The plan became known as the South Okanagan Lands Project (SOLP). The ‘’Ditch’’ started just north of Gallagher Lake and stretched south towards the US border; upon completion it was over 40 km long and was gravity fed by utilizing the natural slopes of the land. Nine labour or ‘’Ditch’’ Camps were established for construction workers to live in, providing all the necessary amenities. The camps each housed up to 150-300 men. Very few women are recorded as being employed on the canal, with none on physical construction.

The School Room Podcast: The Story of Mah Tin Yick and the Oriental Home

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923 is the only immigration law in Canadian history to have prevented a particular group from entering the country on the basis of race, specifically barring people of Chinese descent from legally entering Canada from 1923 until 1947 with very few exceptions. Preventing entry denied many prospective Chinese people opportunities for new experiences and economic gain in Canada. However, it also meant that the Chinese already in Canada were prevented from having their families join them in their new lives across the Pacific. 

Mah Tin Yick was one of many Chinese whose life was profoundly impacted by this draconian law. Arriving in Victoria from China in 1885, just before the head tax was implemented, Mah Yick settled in Salmon Arm, British Columbia and ran a hand laundry business with his family. However, tragedy struck when his partner passed away just after the Exclusion Act came into effect, leaving him struggling to care for his two young daughters on his own. 

On this episode of the School Room podcast, host Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee is joined by Janet Bradley Worthington, Mah Yick’s granddaughter. Tune in to hear about how Mah Yick was personally impacted by the family separation the Exclusion Act brought on, the role the Oriental Home and School played in Janet’s family history, and what it took for Janet to uncover these stories through searching Chinese Canadian archival records.

EVENTS

Workshop: "Archival Googling: Using Archives Portal Europe as an aid for Archives in the web sphere"

From the Association of Canadian Archivisits:

"Join us for a special Lunch and Learn session on December 16th: "Archival Googling: Using Archives Portal Europe as an aid for Archives in the web sphere". In this workshop, participants will test first-hand how archival research in multiple archival institutions can be conducted via Archives Portal Europe, an online archive catalogue repository which allows simultaneous archival research in thousands of institutions from more than thirty European countries in 24 languages and 5 alphabets through one simple online search system. Participants will engage with the new opportunities (and challenges) offered by Archives Portal Europe as an international aggregator of archival descriptions."

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 Laura Van Zant: laura@bchistory.ca

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

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