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The British Columbia Historical Federation has provided a collective voice for its member societies since 1922.
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The AGM of the British Columbia Historical Federation will be held on Friday, May 2nd at 2:15 pm at the Museum of the Cariboo-Chilcotin and the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame in Williams Lake. The AGM will also be live-streamed on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. |
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Finalists announced for the British Columbia Historical Federation’s Historical Writing Competition
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The British Columbia Historical Federation is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 Historical Writing Awards. The awards will be announced during the awards gala taking place this year in Williams Lake on May 3 at 6:30pm.
In alphabetical order, the list is as follows:
- Linda Ambrose, Pentecostal Preacher Woman: The Faith and Feminism of Bernice Gerard, UBC Press.
- Chris Arnett, Signs of the Time: Nłeʔkepmx Resistance through Rock Art, UBC Press.
- Blair Mirau, The City of Rainbows: A Colourful History of Prince Rupert, Heritage House.
- Noëlle Phillips, Brewmasters and Brewery Creek, Touchwood Editions.
- Chad Soon and George Chiang, The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey, Orca Book Publishers.
- Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson and Robert Davidson, A Haida Wedding, Heritage House.
The BC Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing will be awarded together with $2,500 to the author whose book makes the most significant contribution to the historical literature of British Columbia. The second-place winner will receive $1,500 and third place, $500. One book will also be awarded the Community History Award, worth $500. Certificates of Honourable Mention may be awarded to other books as recommended by the judges.
The 2024 competition received 24 publications, all of which add to the compendium of historical writing in British Columbia. |
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In memoriam: Naomi Miller(1927-2025)
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Naomi Miller, an honorary lifetime member of the BC Historical Federation, has died at 98.
Miller was the BCHF's president in 1986-87 and honorary president in 2005-06. She was editor of the British Columbia Historical News (now BC History) from 1988-98. Under her guidance, the magazine doubled its page count. She wrote Fort Steele: Gold Rush to Boom Town and co-edited The Forgotten Side of the Border with Wayne Norton. She also wrote for the BC History of Nursing newsletter, and was a history columnist for the Tri-Village Buzz.
Miller received honorary life memberships from the BC History of Nursing Society, the Friends of Fort Steele Society, and the Kootenay Lake Historical Society. She also received an award of merit from the BC Museums Association for helping to develop the Golden Museum, and was presented with the BC Heritage Award in 1999. She donated the $10,000 prize to the SS Moyie in Kaslo, where she grew up.
Miller died on Feb. 15. Her full obituary can be found here and a longer biography by Nowell Berg can be found here. |
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You're Invited to the Grand Opening of the Lytton Chinese History Museum!
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Saving vital Canadian films - new collection offers rich portrait of 1920s working class history
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From the BC Labour Heritage Centre:
"The new collection of virtually unknown archival films, including many featuring work and workers, is being saved on the website "The Moving Past". The films are from as early as 1917 when such productions were silent, but background music has been added to the restored versions.
The value of these films lies in critical viewing. Industry is shown through the "lens of the state". Workers are blamed for unsafe practices. Images of masculinity, femininity, white settler culture, morality and well-heeled tourism steer audiences away from thoughts of radicalism and social critique.
David Sobel is the force behind The Moving Past, which aims to save the films from deterioration by digitizing and sharing as many as possible." In the collection is "Fresh From The Deep" (1922), a 4 minute silent film that follows halibut fishers on the North Coast of B.C. to the canneries of Prince Rupert Harbour.
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Ground broken in Slocan for Japanese-Canadian boat project
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Seven years after acquiring a last-of-its kind Japanese-Canadian fishing boat, the Slocan Valley Historical Society has announced construction of the vessel’s shelter is underway. “After many unexpected delays, we have finally broken ground on the next step in this project,” says president Joyce Johnson. “The Merriwake has been restored to the condition she was in when she was confiscated during World War II. We are excited to display the boat and share her history, as well as tell part of the internment story.” Located at Main Street and Fitz Avenue in the Village of Slocan, the display will be accessible and free to all. |
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Hundreds of items returned to First Nations in Vancouver Museum’s ongoing repatriation process
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Photo: Sierra William, Loretta Jeff and Chantu Williams with three of the 29 qatŝ’ay (coiled root baskets) that were repatriated and are now back in Tŝilhqot’in territory. In 1974, the remains of a Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation ancestor that had been donated to the Museum of Vancouver seven years earlier were returned to the Cape Mudge Reserve, on the southern tip of Quadra Island, to be respectfully reburied. It was long before museums around the world would collectively recognize the ethical imperative to return culturally and historically significant Indigenous objects to their rightful owners. It would be another two decades before the museum would carry out another transfer of this nature, with the return of a collection of archaeological belongings to the Secwepemc Heritage Park, but by the early 2000s, when a new policy was officially added to its collections procedure, the ripple effect of repatriation was in full swing. Since then, the museum has returned home a total of 384 belongings and 59 ancestors, says Sharon Fortney, the museum’s senior curator of Indigenous collections, engagement and repatriation. They include repatriations to Indigenous communities in both B.C. and far-flung countries, including the return of a Korowai cloak to New Zealand’s Māori in 2010 and 255 belongings and ancestral remains to the Saginaw Chippewa in the United States in 2012.
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Restoring Relations with the K’ëgit Totem Pole
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By Hagwilnekhlh Ron Mitchell, Dzïggot Ron Austin, ’Ilhdesinon Birdy Markert, We’es Tes Sandra Martin Harris, Jean Matheson, Diana Wilson, Toni Michell, Drew Harris, Helen Harris, Tyler McCreary, Joanne Connauton, Mélanie H. Morin
In October 2024, a delegation of Witsuwit’en hereditary chiefs, elders, artists, and youth embarked on an emotional and historic journey to Paris, France. Their goal was to reconnect with a significant piece of their cultural heritage—the K’ëgit totem pole belonging to C’idimsggin’ïs, housed at the Quai Branly Museum.
This journey, deeply rooted in cultural revitalization and healing, was an opportunity to see and honour the totem pole that was taken from Witsuwit’en lands in 1938. For many of the delegation members, this trip was more than just a visit; it was a powerful act of reclamation and a step towards strengthening their connection to their ancestors and cultural identity. |
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Horn heist: B.C. train museum gets railroaded by targeted thefts
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Brian Wich is a self-described "train nut."
He is also the park manager of the Central Railway and Forestry Museum in Prince George, a city in north-central B.C.
Wich says the museum had been warned that one of its priceless artifacts — a vintage Nathan M5 Airchime Train Horn was at risk of being stolen. He says pictures of the horn were found circulating on a Discord server in the United States.
"The fellow that saw it there actually phoned a friend of his up here who is a collector, who then immediately phoned us and warned us that perhaps our horn was in jeopardy," said Wich.
The museum staff immediately tried to remove the horn for safekeeping from its position atop a locomotive but couldn't because the bolts were rusty. When they returned the next day with the right tools to remove it, they discovered it had been stolen in the middle of the night. |
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Kelowna Museum exhibit highlights Japanese Canadian dispossession
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A new exhibition is shedding light on the personal histories of seven families affected by the forced removal and dispossession of Japanese Canadians in British Columbia during the 1940s.
In 1942, the Canadian government ordered the forced removal of nearly 22,000 Japanese Canadians from B.C.’s coast. The exhibition, through photographs, artifacts, archival documents, and personal stories, explores the impact of these events.
The exhibit is part of Landscapes of Injustice, a seven-year research project led by the University of Victoria in collaboration with 15 institutions, including the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre and Library and Archives Canada. The project investigates how Japanese Canadians lost their homes, businesses, and communities during the Second World War, yet found ways to rebuild their lives in Canada.
“This exhibition confronts a dark chapter of our shared history, giving voice to the Japanese Canadian families who endured forced displacement and dispossession,” said Jillian Povarchook, executive director of the Kelowna Museums Society.
The exhibition is now open to the public at the Okanagan Heritage Museum and runs until June 22. For more details, including hours of operation, visit the Kelowna Museums website. |
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The Whalers Washing House finally coming home
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Taken more than 100 years ago, the Whalers Washing House is finally coming home.
Twenty-five members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation (MMFN) headed to New York on March 25 to repatriate what may be the largest treasure of a First Nation ever taken to the United States. The American Museum of Natural History is finally relinquishing the unique Whalers Washing House, consisting of four wooden whales, 88 carved figures, and 16 ancestral remains.
The shrine, originally located on an island on Jewett Lake at Yuquot (colonial, Friendly Cove), was where the families of whalers went to conduct purification rituals in preparation for the whale hunt. |
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New CEO at the Museum of Vancouver
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The Vancouver Museum Society’s Board of Directors is happy to announce that Ryan Hunt has been selected as the new CEO of Vancouver’s oldest cultural institution, the Museum of Vancouver (MOV).
Following Mauro Vescera’s retirement at the end of 2024, the MOV underwent an extensive search to find a new CEO. Ryan Hunt was selected from a wide range of candidates. Ryan has worked in GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums) sector roles in Ontario, Korea, and his home province of BC, including at the London Arts/Heritage Council, Oil History Museum of Canada, the Local Government Management Association of BC, and as the Co-Founder of Canada’s first mobile makerspace, the MakerBus.
Since 2019 Ryan has worked as the Executive Director of the BC Museums Association (BCMA). Notable achievements include:
- supporting more than 50 First Nations communities access repatriation funding through the 2020 Repatriation Grant program;
- partnering with the BC Heritage Emergency Response Network on emergency response training for museums and heritage sites across BC;
- and contributing to having the BCMA named Charity Village’s Best Not-for-Profit Employer for Workplace Mental Health (Under 20 staff) in 2023.
“I am thrilled to have Ryan Hunt as our incoming CEO,” the MOV’s Board Chair, Bruce Granville Miller says. “He has a deep knowledge of the museum sector from his time as executive director of the BC Museums Association. Ryan is noted for his energetic and collaborative approach to management and has valuable experience with all levels of government and First Nations.”
Ryan steps in at an exciting time. After months of HVAC work forcing the feature exhibition wing to close, the MOV will be launching three exhibitions in June, including The Work of Repair: Redress & Repatriation at MOV. Plus, with plans for community consultations to renew the permanent galleries—and the first phase of the Sen̓áḵw development due to be complete at the end of 2025, the time is ripe for transformation and new beginnings.
“I’m eager to connect with the Museum’s partners and meet new ones,” incoming CEO Ryan Hunt says. “I look forward to supporting impactful collaborations with neighbouring arts and culture organizations to benefit our community.”
Ryan Hunt will officially commence his role as the Museum of Vancouver’s CEO on May 1, 2025.
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De-escalation & Harm Reduction Toolkit for Museums, Heritage, and Cultural Institutions
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The British Columbia Museum Association (BCMA) has released a De-escalation and Harm Reduction toolkit as part of their Safety+ resource collection.
From the BCMA:
"Museum and cultural workers all over BC have expressed feeling unprepared to respond to crisis situations involving community members and patrons experiencing emergencies, especially those relating to mental health crisis and drug overdose. This toolkit is meant to provide workers with the knowledge and tools to assess and respond to emergencies while feeling safe and empowered. Our intention is to share a resource that can initiate discussions within your workplace so that your organization can take a collective commitment to life-affirming and humanizing practices whenever possible. We hope this supports you to be in service to your community and move from a place of love!" |
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New exhibition open now at Amelia Douglas Institute for Metis Culture and Language
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From the Amelia Douglas Institute:
"In early 2025, 13 Métis artists participated in an MNBC Heritage Arts Mentorship with Cree-Métis artist Cynthia Boehm: this is the result.
Come to the ADI Showroom and see our exhibition of 13 new mini dog blankets created by amazing artists in our community. See photos of these blankets on some of the artists' own cats and dogs!
Métis dog blankets are a vibrant and meaningful part of Métis material culture. Originally used to decorate and protect dogs that pulled sleds and carried goods, these carefully crafted blankets tell stories of artistry, community, and connection to animals and the land.
Open April 22 to June 27, 2025. Book a visit online or drop in Tues-Thurs, 11-12."
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West Van purchases Horseshoe Bay's Boathouse restaurant for new art museum
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The 1981 building, which also formerly housed The Keg and the Lodge restaurants, sits on land that has been owned by the Sewell family since the 1930s.
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So many new books were released/announced this month that we're giving them their own section! |
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"Mining Camp Tales of the Silvery Slocan" by Peter Smith
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The intriguing story of British Columbia’s most productive silver mining region and the vibrant communities that built up around it in the late 1800s.
Mining Camp Tales of the Silvery Slocan tells the often-overlooked story of British Columbia’s silver rush and its accompanying boom towns. In the 1890s, mining camps like Sandon, Three Forks, Whitewater and their neighbours, New Denver, Silverton, Slocan City, Kaslo and Nakusp, thrived. Prospectors and miners from Idaho, Montana, and other mining centres arrived in droves to reap the silver harvest. Capitalists flooded in from Spokane, Seattle, Vancouver, and from investment centres across North America and the world.
This silver rush ushered in a frenzy of activity, where cultures clashed, greed and racism prevailed, law and order was a matter of perspective, and yet, somehow, people still united in song, dance, and a spirit of community. Although the boom era was short-lived, the rush left a legacy that endures to this day. This book opens up a wealth of historical facts, anecdotes, and archival material on a chapter of mining history that has been largely forgotten until now.
PETER SMITH is a lifelong history buff, award-winning author, and retired civil servant. He holds a post-graduate degree in Folklife Studies from the University of Leeds (UK), and has published articles in British Columbia Magazine and the Silvery Slocan Historical Society newsletter. In 2020, he won the BC Historical Federation’s Community History Award for his extensively researched first book on BC’s silver rush. Peter lives in Ladysmith, BC. |
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"The O'Keefes of O'Kanagan" by Ken Mather
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The tumultuous rags-to-riches story of the famed O’Keefe ranching family by acclaimed historian and former Ranch Curator Ken Mather.
Founded in 1867, the Historic O’Keefe Ranch offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of an early farming community in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. The O’Keefes of O’Kanagan , a welcome resource for any visitor to the site, is an in-depth look into the multiple branches and generations of the family that gave the ranch its name.
When Michael O’Keefe arrived in Canada as a penniless Irish immigrant in 1819, he had no idea the impact his descendants would leave on the Canadian West. Michael’s son Cornelius arrived in British Columbia, also penniless, in 1862, and over the course of fifty years became a prosperous rancher, farmer, and developer, marrying three times (one of whom was a member of the Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation) and fathering seventeen children. Indeed, the story is as much the story of the strong women who lived and worked on the ranch, persevering through it all.
KEN MATHER has been researching western Canadian heritage for over four decades, working in curatorial, management, and research roles at Fort Edmonton Park, Barkerville, and the O’Keefe Ranch since the early 1970s. He is the editor of the Okanagan Historical Society Report and is the winner of the Joe Martin Memorial award (2015) for his contribution to BC Cowboy Heritage. He is the author of several books on pioneer and ranching history, including Stagecoach North, Trail North (a finalist for the British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Historical Writing), Ranch Tales, and Frontier Cowboys and the Great Divide. Ken recently relocated to Chilliwack, BC.
A book launch will be held at the Vernon Branch of Okanagan regional Library on Tuesday, May 6th at 6:30 pm. For more information please visit the library's event page.
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PRE-ORDER NOW: "The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act" by Catherine Clement
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On June 24, 2025 to celebrate the launch of community historian, curator, and author Catherine Clement’s new book, "The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act".
Building on the stories in the award-winning exhibition of the same name and exploring the lives of dozens more who lived through the Exclusion Act, this book presents an unflinching look at a monumental and shameful chapter in Canada’s origin story.
"The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act" is now available for pre-order through the Chinese Canadian Museum's website for in-person pick-up on or after the book’s release on June 24. Pre-order now to reserve your copy in time for this launch event and get it specially signed by author Catherine Clement.
Shipping options are available through external retailers. |
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"The Brewmasters of Brewery Creek - Vancouver's Beer Pioneers" with Noelle Phillips
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Beer historian and enthusiast Noëlle Phillips follows independent brewing from the City's inception in 1886 into the Prohibition years of the late 1910s, and talks about the consolidation and corporate concentration of brewing that dulled down the market until craft brewing, led by Granville Island Breweries, took off in the 1970s.
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"Steveston Interurban Tram" with Henry Ewert
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Eminent rail-transit historian Henry Ewert describes a golden age of interurban train travel in the Vancouver area, focusing on the line that traversed Lulu Island's farms and racetracks and connected Steveston and its canneries with Marpole in South Vancouver, and from there into downtown Vancouver, from 1905 till the final closure in 1958.
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"What's not to love about the Vancouver Special?" with Dr. Jennifer Chutter
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Jennifer Chutter explores the history of the Vancouver Special house – who designed it and how it responded to the need for a larger affordable house for a changing cultural demographic, especially in East Vancouver. She delves into the opposition it created in neighbourhoods and at City Hall, leading to its "banning" in the 1980s after almost 20 years of it being the most popular housing style in parts of the city.
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Chinese Canadian Genealogy Resources
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When: May 29th, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Where: Virtual/Online Cost: Free Are you interested in learning about Chinese Canadian genealogy and family history resources? Join us for a workshop online or in-person on resources for Chinese Canadian genealogy. In this special joint presentation, we will hear from the experts at both Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and Vancouver Public Library. You will learn how to access and search digitized resources on the LAC website, including census, immigration and other records, and discover genealogy resources available at Vancouver Public Library. By the end of this presentation, you will have the tools needed to begin researching your own family history.
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Watercooler Wednesday
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When: May 7th, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Where: Virtual/Online Cost: Free The British Columbia Museum Association is bringing back Watercooler Wednesday! Connect with Museum, Gallery and Heritage professionals from across British Columbia. Gather around the digital watercooler to catch up, chat, ask questions and seek advice. |
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IBPOC Tea & Talk
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When: May 7th, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Where: Virtual/Online Cost: Free Brew yourself a cup of tea and sit down with Jazmin and Madison to chat, seek advice, and get to know other cultural professionals of colour. These sessions are always free, and don’t require registration. *A gentle reminder that these sessions are for folks who identify as Indigenous, Black, or a Person of Colour. Thank you for respecting this affinity space.* |
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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 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)
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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.  |
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