history

Jim Laird #52, Howie Bianchi #2, and Jimmy Wilburn prepare for their race in 1935 in front of a capacity crowd at Willows Speedway in Oak Bay. (Photo contributed)

Speedway Spotlight: Langford had a speedway many years before Western

A look at the tracks around Greater Victoria

Jim Laird #52, Howie Bianchi #2, and Jimmy Wilburn prepare for their race in 1935 in front of a capacity crowd at Willows Speedway in Oak Bay. (Photo contributed)
Members of the Saanich Fire Department stand with the first truck in 1919. (Courtesy District of Saanich archives)

Saanich archives offers virtual history lessons on significant areas

Online exhibits highlight such local areas as Gordon Head, North Quadra

Members of the Saanich Fire Department stand with the first truck in 1919. (Courtesy District of Saanich archives)
A stone monument overlooking Loon Bay near the Royal Victoria Yacht Club is among those referencing pre-contact history in Oak Bay. The district gathered data on all its monuments and language in preparation for potential review. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Oak Bay compiles data on First Nations references across the landscape

Historic monuments referencing local First Nations to be reviewed at some point

A stone monument overlooking Loon Bay near the Royal Victoria Yacht Club is among those referencing pre-contact history in Oak Bay. The district gathered data on all its monuments and language in preparation for potential review. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Take a roadtrip from Victoria to Duncan as it was in 1966, with photos captured by the then-Highways Department and made into a video and loaded onto YouTube. (Courtesy of Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)

Transportation ministry’s Road Trip Time Machine series improves 1966 look at TCH

Extended, enhanced video offers six-minute trip on Hwy. 1 from Victoria to Duncan

Take a roadtrip from Victoria to Duncan as it was in 1966, with photos captured by the then-Highways Department and made into a video and loaded onto YouTube. (Courtesy of Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
A federal cairn and plaque atop Walbran Park, overlooks the shores of Oak Bay. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Federal cairn in Oak Bay skips Indigenous history, wording up for review

Outdated language, factual errors, new knowledge can also trigger reviews of historic designations

A federal cairn and plaque atop Walbran Park, overlooks the shores of Oak Bay. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
This is a scanning electron microscope photo of some of the sediment from deep in the core from Topknot Lake (ca. 16,500 years ago), showing the remains of several species of diatoms, the identification of which indicates whether the water in the lake was fresh or marine at that time. In Topknot Lake there is no sign of marine diatoms, implying that relative sea level never rose to the height of the lake (13 metres above modern sea level). Photo: T. Holmes, NRCAN

Parts of Northern Vancouver Island missed by last Ice Age — researchers

Lake on west side of Island not covered by ice, prompting questions about early human habitation

This is a scanning electron microscope photo of some of the sediment from deep in the core from Topknot Lake (ca. 16,500 years ago), showing the remains of several species of diatoms, the identification of which indicates whether the water in the lake was fresh or marine at that time. In Topknot Lake there is no sign of marine diatoms, implying that relative sea level never rose to the height of the lake (13 metres above modern sea level). Photo: T. Holmes, NRCAN
Researchers recovering a core from Little Woss Lake. Photo Duncan McLaren

Parts of Northern Vancouver Island missed by last Ice Age — researchers

Lake on west side of Island not covered by ice, prompting questions about early human habitation

Researchers recovering a core from Little Woss Lake. Photo Duncan McLaren
The village is over a century old and is an important historical site and was at one point the gateway to the mountaneering community in the Canadian Rockies. (RE/MAX photo)

Saving Golden’s Swiss Village: Dr. Johann Roduit and Dr. Ilona Spaar reflect on iconic B.C. spot

The historic Edelweiss Village has been for sale for over a year, and preservation talks are moving

The village is over a century old and is an important historical site and was at one point the gateway to the mountaneering community in the Canadian Rockies. (RE/MAX photo)
The Sooke Region Museum is developing a play which will tell the stories of interesting Sooke historical figures using a mix of videos, live performance and shadow puppets. (Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Centre/YouTube)

Sooke historical figures star in new museum play

Production features vignettes exploring the community’s interesting past

The Sooke Region Museum is developing a play which will tell the stories of interesting Sooke historical figures using a mix of videos, live performance and shadow puppets. (Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Centre/YouTube)
Nanaimo Museum. (News Bulletin file photo)

Nanaimo Museum’s new First World War ‘enemy alien’ exhibit opens this weekend

Experience of interned German and Ukrainian people to be explored

Nanaimo Museum. (News Bulletin file photo)
A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village is from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson)

Pearson’s grandson confirms letter, bow tie found at Victoria store came from grandfather

Lester loved taking the time to respond to Canadians, says Michael Pearson

A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village is from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson)
A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village appears to be from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson/Value Village)

Bow tie, letter believed to be from Lester B. Pearson found at Victoria Value Village

Items addressed to a Vancouver woman who appears to have been working on a project

A letter discovered alongside a bow tie at Victoria’s Value Village appears to be from former prime minister Lester B. Pearson. (Photo by Jacqui Ferguson/Value Village)
Liam Robertson, the Nanaimo city worker who found the First World War Military Medal, meets with Margaret Sloat, whose home the medal was stolen from in 2019. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

First World War medal found in Nanaimo returned to recipient’s family

Vancouver Island Military Museum presented medal for bravery to WWI veteran’s daughter

Liam Robertson, the Nanaimo city worker who found the First World War Military Medal, meets with Margaret Sloat, whose home the medal was stolen from in 2019. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Greater Victoria photographer Don Denton is working to discover and preserve the history of B.C.’s forgotten photographers. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

View Royal photographer working to unearth forgotten B.C. artists

Don Denton collecting and preserving details of mostly unknown photographers

Greater Victoria photographer Don Denton is working to discover and preserve the history of B.C.’s forgotten photographers. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
Greg Devenish, Vancouver Island Military Museum director and volunteer, conducted research that revealed the identity of the recipient of a First World War medal that was found by a city worker and turned over to the museum in December. How the medal came to Nanaimo remains a mystery. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

Research unearths history of First World War mystery medal found in Nanaimo

Military medal belonged to veteran who fought at Battle of Passchendaele

Greg Devenish, Vancouver Island Military Museum director and volunteer, conducted research that revealed the identity of the recipient of a First World War medal that was found by a city worker and turned over to the museum in December. How the medal came to Nanaimo remains a mystery. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Lee Brandt, A Langley-based crane operator who grew up in Milner will make his television show debut with History TV Canada’s new series, Lost Car Rescue. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

Crane, planes and automobiles star in History Network’s Lost Car Rescue

Rescuing classic cars requires more than a love for the classics and…

Lee Brandt, A Langley-based crane operator who grew up in Milner will make his television show debut with History TV Canada’s new series, Lost Car Rescue. (Special to Langley Advance Times)
On Jan. 18, 1937, a blaze broke out in the top floors of the original Customs House building, which housed government and post offices. The Victoria Fire Department marked the 85th anniversary with a social media post. (Instagram/victoriafire730)

Tuesday marks 85th anniversary of Customs House fire in downtown Victoria

Victoria Fire Department commemorates blaze

On Jan. 18, 1937, a blaze broke out in the top floors of the original Customs House building, which housed government and post offices. The Victoria Fire Department marked the 85th anniversary with a social media post. (Instagram/victoriafire730)
Colwood Fire Rescue acting fire Chief Greg Chow stands next to a fire truck used by the department from 1957 to 1977, now restored and displayed in the department’s museum. 2021 marked the department’s 75th anniversary. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

‘A department to be proud of’: Colwood Fire Rescue marks 75 years serving community

Acting fire Chief Greg Chow takes Black Press through the department’s history

Colwood Fire Rescue acting fire Chief Greg Chow stands next to a fire truck used by the department from 1957 to 1977, now restored and displayed in the department’s museum. 2021 marked the department’s 75th anniversary. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)
The MV Sea Lion, which was built in 1905 and was B.C.’s oldest wooden tugboat, is being scrapped at a shipyard in Nanaimo. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

B.C.’s oldest wooden tugboat being scrapped at shipyard in Nanaimo

MV Sea Lion, built in 1905, had a part in 1914 SS Komagata Maru incident

The MV Sea Lion, which was built in 1905 and was B.C.’s oldest wooden tugboat, is being scrapped at a shipyard in Nanaimo. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
Albert Henry Spencer, and Marguerite Sylvie Spencer with their son Ernest and daughter Marguerite. (Photo courtesy of SPS Archives)

Photo negatives help unlock the story of Brentwood Bay family

Saanich Pioneer Society archivist pieces together Spencer family’s story of love and loss

Albert Henry Spencer, and Marguerite Sylvie Spencer with their son Ernest and daughter Marguerite. (Photo courtesy of SPS Archives)