Forum: Nanaimo History Forum

I use to love Bathtub weekend.All the activity's,the carnival,the fireworks.The last time I was in Nanaimo during that weekend I drove past Maffeo Sutton park and it was empty,you could not even tell it was Bathtub weekend.I wonder when the condo Highrises are built, will they will cancel it all...

I was at Neck Point sometime around 2000, on a cloudy day in the spring, I think. I was up in an arbutus, jeering at my friends below on the ground. But when an older lady started yelling from a nearby lookout, I jumped down and we ran over to her, fearing she was in distress. But no - she was...

I was looking at the Royal BC archives and found a few cool pictures of our past. It appears that there was a aerial tramway that ran from Harewood mines to Cameron Island. Here are a few pictures that I found.

So they're finally tearing down that beautiful eyesore at Hecate St and Milton St in downtown Nanaimo. I'll miss it, kinda, but I bet the local property owners are jumping for joy. I can't believe that place wasn't burned down decades ago! Probably too much pigeon crap and rotten old grain for the...

Maxhell and I went carving hunting in a few locations. We were amazed and upset at what we saw. Up on Extension Ridge lot`s of petroglyph`s all over. As I was photographing them today the quads and dirt bikes were racing 5-7 feet from the petroglyph's at 50 mpr. This is causing irreparable...

Like any town, village of even a big city like London, the many churches of Nanaimo play an important roll in the community far beyond the church pew. The following slice of history is but a small token of our rich history. A Day To Remember in Brechin: By Zelley (A Song of Praise) The...

Does anyone know or recall back in 1957 (I think it was Centennial year celebration)) about a fake stagecoach holdup that was supposed to be filmed , taking place in Nanaimo's China Town? My father-in-law was one of the horse riders, and recalls it being a flop because the stagecoach arrived...

There has been an interest shown in our history. But if we rely on the normal history books, it will be a slanted history that highlights the life and times of Nanaimo through the echoes of a select few of politicians, the business elite, and the rich and famous. If we cast our eyes to the...

Hey, not sure if anybody still remembers this tragedy, which is stuck in my mind since today still. Did anybody still remember around 4000 blocks of Hammond bay rd, there were three kids dead from an traffic accident in Feb 2006. I was a pizza driver at that night, after dropped off my last...

This was emailed to our site:

"the largest non-nuclear explosion ever" Wow, Canada has seen a lot of massive blasts! The Halifax explosion, the Oscar on Protection Island, and now I'm hearing about this Ripple Rock explosion in Campbell River - this is the 50th anniversary and there are some celebrations up there in the next...

Pete Maffeo was an excellent Mayor for Nanaimo, but his excellence has been overshadowed by the performance of Frank Ney. The period 1957 to 1967 were great years for Nanaimo with its share of growth, activity, and community spirit. Like Frank Ney, Pete Maffeo's story is our story. There...

My earliest recollection of Frank Ney was when I was young and hitchhiking from Brechin to Departure Bay and got a ride from Frank. Over the years, Frank was well known for stopping and helping out and giving rides to folks. Persons interested in the life and times of Frank Ney should read...

If you're into this kind of thing, you might want to check out our other artifact threads: Nanaimo River Estuary wooden artifact Nanaimo Chinatowns and the old dump Drive south of downtown, past Petroglyph Park, and turn left at the intersection by Southgate Mall, as if you were going to the...

I would like any info on Newcastle Island. I have found a date in concrete JULY 14 18/943 I can`t make out wether it is a 8 or 9 This is on the west side of the island, beside the big boiler and two sets of double concrete runners. Also I have pictures of bears and evidence of others. I...

How did this road get about its name?

BELOW IS AN ARTICLE FROM AN ISLAND WRITER. I DON'T KNOW RICHARD BOYCE OR WHAT HIS WORK HAS BEEN LIKE BUT I DO KNOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE BUSH AND UNDERSTAND THIS PERSPECTIVE COMPLETELY. IT IS ACCURATE. :confused: From: Richard Boyce <rcboyce@shaw.ca> ISLAND LENS #107 - August 21, 2008...

Okay, this might be a RUMOUR, especially as the only source I've heard this from, is my fun, gullible friend whose dad might have been messing with her: Beside the 7-11 at Departure Bay (which used to be the Terry's Save-Rite, by Kin Beach), there's a big vacant lot (I think it used to be a...

Has everybody heard of the Oscar, a steamer loaded with "1800 kegs of dynamite" (An Historic Timeline for Nanaimo, from the City's site) that ran aground on the other side of Protection Island in 1913 and created a MASSIVE explosion? I think it was the biggest explosion to date (surpassed in size 4...

I understand they used to hang people in the old Nanaimo Court house on 30 Front Street. Does anyone know if the gallows still exist in that building? It would be in the heritage part of the building. TH