First Visit to Nanaimo

[mumblypeg]

Hello and thank you for such a great resource! Nanaimo is what I refer to as my “ancestral homeland.” My great-grandparents emigrated from England to Nanaimo in the late 1800s. My great-grandfathers mostly worked in the mines, although one had run the Occidental Hotel for a short while in the early 1900s.

My grandfather, who was Nanaimo born-and-raised, listed the Oxy as his residence when he enlisted to fight in WWI. He was wounded at the battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9th, 1917 (the day before his 21st birthday) and survived to lead a long life well into his 90s (after marrying my grandmother, they immigrated to California in the 1920s). My forum username, mumblypeg, is after an old knife game my grandfather taught me (much to the horror of my mother) when I was about ten.

Now, a grandfather myself, I will finally visit Nanaimo for the first time this summer. I hope you do not mind a few tourist-type questions in the weeks ahead!

mumblypeg

[PaulStevens]

Hi, and welcome to Nanaimo. Your family sounds like it has a lot of history here!

Lot's of fun things to do and see during the summer months, especially down in the harbour area.

Have fun

[mumblypeg]

Hi Paul; thanks for the welcome!

My wife and I are looking forward to the trip and are spending a lot of time researching Nanaimo and planning our itinerary. Will definitely be spending time in the harbor, er, harbour area as well as Old City Quarters.

I chose to not go on a family vacation to Nanaimo in 1970 (when I was an 18-year-old bonehead); it was a trip I have always regretted missing. Although it's taken me 42 years to make up for it, I certainly appreciate the heritage aspects more now than I would have then.

[RyanCoffey]

Do you know which area he was mining in? There are maps of the old mineshafts around. Not that you'd get into them since the mine are (mostly) all filled up and a lot of the areas are developed. Maybe you could find a spot that has some meaning to you.

[stanley strazza]

great to hear of your fathers past and you yourself for finally gettin' here....lot's of stuff goin' on, great coal mining history and pix too on this forum....hope you get to see and remanese the good ole' days....welcome back to paradise island

[mumblypeg]

Do you know which area he was mining in? There are maps of the old mineshafts around. Not that you'd get into them since the mine are (mostly) all filled up and a lot of the areas are developed. Maybe you could find a spot that has some meaning to you.

great to hear of your fathers past and you yourself for finally gettin' here....lot's of stuff goin' on, great coal mining history and pix too on this forum....hope you get to see and remanese the good ole' days....welcome back to paradise island

Thanks for the posts Ryan and Stan! Both my great-grandfathers worked in the Nanaimo mines; one for sure at Harewood and possibly at No. 1, after the 1887 disaster (my paternal great-grandfather didn't arrive in Nanaimo until 1888). I know the museum has a mining exhibit that I plan on seeing; I also found a Wiki listing with coordinates for many of the mines and landmarks in and around Nanaimo. It's pretty cool; I'll definitely be bringing my GPSr!

[RyanCoffey]

Did you know about this site:

http://www.nanaimoarchives.ca/

There is a Nanaimo historical society that I keep hearing about but have never known anyone from. My impression is that they're fairly active but I don't know how to reach them. I'd ask at the museum.

[31jetjet]

am i a spoil sport if i share these beautiful pics?

One is a view of the mainland and the Coastal Mts. the other a view of Mt. Benson.

[mumblypeg]

No spoil sport at all, 31jetjet; thanks for the great photos! I've read some of the other threads about Mt. Benson and would love to hike it. Unfortunately, there will not be enough time on this trip.

I had a good laugh (at myself) looking at the thermometer in your first photo. I thought "good lord, it gets colder there than I thought." Then I realized your thermometer is most likely Celsius, while I am accustomed to Fahrenheit.

Well, I certainly hope it is Celsius.

[mumblypeg]

Ryan: I have run across the historical society in past Nanaimo searches. As they will be open while I am in Nanaimo, I have put them on my itinerary and will pay them a visit.

Thanks for the reminder!