5620 x 3733 px | 47,6 x 31,6 cm | 18,7 x 12,4 inches | 300dpi
Date de la prise de vue:
2007
Lieu:
Nanaimo Harbour Vancouver Island BC British Columbia Canada
Informations supplémentaires:
The Nanaimo area was originally inhabited by the Coast Salish Snuneymuxw tribe, who had several villages where the city is now located. Early European and Canadian settlers referred to their small community on First Nations territory as Colville Town, but the name was soon changed to Nanaimo, after Snuneymuxw, which translates as "a great and mighty people." Nanaimo became a coal mining town in the mid-1800s, when the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), better known for its fur trading operations, began to explore the rich coal deposits near the harbour. Many local neighbourhoods commemorate Nanaimo's coal mining history: Northfield, Newcastle, Extension, Wellington, and South Wellington are all former mining communities. In spring of 1854, the HBC ran a series of advertisements in British newspapers aimed at attracting skilled workers to the Nanaimo coal mines. The ads were a success, and in June of that year 24 British miners and their families set sail from London aboard the HBC's sailing ship Princess Royal. They finally arrived in Nanaimo on November 27, 1854 after a long journey around Cape Horn. Nanaimo was protected from potential attack by the Bastion, an eight-sided armed building, which holds a commanding position over the harbour. Built in 1853, the Bastion served as a warehouse, defensive structure, and the HBC clerk's office. The clerk was responsible for the operation of the mine and the well-being of the settlement. While the cannons were never fired in defense, they were frequently fired to celebrate community events. Three floors of the Bastion are now open to visitors, with exhibits providing insight into what life was like in Nanaimo more than 150 years ago. The Nanaimo area was originally inhabited by the Coast Salish Snuneymuxw tribe, who had several villages where the city is now located. Early European and Canadian settlers referred to their small community on First Nations territory as Colville Town, but the name was soon changed to Nanaimo
