Tag Archives: Cortes Island History

Community

Spring Migration of Whaletown Post Office

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Whaletown Post Office — much photographed by tourists — has a long and interesting story (you can find out more at the Cortes Museum). It has served the community for over 70 years.

When its tenure on private property near Whaletown Wharf could no longer be maintained, Whaletown residents banded together to “Save the Post Office” and find it a new home. After several weeks of discussion and some generous donations to “buy more time,” a solution was found: Whaletown Community Club agreed to host the Post Office in the Community Hall parking lot.

Once the destination was chosen, the ad hoc Post Office Committee (“Friends of V0P1Z0”) worked tirelessly to plan and execute the relocation. On the weekend of March 6th-8th — as the clocks changed — their plans were realised: the Whaletown Post Office moved to a new and sunnier location next to the Whaletown Community Hall.

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Arts

Paths of Beauty

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By Roy L Hales

While I interviewed Rick Bockner last year, it was a musician’s story minus the music.  So here it is again, with eight songs inserted into the audio. His musical roots go back to the McCarthy era, when the United States was purging itself of anything that could be labelled communist. Pete Seeger gave him tips on how to play the guitar. He was a member of the psychedelic rock band Mad River, which released two albums in San Francisco before it disbanded in 1969. On Cortes Island, he is somewhat of a musical icon. In addition to being a songwriter, he is one of the key organizers of Lovefest and the face of CKTZ’s Lip Syncs for the past decade. In this morning’s interview, Rick Bockner talks about paths of beauty.

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History

The 1960s & 70s – A Time Of Transition

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By Roy L Hales

This is the second in a series of broadcasts in which Andy Ellingsen describes the changes he has seen on Cortes Island. In this episode he talks about the 1960s & 70’s – a time of transition. 

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History

Discovery Islands, Bute Inlet & Nootka Sound

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 In this morning’s Cortes Currents, we continue with the audio from Jeanette Taylor’s recent talk at Manson’s Hall. In the previous episode she talked about Old Quadra Island. Now we explore the rest of the Discovery Islands, Bute Inlet & Nootka Sound.

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History

Andy Ellingsen Remembers Cortes Island Past – Part One: 1940’s & 50’s

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By Roy L Hales

His first memory of Cortes Island is of the Ellingsen family moving their log float home to Von Donop Inlet in 1945. His stories go back decades further. Mike Manson, whose name is preserved in Mansons Landing, was his maternal great grandfather. What was life like in the 1940s and 50s? In this morning’s program we start a series in which Andy Ellingsen remembers Cortes Island past.

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