Category Archives: History

History, Rivers & Oceans

Open House at the Whaletown Dock; Renovations Needed

There were 45 people on the Whaletown dock when Cortes Currents left half way through the Open House on Monday, September 16. Some were listening to Andy Ellingsen, a Director of Harbour Authority Cortes Island (HACI), talk about the current condition of the wharf and what needs to be done. Others gathered in small groups, eating the free pizza, sharing memories or their perspectives on the matter. HACI has owned the 110-year-old structure since 2009 and now it is in need of extensive repairs. 

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History, Indigenous Nations History

June 6-8, 1911: A point in time look at Cortes Island

Unlike most local histories, which often celebrate the accomplishments of prominent settlers, Canadian census records give us a quick peek into communities as a whole. 

The 1911 census is especially interesting for Cortes Island because, for the first time, all of the island’s 135 ‘settler’ entries are grouped together. Similarly, there is a segment for the 60 Klahoose First Nation residents in Squirrel Cove. There was also a second First Nation with a reserve on Cortes, but any relevant Tla’amin entries appear to be included with those from their main village to the south in what is now qathet Regional District. 

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History

Genealogical Records for Klahoose, European and Asian Cortes Island Families

The Cortes Island Museum has a genealogical database. It was compiled by Bernice McGowan, whose interest in genealogy was sparked by her mother’s research of their family roots. Coming to Cortes Island some 50 odd years ago, she was intrigued by the fact that so many of the island’s older European families seemed to be related. She has also dug up some census records for Klahoose, Japanese and Chinese residents.  

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History, Indigenous Nations History

Gumbooting Through The History Of Mansons Lagoon

Once or twice a year, visitors are given an opportunity to ‘gumboot’ into the natural and human history of Mansons Lagoon. This is a joint event put on by the Cortes Island Museum and Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI). Jane Newman provides the glimpse into the lagoon’s past. In the following article, Cortes Currents supplemented her account with materials from the Museum and additional genealogical records found on the web. 

Jane’s account started with a description of Mansons Spit during the precolonial era. 

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Forests, History, Indigenous Nations History

Comox Valley Land Trust seeks to raise $2.4M to protect trees in Puntledge Forest

By Madeline Dunnett, The Discourse,  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On a crisp morning in early October 2023, Tim Ennis, executive director of Comox Valley Land Trust (CVLT) trekked through the trails of Nymph Falls Nature Park and explained that CVLT was working on a complex purchase of forest on a chunk of BC Hydro land in Nymph Falls, and a possible other section in the Puntledge River Recreation Trails area. 

“The property that we’re walking onto here is owned by BC Hydro … and the timber on the property — the trees — they’re owned separately,” he said.

The lands themselves are part of the traditional unceded territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, who are descendants of the Sathloot, Sasitla, Ieeksen, Xa’xe and Pentlatch. Many surrounding areas get their namesake from the Éy7á7juuthem, Kwak̓wala, and Pəntl’áč languages — including the Puntledge River itself, which stems from the word Pəntl’áč (Pentlatch). 

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