Tag Archives: history

Mise Tales Thirty-Nine

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For an update on what a Mise Tale is then please see Mise Tales One.

As mentioned earlier on the front page of my website, any photos or cartoons, or short information will also be included again later in the next Misc Tales when it is removed from the front page. That way you can keep track of it, search for it, or copy it.

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Enduring Lights – The Lighthouse Keeper is a historic documentary told through the accounts of four lighthouse keepers who tended America’s lighthouses in the 1900’s and never let the light go out. These men are living parts of history and their stories exemplify their significance in American history. – by Todd J. Burgess, photographer and video producer.

See his photo work in yesterday’s post Lighthouse in a Mason Jar.

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Haida Gwaii

Adult Memories, Beachcombing, British Columbia, Canada, Environment, First Nations, History, Information, Lighthouses, Maps, Recreation, Totems, Tourism, Travel, Wildlife, , , , , ,
Queen_Charlotte_Islands_Map
Haida Gwaii Map

Haida Gwaii (High-Da Gwi my pronunciation) literally means “Islands of the Haida People”, informally but formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands (QCI) and the Charlottes, is an archipelago on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada, populated mostly by first nations Haida people.

Langara Point Lighthouse

Langara Point Lighthouse courtesy of Langara Fishing Adventures on Flickr Continue reading Haida Gwaii →

Lighthouse History – 51 (1927-02-04 – 1927-06-29)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

Please Note: December 20, 2012 – I am continuing the series with this Lighthouse History #51 because the newspapers have now been indexed up to 1932. I quit posting at #50 as the extracts only went to 1926. They have now been extended from 1927 to 1932 so I will sift through the data for anything lighhouse! So far, a lot of it appears to be obituaries.

Henry Georgeson, 91, retired keeper of Active Pass lighthouse died Feb 3. [funeral Feb 10, 12…] [Colonist, 1927-02-04, p. 4]

 

Died May 9, 1927 at V, Captain James Christensen, 86. Resident here in 1864, aged 21, born in Denmark. He worked his way out in a cargo ship from Liverpool. Here he tried shore pursuits until he joined Surprise as mate, and in that capacity in 1869 came in contact with the loss of US bark John Bright, off Hesquiat… [see earlier accounts] 
Christensen was afterwards on schooner Alert, with Captain William Spring, and continued trading on the West Coast for some years. He was a pioneer in the sealing trade. His last journey to the west coast was to take material for the erection of Cape Beale lighthouse in 1876. He was successively in command of Beaver, Pilot, tugs Alexander and Lorne, and in 1891 became pilot for Victoria and Nanaimo districts [8 years]. 
In 1868 he married Mary Linklater, and leaves son, Andrew. His other son, Captain James Christensen, succeeded him as commander of Lorne and afterwards ran other tugs out of Victoria until 1894. In that year he lost his life with all the crew of steamer Estelle, which foundered off Cape Mudge. IOOF. Pallbearers: Captains J E Butler and J Gosse, E More, J Woodriff, W McKay, R Lawson. May 11, 14 – How Captain Christensen Conquered the Doubters… Family plot, H 093b094 E 23. [Colonist, 1927-05-08*] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 51 (1927-02-04 – 1927-06-29) →

Reprint – Cape Canaveral Light – Warden of the Sea, Launchpad to the Stars!

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The following story is the first of two parts on the Cape Canaveral lighthouse by Judy Lovell, a photographer extraordinaire, who runs a WordPress blog called Janthina Images.

Besides this article, and the one following, please view her image gallery on her website as well. In the gallery she has some lovely photos of Florida lighthouses with prints available for sale. Enjoy, and drop by her website occasionally for different articles. If you wish to view the image gallery as a slideshow, please click here.

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Cape Canaveral Light – Warden of the Sea, Launchpad to the Stars!

They fill that night with Knowledge. A thousand ships go by,
A thousand captains bless them, so bright and proud and high:
The world’s dark capes they glamour; or low on sand banks dread,
They, crouching, mark a pathway between the Quick and Dead —
Like star points in the ether
They bring the seamen ease,
These Lords of Wind and Weather
These Wardens of the Seas!

…Edwin James Brady…

Lighthouses have long stood at the edges of the world, lonely outposts maintained by devoted souls to ensure the safety of ships at sea. But, only one remarkable beacon was destined to illuminate the path for ships of space! But how did this happen? How did a lighthouse built on a hook of sand jutting out into the Atlantic to protect mariners from dangerous currents become a front row witness to the advent of the Space Age?

Rocket Launch with Canaveral Lighthouse is courtesy NASA Continue reading Reprint – Cape Canaveral Light – Warden of the Sea, Launchpad to the Stars! →

Reprint – A Light on the Past

Adult Memories, Automation, British Columbia, Coast Guard, Foghorns, History, Information, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, Reprint, Stories, Visitors, Women, , , , , , , ,

A light on the past

with permission from Rosalind Duane, North Shore News, August 05, 2012

Elaine Graham remains the only resident among the historical buildings at Point Atkinson Lighthouse. Photograph by: NEWS photo, Lisa King

ELAINE Graham was raised in the slums of London, far from the multi-hued green of nature.

“There was nothing on my street when I was growing up,” she recalls. “I had lots of play-friends, loads of kids to play with, but there wasn’t even a geranium on a windowsill.”

Many years later, Graham is now surrounded by 75 hectares of the largest first-growth stand of coastal-elevation trees in the Lower Mainland. Her home is nestled among the remaining structures at the base of Point Atkinson Lighthouse, which stands on a craggy promontory at the edge of Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver.

She has spent half her life here, and is eager to tell the story of her neck of the woods.

Graham moved to the Point Atkinson Lighthouse station with her husband Donald and two young sons in 1980. Donald became the last of the lighthouse keepers at the site (along with senior keeper Gerry Watson) when the lighthouse was automated in 1996.

The Grahams stayed on in one of the two keeper’s houses, she as a park attendant and he as a groundskeeper. Continue reading Reprint – A Light on the Past →

More Lighthouse History, BC – 01 (1899-12-17)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers called The British Colonist. Full information can be found here: The British Colonist Online: 1858 – 1910

Below is the first extract from The British Colonist with news other than from Victoria, BC 

The department of marine and fisheries under date of November 28 [1899] has issued a circular notice to mariners regarding navigation in British Columbia waters. The two new lighthouses – on Point Island and on Dryad Point, Campell island, respectively-are described, together with hydrographic notes affecting the same. Notice is given of an unchartered rock in Methhlacatlah bay and also of the removal and change in color of the Hodgson Reefs’ buoy.

A lighthouse erected by the government on Pointed island, Fittzhugh sound, east entrance to Lama passage, was put in operation on the 5th instant, latitude 52 degrees 3 minutes 48 seconds, longitude west 128 degrees 58 minutes, and 40 seconds. The light is a fixed white light, elevated 42 feet above high water, and should be visible 12 miles over an arc 214 degreesw bewteen the bearings of S. 56 degrees E. (S. 31 degrees E true) through south and west to N. 22 degrees W. (N. 3 degrees E. true). The illuminating apparatus is dioptric of the seventh order.

A lighthouse, erected by the government on the extremity of Dryad point (Turn point) Campbell island, northern entrance of Main passage, Seaforth channel, was put in operation on the 7th instant latitzude north 52 degrees q11 minutes 14 seconds, longitude west 128 degrees 8 minutes and 24 seconds. The light is a fixed white light, elevated 36 feet above high water mark, and should be visible eleven miles over an arc 257 degrees, between the bearings E. 63 degrees E. (S. 37 degrees E. true) through south, west and north to N. 14 degrees E. (N. 40 degrees E. true). The illuminating apparatus is dioptric of the seventh order. The lighthouse is on the point named on the admiralty charts Turn point. In order to dostinguish it from Turn point, Stuart island, on which a lighthouse is already maintained, the geographic board will change its name tp Dryad point, commemorating the name of a brig belonging to the Hudson’s Bay Co., which was engaged in company with the brig “Lama” in 1833, in carrying materials, etc., for the construction of Fort McLaughlin, near the site of the nearby existing village of Bella Bella.

The captain of the D. G. S. Quadra reports, in connection with the establishment of the above lighthouse, that dryad points extends nearly 300 feet east of the shore line shown on admiralty chart No. 2.449; that the islaet shown east of the point is not visible in coming from the westward until the extremity of Continue reading More Lighthouse History, BC – 01 (1899-12-17) →

Lighthouse History – continued

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May 18, 2012 – Up to number fifty (#50) of these issues of the Lighthouse History, I was borrowing the information from Victoria’s Victoria, a production of the University of Victoria (UVIC) who also have Victoria, BC newspaper archives online. For now, they have stopped reprinting the Victoria, BC news from the newspapers – it goes as far as 1926.

Please Note: December 01, 2012 – I am continuing this series with Lighthouse History #51 because the newspapers have now been indexed up to 1932. I quit posting at #50 as the extracts only went to 1926. They have now been extended from 1927 to 1932 so I will sift through the data for anything lighhouse! Look for #51 soon!

This is quite an extensive collection of Victoria, BC newspapers from 1858-1926. A small history of the papers and name changes appears below.

The History of the Times Colonist and other newspapers that merged with them over the years.

British Colonist – December 11, 1858 – 1860

British Daily Colonist – 1860 – 1862

The Press 1860 plus The Chronicle 1860 became the                    Chronicle until 1862

Daily British Colonist and Morning Chronicle – 1862 – 1873

Daily British Colonist – 1873 – 1887

Victoria Daily Times June 09, 1884 – 1951

The Daily Colonist – Jan. 1, 1887 – 1951

(Colonist and Times under Victoria Press Ltd. In May, 1951)

Times-Colonist Sept. 2, 1980 with morning and evening editions

Times-Colonist dropped the evening paper   1983 –  present

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Lighthouse History – 50 (1925-04-12 to 1926-10-29)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

 

photos: Donald Henry McNeill recalls 3 generations of BC Pioneers… Photos of McNeill, Beaver in Victoria Harbour in 1870s, Fiddle Reef lighthouse… Full page… [Colonist, 1925-04-12, p. 40]

 

Died Sep 7, 1925 at Victoria, BC, Levan Cullison, 74, of Esquimalt, native of US, resident here 36 years, 27 of which he was employed by Marine Department, in the capacity of foreman erector of lighthouse apparatus, from which he retired 3 years ago. Leaves widow, son, 2 daughters. ROBP [Colonist, 1925-09-09*] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 50 (1925-04-12 to 1926-10-29) →

Lighthouse History – 49 (1924-02-28 to 1925-03-10)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

 

12 – Entire crew of Norwegian freighter Tatjana, a total wreck on Village I, Bamfield lifeboat rescues 7, and 21 make shore on Breeches Buoy…; Feb 28, 11 – phs/Barkley Sound thrives on herring harvest…; Feb 29, 1; 11 – dead reckoning errors fatal, crew to arrive in Victoria on HMCS Armentieres…; Mar 1, 5 – rescued crew reach shore by slender line… Victoria boy, Harry Brown, 19, hero of disaster…; Mar 6, 4 – wreck of Tatjana…; Mar 9, 14; 15 – Capt Chris Cholberg demands additional lighthouse at Barkley Snd… ph/wireless station and light at Pachena Pnt…; Mar 14, 17 – Tatjana in danger of splitting up…; Apr 2, 15 – Pacific Salvage Co will attempt to salvage [Village I]…; Apr 23, 17 – ph/Tees sails for wreck with more tackle…; May 6, 5 – more patches for salvaged Tatjana, reclaimed vessel anchored at Sechart…; Continue reading Lighthouse History – 49 (1924-02-28 to 1925-03-10) →

Lighthouse History – 48 (1923-04-11 to 1924-02-03)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: ”Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

 

Pt San Juan likely to get station…; WC will be well guarded… Carmanah, Pachena, Beale to have radio phones… Clayoquot lifesaving station to be linked by cable with Lennard I lighthouse…; 18 – Bamfield life-saving crew’s work appreciated…; Apr 13, 1; proper safeguards on WC…; Apr 17, 5 – confirmation, WC to get wireless station – Pachena Pnt…; Apr 18, 19 – will test Pachena as wireless site… [Colonist, 1923-04-11, p. 17]

Continue reading Lighthouse History – 48 (1923-04-11 to 1924-02-03) →