John and I enjoyed a few days exploring “The Other Vancouver”, which is Vancouver, Washington. Located about two hours south of Seattle along the I-5, this Vancouver sits along the Columbia River and was incorporated in 1857, 29 years before Vancouver, BC.
Captain George Vancouver Monument in Vancouver, Washington
I’ve always loved looking up the origins of park, island, and street names in Vancouver, from Abbott to Tatlow and beyond. While in Vancouver, Washington recently I came across the name Broughton when reading about that Vancouver’s history so I thought I would educate myself about William Robert Broughton and his connection to both Vancouvers.
Captain George Vancouver Monument in Vancouver, Washington
Most of the inlets and islands explored by Captain George Vancouver around BC are named after his admirals and officers, as was Royal Navy Tradition. However, Vancouver in Washington State was named after the captain himself, by Lieutenant William Robert Broughton.
In 1792, Captain George Vancouver followed the North American coastline and entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca. He proceeded to survey every inlet and outlet on the West Coast, as were his orders, and was the first European to enter Burrard Inlet on June 13th, 1792. [Source: George Vancouver 1757–2007: 250th Birth Anniversary, Survey of the Southwest Coast of BC, June 1792].
He later discovered that Spanish explorers Dionisio Alcalá Galiano and Cayetano Valdés y Flores were also in the area using crude charts of Georgia Strait created by José María Narváez, under command of Francisco de Eliza. Captain Vancouver also acquired Robert Gray’s charts of the lower Columbia River, which makes up most of the border between Washington and Oregon today.
(Left) 1910: Broughton Apartments in Vancouver. Archives# CVA 99-98
(Right) 1960: Looking east on Georgia form Broughton Street. Archives# Air P91.
Wanting to do a more thorough investigation of the Columbia River, Vancouver sent Broughton up the river in October of 1792. He got as far as the Columbia River Gorge, sighting Mount Hood and naming it after Viscount Samuel Hood, Admiral of the British Fleet. [Source: Western Lives: A Biographical History Of The American West]. Broughton then named an area on the north side of the river after George Vancouver.
Gray’s charts and Broughton’s map of the Columbia River became instrumental in the planning of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Broughton’s legacy includes several places, and even a cricket team, named after him in the South Pacific and New Zealand from earlier expeditions. In Vancouver and Victoria we have streets named after him and up the coast there is the Broughton Archipelago Provincial Park, which is BC’s largest marine park.
I was pretty pleased to learn more about the namesake of a street in my West End neighbourhood, even if it did take going to the other Vancouver to spark my interest.
There will be over 35 free workshops around town on Saturday, June 15th as a part of the 4th annual Vancouver Draw Down. These events challenge everyone to channel their creative side, no matter what your age or skill level, and just have fun with putting pen to paper. The day will see various arts and cultural organizations hands-on drawing workshops in community centres, parks, schools, art galleries, cemeteries, and on the street.
You can create a flipbook, do a diorama, draw with an iPhone, create your own pigments, design a hotel, participate in inventing creatures never before seen, generate a moving mural, draw with massive crayons, and much more. The workshops are designed with a come-and-go atmosphere, and participants are encouraged to move around to different events throughout the day. All workshops are open, inclusive, and free (or free with admission).
Every community centre in Vancouver is also participating so you can visit one near you or get to as many as you can in the day. Other locations include ArtStarts in Schools, Collage Collage, Contemporary Art Gallery, the Main Street Poodle, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, Mountain View Cemetery, Satellite Gallery, UBC Learning Exchange, and the Vancouver Art Gallery.
Do Collaborative Strathcona Dragon Drawing (10:00am and 12:00pm), check out the Comic Jam at Mount Pleasant (10:30am to 12:30pm), do Straight Line Scribbles at The Gathering Place (12:00pm to 2:00pm), Blind Countour Drawing at Renfrew (11:00am to 1:00pm), and much more. As a sponsor, Vancouver is Awesome has been profiling participating artists in an online series to get you excited about some of the talented people you could meet this weekend.
Follow Vancouver Draw Down on Facebook and Twitter for updates and check out the full schedule of events online.
Two local women, Joanne Greenwood (President and Co-Founder of Bully Free Zone Canada) and Susan Gable (Yellow Balloon Photography), started a unique anti-bullying campaign, Be BOLD, back in April and since that time it has caught on around the globe.
They put together anti-bullying messaging through photography that has individuals holding framed chalkboards featuring one word turned into an anagram that relays a brave, positive, and empowering message.
The campaign started with just one photo of Joanne, taken by Susan, and the theme has been catching on, garnering more Be Bold photos and messages from young and old, musicians, athletes, artists, and local celebrities.
While Be BOLD is still fairly new, they’re moving quickly to reach more communities around the province and host public photo shoots. At these events you can put your message on their signature frame and get your photo taken by donation. Proceeds are contributed to the Amanda Todd Legacy Fund. You can check out the events page for information about public photo shoots.
The first Be Bold Gala will also be held this Saturday, June 15, 2013 at the Westin Bayshore’s Marine Room from 3:00pm to 8:00pm. Tickets are available online for just $15. Here you can learn more about the campaign, get your photo taken with your message, enjoy appetizers, entertainment, and a silent auction.
For more information about Be BOLD, follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.
Victoria is one a great getaway destination for those of us on the coast, providing beautiful island scenery, delicious locally-sourced food, craft beer and brew pubs, family attractions, and plenty of history. When my sister, mother, niece, and I began a tradition of “girls weekends” over 10 years ago, the first place we stayed was at the Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites in Victoria, which is located right on the inner harbour between Laurel Point and the legislature buildings.
Panorama from the Harbour Towers. Photo credit:
John Biehler on Flickr
With various room options (pet friendly), views of the harbour, and its convenient location so that we could walk to the Royal BC Museum, to downtown shopping, etc. it was a great pick.
If you’re planning a trip to Victoria in the coming months, here are just a few events and festival that you can experience on top of the city’s usual culture, history, and culinary adventures:
Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites would like to invite one Miss604 reader and their guest for one complimentary night at the hotel so that they can enjoy what our province’s capital has to offer. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all comment entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, June 20, 2013. Based on availability. Gift certificate for one night’s accommodation at the Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites will be mailed to winner. Does not include transportation to/from Vancouver Island. All residents of BC are eligible to enter/win.
Update The winner is Richard! (Comment June 11)
John and I enjoyed a few days exploring “The Other Vancouver”, which is Vancouver, Washington. Located about two hours south of Seattle along the I-5, this Vancouver sits along the Columbia River and was incorporated in 1857, 29 years before Vancouver, BC.
On a bright late spring morning we made our way down Evergreen Boulevard and stopped in for breakfast at The Grant House at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. This grand residence on Officers Row is named after Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States. While he never lived in this house he was stationed at Fort Vancouver, arriving in 1852. Simply walking between the car and the house, we must have passed half a dozen plaques, monuments, and dedications, which emphasized the national and historical importance of this area (which I’ll share in my upcoming post about Fort Vancouver).
The Grant House itself is on the National Register of Historic Places, originally built of logs in 1850, serving as the Commander’s Quarters until 1886. Today, it’s a restaurant with dining room, lounge, sunroom, and garden patio.
Breakfast menu items included a Waffle Benedict, Chicken and Waffles, Chef’s Choice Quiche, Oatmeal, The Grant House Breakfast (two eggs, country red potatoes, bacon, ham or sausage, and choice of toast), Scrambles, or Omelettes (you choose the ingredients from a list of 15 items).
I went with an omelette ($9) and picked out my four ingredients (mushroom, tomato, spinach, and cheddar) and my toast. John also did a custom omelette (mushroom, sausage, spinach, swiss) but he opted for a biscuit. Both the toast and biscuits came with deliciously sweet apple butter.
We made our way through the very generous portions (that included a healthy heap of seasoned country red potatoes) and slowed down to savour our apple buttered goods with our coffees. Easy listening classics from the 1960s and earlier added a soundtrack to our morning meal as sunshine broke through the clouds and warmed the dining room.
John and I have also been to Galena, Illinois where Ulysses S. Grant also lived, after his time in Vancouver. As someone who loves Pacific Northwest history (and a hearty breakfast) this was such a great experience. If we had more time we would have returned in the evening to enjoy a refreshing beverage on the porch as the wind rushed through the field across the road and made the house’s flags dance.
The Grant House is open Monday to Saturday and they host live music (bluegrass, jazz) from Tuesday to Saturday. It’s worth a visit for breakfast, lunch, or dinner especially if you’re out and about experiencing Fort Vancouver.
