Qualicum Magical History Tours

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Qualicum Magical History Tours

Learn all about the fascinating history of Qualicum Beach through guided walking tours of the Town a
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23/07/2024

75 years ago today, July 23, 1949, Qualicum’s Village Theatre was declared officially open by local MLA Herb Welch. A parade, complete with pipe band, heralded the occasion. The theatre was one of many belonging to Harold Warren of Port Alberni, and he spared no expense here: ‘streamline moderne’ architecture, walls one foot thick lined with acoustical plaster, top-of-the-line projectors, automatic drapes and a pretty rose and turquoise colour scheme. Shows varied during the week. A typical lineup in 1952: Mon/Tues night – The Halls of Montezuma starring Richard Widmark; Wed /Thurs - Katie Did It, a comedy starring Ann Blyth, and a Saturday matinee, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland in Technicolour. Each movie was preceded by a newsreel, updated weekly, and a cartoon. For $5, local businesses could advertise with a ‘slide’ message which was flashed on screen before the show. The children’s ticket for ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ was 50¢, and it included a chocolate bar. By 1974, the theatre, unused and neglected for several years, was purchased by the ECHO Players, who put in seats, stage and dressing rooms and turned it into the popular community theatre we enjoy today. Photo courtesy the Qualicum Beach Museum.

03/07/2024

The building that houses today’s QB Oceanside Suites has a long history. The big white building, designed by local architect Simon Little in 1935, was originally the workplace and store of Mr. JJ Elliott who arrived in Qualicum from the Yukon. Elliott created ivory jewellery from mastodon tusks he sourced in the Yukon River basin. My uncle used to watch him at work in his shop; my mother had one of his ivory dogwood brooches. Then in 1958, Mr. Little redesigned the building for owners Mr. and Mrs. Harold Badger and it became the Mayfair Motel. In more recent years, it was the Captain’s Inn. Photo of the Mayfair courtesy the Qualicum Beach Museum archives. Historical walking tours are on! For info and booking contact Qualicummagicalhistorytours.com

06/06/2024

The HMS Qualicum, a minesweeper commissioned by the British Admiralty during WWII, played an important role in clearing the way for the landing forces at Normandy on June 6, 1944. Twelve ‘Bangor’ class minesweepers had been ordered, and the Admiralty requested that the ships be given Canadian names. The Canadian government decided to hold a country-wide contest: the first twelve small communities who went over the top in their sales of Victory Bonds would have the honour of having a ship named for their town. Qualicum was one of winners, and the H.M.S. Qualicum was put into service. After the war, the Qualicum was briefly loaned to the Norwegian Navy, then by 1949, returned to Britain and, services no longer required, dismantled for parts.

22/04/2024

Simon Little and his son Robert built St. Andrews Lodge in 1938 and it went on to draw vacationers from far and wide for generations. St. Andrews Lodge Historical and Cultural Society (SALHACS) was formed in 2020 to preserve this beloved part of Qualicum's history. SALHACS is one of twelve heritage projects across Canada eligible to win a $50,000 grant. Your vote will help! You can vote every day until May 6. Visit nextgreatsave.ca or click on the following link and cast your vote today! https://nextgreatsave.nationaltrustcanada.ca/2024/entry/60

21/04/2024

Qualicum’s old Village Office in the 1960s (top) with town administrator Leo Klees on the steps and in the 1970s (bottom). Located on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Primrose, it was designed by local architect Simon (Sam) Little and built by Don Beaton’s Qualicum Construction. In the early days, the building also contained a nursing center, and that door opened onto Primrose. The center was staffed with a half dozen Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) who did maternity and new baby care, vaccines and made house calls. Photos courtesy the Qualicum Beach Museum. Historical walking tours start in May. Tours leave the QB Museum every Tuesday morning, weather permitting. Bookings/inquiries contact qualicummagicalhistorytours.com

05/02/2024

In mid-August, 1978, on behalf of the H.R. MacMillan family, Mrs. Jean Southam cut the ribbon on the Town’s new pride and joy, a 1700-sq.ft. library (photo 1). Located across the street from TOSH, the H.R. MacMillan Library was Y-shaped, with 2 wings that had tall, narrow windows at the ends to let in lots of light. The surrounding gardens sent the scent of roses wafting into the building during the summer months. In photo 2, a young Michael Recalma conducts a children’s story hour in the drop-in center, a lounge with sofa and fireplace, the first in the VIRL system. There was a circulating library in Qualicum as early as 1918, sent from Victoria through the Women’s Auxiliary every 3 months. In 1938, Mrs. Hughs, who did tailoring and dressmaking, carried on a bit of a library in a building next to the general store on Main Street (Memorial). In the 1940s, the small collection was moved to several locations on 2nd Avenue, one of which was known to locals as the ‘deep freeze’, as it consisted of a few shelves in Craig Reid’s ice locker facility. Photos courtesy of the Qualicum Beach Museum.

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Opening Hours

Wednesday	13:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+16047544465

Website

https://www.qualicummagicalhistorytours.com/

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How the tours evolved

My grandfather, Jack Miller, first came to Qualicum in 1927 to operate the bakery at 2nd and Memorial in Qualicum. In 1933, he opened a bakery down on the waterfront (pictured above) that once stood next to where the Sandpebbles is today. My mother, aunts and uncle all grew up at the Bakery. Over the years, they told me stories of their lives growing up here, and I went on to research the town’s history in-depth. The result is a unique historical perspective that I now share through walking tours that tell the story of Qualicum’s fascinating beginnings.