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Journeys
into History on Memory Lane
by
Jerry W. Bird
 As
a child, I
had a great fascination for rail travel,
including the bright red streetcars, whose
lines crisscrossed the city of Vancouver
and suburbs like a spider's web. I loved
everything about them, from the wicker
seats and clanging bell, to the
conductor's uniform and the way he would
call out the street names before each
stop. The Interurban Trams on the other
hand were an awesome sight, as I recall in
my book Fact vs. Fiction. Continued.
"CPR
Spans the World,"
read the large arched sign near the
railway terminal and docks on Vancouver's
Burrard Inlet. It referred to the
multimodal empire of trains and ships that
operated from the shores of Atlantic
Canada to the Orient and South Pacific.
Each time I see one of the antique posters
(left) it's a reminder of those glory
days. The good news is that such mementos
may be purchased in one of several retail
stores, such as those located in the Hotel
Vancouver and The Empress in Victoria.
 Yukon
Hotels:
One winter, while finishing high school in
Dawson City, I earned
my
'meal ticket' working at Curly Salois'
Westminster Hotel, one of the more sturdy
remnants of Gold Rush Days. For some
reason Curly's place stood on its
foundation, despite the heaving permafrost
that left most older buildings lurching at
some crazy angles. Yes Virginia, there
really was a hotel named The Pearl
Harbour.
Continued.
 There
she stands,
the sleek, silver Avro CF-100, pride of
the Royal Canadian Air Force; sassy as
ever, her metallic body gleaming in the
sunshine of another spring. When I was
stationed at Trenton Airforce Training
Base in Southern Ontario, she was Canada's
debutante, a grand new star in the theater
of the sky. On her left stands a more
humble, homelier craft, once common as
geese on Canadian prairies (so it seemed)
-- the rugged, reliable Harvard Mark
IV. Continued.
Underground
Adventure:
On the Sea-to-Sky Highway from
Vancouver to Whistler-Blackcomb, North
America's top ski destination resort,
there are many unique tourist attractions.
One that stands out in my mind, is the
museum at Britannia Beach- a salute to
British Columbia's Mining industry and
those who made their living underground.
Leaving
Vancouver's North Shore via the "Upper
Levels" you round the bend at Horseshoe
Bay, where the BC ferry fleet departs for
Nanaimo, the Adventure Islands and
Sunshine Coast, then weave northward along
the aptly-named Sea-to-Sky highway, to
Whistler and points beyond.
Continued.
 Snow
Times?
When
I look at the early
photos of the Mount Baker Lodge and Ski
Area in our magazine's archives, it makes
me wish I was born a decade or two
earlier. That's why our editors will bring
you capsules of the area's colourful
history along with a profile of the many
attractions the area offers today.
Continued.
Home
of the World War II
Blimps.
Oregon's
Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum The
remaining of the two original hangars is
the largest free-span wooden structure in
the world. The museum covers the history
of the Naval Air Station and
lighter-than-air
technology, and features the Northwest's
biggest collection of World War II fighter
planes. Gift shop, restrooms, telephones
and free parking are available. Hours:
May-Oct, 9 to 6 daily. Nov-Apr, 10 to 5
daily. Closed Christmas, and Thanksgiving.
Admission $7 adults, seniors $6, youth (13
-17) $4, $2.50 kids 7-12 and under 7 is
free. Located off Highway 101, south of
town. 4000 Blimp Blvd, Tillamook OR 97141,
Voice Phone 503-842-1130
The
Canadian Museum of
Flight
by
Jerry W. Bird
There
she stands, the sleek, silver-coated Avro
CF-100, pride of the Royal Canadian Air
Force; sassy as ever, her metallic body
gleaming in the sunshine of another
spring. At RCAF Base Trenton, north of
Toronto, where I first saw her 'dance the
skies,' this lady was Canada's debutante,
a grand new star in the theater of the
air.
By her side sits a more humble, homelier
craft, once common as geese on Canada's
wind-swept prairies (or so it seemed); the
rugged, reliable Harvard Mark IV. This
black and yellow 'bumble bee' was the
backbone of Canada's large training fleet,
and the first solo experience for many
NATO pilots. Saluting these stalwarts of
my air force days, including the
Beechcraft Expeditor perched nearby,
certainly stirred the emotions. But here
at the Canadian Museum of Flight my
opening question was this. "How did these
aircraft, and over 70 other treasures of
the aviation world end up here at Langley,
BC?
Looking
back: It's a true life adventure
story; one of dedication, recovery and
restoration, plus the initiative that
created a force of several hundred
volunteers. A local action to prevent the
export of historic aircraft, grew into a
crusade, ranking this BC attraction among
Canada's leading air museums. Each
aircraft in this elite group has its
peculiar story to tell. Few arrived
intact; many are true reincarnations
--fished from rivers, lakes, swamps and
fjords, painfully restored from piles of
debris, rescued from the jaws of
'cannibals' , junk dealers and scavengers.
You'll see craft from every chapter of the
aviation history book; early bush planes,
gliders and home-builts, amphibians, spy
planes, transports, fighters, bombers and
several generations of jets, plus the
denizens of what they called "helicopter
hill" at the museum's first location near
Surrey's Crescent Beach.
Who
wouldn't be impressed by such vintage
warriors as the Sopwith Camel, Westland
Lysander, Republic Seabee, Lockheed
Silverstar, Avro Arrow, and names like
Aeronca, Bell, Bellanca, Blackburn,
Boeing, Bristol, Curtis, deHavilland,
Fairchild, Fleet Finch, Frankfort,
Handley-Page, Hawker, Piper, Pissecki,
Sikorsky, Stinson, and Waco. Each invokes
its special claim to the field of
memories.
We
first viewed the Museum of Flight
unescorted, with cameras in hand, letting
our imaginations soar, and capturing some
priceless shots for the family archives.
The next time, however, I donned the
headphones for an "audio-
dramatization"... a narrated journey
through these fascinating displays. The
realistic sounds and professional voices
on the audio track recreate history,
providing detail, drama, life and motion
to the experience.
You'll
witness first hand, the cramped, fully
exposed gun-turrets and better understand
the hazards faced by attack allied crews
that hovered anxiously over occupied
Europe. Rare birds, unusual relics and
one-of-a-kind wonders abound; a Hampden
bomber, raised from the deep after 44
years; an airborne banana; a flying anvil;
a flying panhandle; a flying ice cream
cone ... and more. You'll hear their
dramatic stories through the medium of
audio tape. Some units such as the
Westland Lysander, too fragile for outside
display await hanger space at a future
date.
Wings,
wheels- and
wonders!
The
Canadian Museum of Flight and
Transportation is a grand show anytime.
The gift shop contains every kind of
aviation curio, plus models, flags,
banners, posters, rare photos, cards,
books and souvenirs. There are more
memories in the museum' s Aviation Library
, which has an extensive photo
collection. Admission: Adults $5,
Seniors and students $4, Under 6 free,
Family $12.
Open
daily year round: 10 am to 4 pm.
Hangar #3, Langley Airport, 5333 - 216th
Street
(216th at Fraser Highway), Langley,
Tel. (604) 532-0035.
Britannia
Beach, BC: Underground Adventure
on the Sea to Sky Highway
By
Jerry Bird
On
the Sea-to-Sky Highway from Vancouver to
Whistler-Blackcomb, North America's top
ski destination resort, there are many
unique tourist attractions. One that
stands out in my mind, is the museum at
Britannia Beach- a salute to British
Columbia's Mining industry and those who
made their living underground.
Leaving
Vancouver's North Shore via the "Upper
Levels" you round the bend at Horseshoe
Bay, where the BC ferry fleet departs for
Nanaimo, the Adventure Islands and
Sunshine Coast, then weave northward along
the aptly-named Sea-to-Sky highway, to
Whistler and points beyond.
  Leaving
Vancouver's North Shore via the "Upper
Levels" you round the bend at Horseshoe
Bay, where the BC ferry fleet departs for
Nanaimo, the Adventure Islands and
Sunshine Coast, then weave northward along
the aptly-named Sea-to-Sky highway, to
Whistler and points beyond. Those who
marvel at history and man's ingenuity will
discover a real treasure at
Britannia
Beach, a few
scenic miles along the cliff-hugging
route. Here on the shores of Howe Sound,
British Columbia's mining heritage is
preserved intact at the Britannia Copper
Mine, which served world markets from 1888
to the 1970s.
Survivor of fire,
flood and avalanche, this hardy community
harbors a national treasure, and has
become a favorite location for major
motion pictures. In a word - awesome!
Little wonder most motorists make an
abrupt stop for a close encounter, many
staying for several hours of fun and
exploration. For history buffs like me,
the BC. Museum of Mining and adjacent area
is a destination all by itself.
In the boom days of
the 1920s and '30s, Britannia was the
largest producer of copper ore in the
British Empire- a jewel in her imperial
crown. Today, it's a National Historic
Site destined to become a world-class
venue for mining, geology and social
history, thanks to a recent restoration
program.'
Looming like a
centurion at the entrance is a mammoth
235-ton Wabco "Super Truck" - part of a
fleet which revolutionized low-grade
mining worldwide. Guided tours begin with
"The Britannia Story," featured in rock
displays, ore samples, realistic models,
maps, drawings, documents and
artifacts. Along
with the dramatic portrayal of hard-rock
mining and other methods used in the
province, you get a feeling for the human
side of the industry, reflected in the
life and times of workers and families.
Displays on two other levels present an
overview of British Columbia's rich mining
heritage, plus a showcase on Craigmont, a
copper mine in central BC. near
Smithers.
While the dominant
physical feature at Britannia Beach is the
mine's enormous concentrator building,
which sprawls for eight levels up the
cliff side, the true highlight is your
journey underground . The mine train
(which once toted its own privy) takes
your group into the mountainside where
you'll witness the "tried and true," as
well as more current methods of drilling,
blasting, mucking, sluicing and rock
stabilization.
Emerging from the
mine, you'll have a close-up look inside
the immense gravity-fed concentrator - a
spectacular sight, and a regional landmark
for more than 75 years. During peak
operations, this monstrous complex
processed more than 7,000 tons of ore
daily, and is the only facility of its
kind in North America still accessible to
the public.
At the "Mining
House", where all tours begin and end,
you'll be treated to a "magic lantern"
show - a slide presentation which traces
Britannia's colorful history, recapping
your experience inside the heart of Mt.
Sheer.
A walking tour
includes the Assay Office, containing a
variety of rock creations donated for
auction this fall. Across the way stands
the "Ritz Hotel" and assorted mine
buildings under restoration. As a token of
your visit, the museum offers
complimentary drill core samples, many of
which date prior to the first world war.
Later you can try gold panning.
The BC Museum of
Mining is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ,
Wednesdays through Sundays and legal
holidays - from May until October.
Britannia Beach is 45 minutes from
Vancouver, and is served by Maverick Coach
Lines (5 times daily) and by BC
Rail.
During tourist
season, there's a likely chance you'll
spot BC's most famous locomotive - The
Royal
Hudson,
an elegant steam train, which connects
with the tour ship Britannia for an
exciting day trip from Vancouver to nearby
Squamish.
Another reminder of
an earlier era at Britannia's dockside was
the SS Prince George, once a proud member
of Canadian National's Alaska fleet. Part
of the "Britannia Opportunity" plan, is a
pocket cruise dock, public pier and
marina, along with an integrated
transportation depot. The community
features craft shops, an impressive
live-action display of native Indian stone
sculpture and several dining spots. We
enjoyed a grand home-cooked meal recently,
topped by a miner's sized slab of lemon
meringue pie at the Tea Shop, a cozy
corner of Canadiana.
BC. Museum of
Mining, Box 188, Britannia Beach, BC VON
1JO. phone(604) 688-8735., fax (604)
892-9152
Oregon's
Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum
Home of the
World War II Blimps. The remaining of the
two original hangars is the largest
free-span wooden structure in the world.
The museum covers the history of the Naval
Air Station and lighter-than-air
technology, and features the Northwest's
biggest collection of World War II fighter
planes. Gift shop, restrooms, telephones
and free parking are available. Hours:
May-Oct, 9 to 6 daily. Nov-Apr, 10 to 5
daily. Closed Christmas, and Thanksgiving.
Admission $7 adults, seniors $6, youth (13
-17) $4, $2.50 kids 7-12 and under 7 is
free. Located off Highway 101, south of
town. 4000 Blimp Blvd, Tillamook OR 97141,
Voice Phone 503-842-1130
Air
Station a new Warplane Museum
at Arlington, Washington
Arlington
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)
Fly-in. Display your wares to the many
aviation enthusiasts at this popular 5-day
event near Everett, Wa.
Air Highways Magazine
has covered the Arlington eventand we're
amazed at the display of experimental and
sports aircraft on display, not to mention
the unique museum pieces and awesome
aerial acrobatics. For details, contact
Barbara Lawrence: 360.435.5857
(http://www.nweaa.org).
Canadian
Craft Museum at Vancouver's Cathedral
Place
When the
wrecking ball signaled the demise of the
Georgia Medical Dental Building, few
Vancouverites expected anything startling
to arise from the dust and debris of a
familiar landmark. After visiting
Cathedral Place and The Canadian Craft
Museum, I was totally impressed with the
entire concept, linking a grand new tower,
with a grass courtyard, the familiar
Christ Church Cathedral, and Canada's only
national museum west of the Rockies. A
unique showcase for the province, the
nation and the world, it is the only
publicly supported museum in Canada
devoted exclusively to craft in all media.
Balance
of item to come.
 ..Attention
Musuem Operators and Members.
..Link
your museum to our Travel Tourism site
Our
editorial board is preparing its schedule
for the next 12 month period. In our
immediate plans is a series on Museums and
Historic Sites that will be keyed to our
new Supermap of transportation routes.
This feature will have a strong visual
content, using existing photos in addition
to those we will take on site.
Send us information
on your museum or historic site and a
link.
(Go
down Memory
Lane)
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