The Quadra Story: A History of Quadra Island

by Jeanette Taylor

Overview

Quadra Island, the largest and most populated of the Discovery Islands at the top end of Georgia Strait, has a history loaded with adventure. From the We Wai Kai warriors of the 19th century to the loggers, gold miners, prostitutes and ranchers who followed, its people have provided the stuff of legend. Taylor draws us into the story of her island home with tales of people like WeKai, the ancestor of the We Wai Kai First Nation, Reginald Heber Pidcock, the crusty potlatch-busting Indian Agent and Helen Bull, the notorious mistress of the Heriot Bay Hotel, who survived a point blank pistol shot.

The Quadra Story: A History of Quadra Island is the product of decades of research that dates back to Taylor's years with the BC Archives and the Museum at Campbell River. The end result is as engaging as a novel while affording a deep understanding of the turmoil European settlement brought for the First Nations people and the adventure and privation settlers experienced in their search for a better life.

Taylor's recent book, Tidal Passages: A History of the Discovery Islands a companion title to The Quadra Story, hit the BC Bestseller List in 2009 and was praised by reviewers as well as long-time residents of the Discovery Islands.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781550174953
Publisher:	Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd.
Publication date:	04/12/2010
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Jeanette Taylor was on the curatorial staff for the Museum at Campbell River for nearly twenty years and executive director of the Campbell River Art Gallery for over a decade. Her passion for history, art and coastal life are evident in her books, River City: A History of Campbell River and the Discovery Islands, Exploring Quadra Island: Heritage Sites and Hiking Trails (Fernbank) and Tidal Passages: A History of the Discovery Islands. Taylor is the coordinator of The Scribes Comprehensive Writing Services, a collective of writers, editors and designers. She teaches nonfiction writing courses and workshops, and leads heritage sites tours aboard the historic Columbia III. Taylor is a resident of Quadra Island, BC.

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

Chapter 1 A Man's World 15

Chapter 2 The Laich-Kwil-Tach 27

Chapter 3 A New Wave of Settlement 40

Chapter 4 The Rancher Takes a Wife 52

Chapter 5 Quathiaski Cove-The Hub for Quadra Island and Discovery Passage 68

Chapter 6 A Tale of Two Villages 86

Chapter 7 New Settlements on Northern Quadra Island 102

Chapter 8 The Slippery Quadra Island Postmaster 124

Chapter 9 The Finest Salmon-fishing Waters in the World 139

Chapter 10 The Land of Milk, Honey, Canned Fish, Giant Firs and Precious Spuds 155

Chapter 11 The Dirty Thirties 181

Chapter 12 Adapting to a New Era 206

Chapter 13 Going Back to the Land 225

Notes 241

Index 264