Margaret E Macculloch & David J Hall Family History Research - Victoria, British Columbia Canada

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria, British Columbia, population 74,000, is the largest municipality in the Greater Victoria area. It is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off the coast of the British Columbia mainland. Although the Spanish and the British explored the area in the 1790's, it was not settled by Europeans until the Hudson's Bay Company established a fort in 1843. With the discovery of gold on the mainland in 1858, Victoria became an outfitting centre for miners on their way to the Fraser Canyon gold fields, causing the city to grow rapidly. Victoria was named the capital of British Columbia when the province joined Confederation in 1871. Today, Victoria is known for its mild climate, beautiful gardens, the famous Empress Hotel, and the British Columbia Parliament Buildings.

Kindly written and contributed by Mrs M J Ujimoto © 2009