Powell River may not be the oldest city on the map, but residents are still learning about and promoting their heritage in unique ways.
Tourism Powell River, a long-time advocate of the area’s heritage with brochures and tours of Townsite, has taken the forefront in innovative ways to promote the city’s history. Last year, the organization’s heritage counsellor put on a ghost walk that explained about haunted places and spaces in the historic Townsite. This year, the group is breaking ground once more with its steampunk photo shoot, aiming to attract a new generation to the area’s history.
Other organizations have done more than their share of promotion as well. Powell River Historical Museum and Archives brings local history to life through dynamic displays, as well as activities such as summer camps for children.
Townsite Heritage Society is another group that has been monumental in helping promote the area’s history. Formed in 1992, its activities include restoration projects, guided tours and publications. Its crowning glory is the house of Dr. Henderson, the local doctor who started the first medical plan in BC. Recently renovated, the house is over 100 years old.
But as much as local heritage is important, the people of Powell River have worked to investigate their heritage on a more personal level as well. One example is members of Powell River Genealogy Club, who research their family lines back hundreds of years. Members have learned that history can be fun, fulfilling and deeply personal.
One does not even have to look hundreds of years back to benefit from personal heritage. Take the Cocksedge brothers, who used their father’s idea to create a ground-breaking marine vehicle, or the three generations of Kellys, who recognized the lasting significance of their grandmother’s poem.
All of these people and organizations, and many more in the area, recognize the importance of examining and celebrating the past. In a time of rapid technological change, where media seems to be all about the next big thing, it is important to look back on what has brought society to this point.
Bottom line is that history does matter. The heritage of a society, or even just a single person, influences everything that they experience. History shows patterns—what can result from certain decisions or what society should avoid. At the individual level, history can help someone understand where they come from and why they are the way they are. In short, those who learn of history are those who know best how to shape the future.
