The Nanaimo Historical Society presents...

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Thursday, October 10th, 2013
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Nanaimo author and naturalist Bill Merilees will be the speaker at the next general meeting of the Nanaimo Historical Society. Merilees, who wrote the book �Newcastle Island: A Place of Discovery�, will lead an historical presentation of the island, and unfold further news and information on the latest discoveries that have come to light since publishing his book in 1998.

One of BC�s most accessible provincial marine parks, tiny Newcastle Island (3.36 square kilometres) has a varied a multipurpose heritage. Starting as a seasonal fishing camp for the Coast Salish through a gamut of resource and industrial activities including coal extraction, quarrying and architectural stone-cutting, shipyard, fish processing, CPR holiday resort, before being taken over by the provincial government in 1960 to be dedicated and developed as a marine park.

Vancouver-born Bill Merilees came to Nanaimo in 1978 as an employee of BC Parks. Primarily educated in natural history he has strong interest in local history, starting with the creation of the Kootenay Doukhobor Historical Society when the Merilees family resided in Castlegar during the early 70s.

Who: The Nanaimo Historical Society
What: Newcastle Island by Bill Merilees
Where: Bowen Park Complex
When: October 10, 2013 7:30 p.m. Coffee, tea, and cookies at 9:00

The Nanaimo Historical Society is a non-profit organization. Founded in 1953, the Society�s mission is to preserve, promote, and celebrate the history of Nanaimo. Annual membership is $24 for an individual, $30 for a family, and $34 for an organization.

Membership includes a subscription to British Columbia History, the quarterly journal of the British Columbia Historical Federation.