Building Victoria: Men, Myths, and Mortar

Can$24.95

The history of Victoria is preserved in the very beams and joinery of its buildings. These structures serve as mute reminders of a bygone era, providing a peek into our past and a glimpse at the lives of the people who built them.

With insatiable curiosity and a zest for story, Danda Humphreys, author of the acclaimed trilogy On The Street Where You Live, went in search of buildings that tell a story—from the inside out. Starting with major structures surrounding Victoria’s famous Inner Harbour and expanding throughout the downtown area, Danda looks behind the wood, stone, bricks, and mortar, digging deep beneath the foundations to excavate Victoria’s history.

A must-read for intrepid urban explorers, this book brings to life the colourful histories of such buildings as:

A hotel-turned-nursing home where Emily Carr spent her last days.

A Greek temple look-alike that served as the Canadian Pacific Steamship terminal.

The first gentleman’s club in Victoria and its equally well-appointed counterpart for the ladies.

The lofty legislature designed by a 26-year-old man who was doomed by a mid-life affair

The high-class hotel built on land once covered by the muddy waters of James Bay.

Danda Humphreys is involved in acting, public speaking, research, writing, and editing. Her weekly columns appeared in the Victoria Times Colonist for five years.

 

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