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Honourable Mention in the BC Historical Federation’s Competition
Heather Harbord's book Texada Tapestry: A History (Harbour Publishing, $32.95) has received an Honourable Mention in the BC Historical Federation's Competition for Historical Writing for 2011. The annual awards recognize books that feature outstanding stories and writings about British Columbia's history.
Texada Tapestry provides an in-depth look at the people and places that have contributed to the fascinating history of the largest island in the Strait of Georgia. Best known for its long strip of coveted mineralized granite and limestone dividing the upper gulf, Texada Island is now better known as the home of the illegal agriculture product called Texada Gold. Texada was once the focus of a real gold rush that lured cookie-tycoon William Christie and was the site of British Columbia's first major political scandal when squabbles over a lucrative iron ore claim forced the resignation of Premier Amor de Cosmos in February 1874. The rich mineral deposits in time gave rise to three booming towns-Gillies Bay, Blubber Bay and Van Anda. Over the years the population flowed with the mineral prices as Texada was in and out of the news.
Author Heather Harbord's dedicated research includes over a hundred interviews with locals and old-timers, creating a captivating book full of unforgettable characters, humorous anecdotes and many previously unpublished photographs. A follow-up to Heather's BC bestseller Desolation Sound: A History (Harbour Publishing, 2007), Texada Tapestry is another valuable volume on the history of the BC coast.
Heather Harbord is a former Geology Librarian of the Royal School of Mines in London who has been exploring Canada's three oceans by sea kayak, Russian icebreaker and working boats since 1963. She has written four previous books including the bestselling Desolation Sound: A History. She lives in Powell River, BC, overlooking the island she has written about and kayaked around.
Texada Tapestry provides an in-depth look at the people and places that have contributed to the fascinating history of the largest island in the Strait of Georgia. Best known for its long strip of coveted mineralized granite and limestone dividing the upper gulf, Texada Island is now better known as the home of the illegal agriculture product called Texada Gold. Texada was once the focus of a real gold rush that lured cookie-tycoon William Christie and was the site of British Columbia's first major political scandal when squabbles over a lucrative iron ore claim forced the resignation of Premier Amor de Cosmos in February 1874. The rich mineral deposits in time gave rise to three booming towns-Gillies Bay, Blubber Bay and Van Anda. Over the years the population flowed with the mineral prices as Texada was in and out of the news.
Author Heather Harbord's dedicated research includes over a hundred interviews with locals and old-timers, creating a captivating book full of unforgettable characters, humorous anecdotes and many previously unpublished photographs. A follow-up to Heather's BC bestseller Desolation Sound: A History (Harbour Publishing, 2007), Texada Tapestry is another valuable volume on the history of the BC coast.
Heather Harbord is a former Geology Librarian of the Royal School of Mines in London who has been exploring Canada's three oceans by sea kayak, Russian icebreaker and working boats since 1963. She has written four previous books including the bestselling Desolation Sound: A History. She lives in Powell River, BC, overlooking the island she has written about and kayaked around.
Submitted on April 11, 2012 in By David.
