At the time of Canada’s Confederation 150 years ago, Victoria had only been incorpo- rated as a municipality for five years. Howev- er, it had served as the seat of government for City of Victoria Ordering photos the Colony of Island since 1849, and as a center of trade and commerce Archives since the founding of Fort Victoria in 1843. The Images in this display are available colonies of Vancouver Island and British Co- for purchase along with other imag- Hallway Displays lumbia had amalgamated one year earlier, in es from our extensive photograph 1866, but wouldn’t unite with the rest of Cana- collection. Photographs can be da until 1871. viewed and ordered by contacting the Archives. ’s entry into Canada was ne- gotiated by a small delegation that included Victoria’s Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken, who arrived on Vancouver Island in 1850. Not only did the delegation ensure that the Colony’s debt would be assumed by the federal gov- ernment, but it also received the promise of a Size Price cross-country railway to unite east and west. On July 20, 1871, British Columbia became 4 x 6 $ 7.50 Canada’s sixth province and Victoria transi-

tioned from colonial to provincial capital. 5 x 7 $ 10.00

VISIT THE ARCHIVES 8 x 10 $ 13.50 8 Centennial Square Victoria, BC (Across the Square from City Hall) 11 x 14 $ 22.00 10 am - 3 pm, Monday - Thursday 10 am - 12 pm, 1 pm - 3 pm, Fridays Victoria at the Time of

Larger sizes available on request Phone: 250-361-0375 Fax: 250-361-0367 Email: [email protected] Website: www.victoria.ca/archives

May 2017 Cover image: detail of M07068 Victoria at the Time of Canadian Confederation 1 Looking towards the James Bay Bridge, 1 1860s [M08541 + 10000] 2 2 Government administration buildings, known locally as “The Birdcages”. James Bay Bridge in foreground, 1860s [M08542 + M06975]

3 Songhees Reserve, ca. 1865. Looking 3 towards James Bay [M08542 + M06525] 4 4 Songhees Reserve, 1868. Looking to- wards Wharf Street [M05763]

5 View of Wharf Street from the water, 5 ca. 1869 [M08541 + M06962] 6 6 1100 block of Wharf Street, looking north from Fort Street, ca. 1865 [M07068]

7 1200 block of Wharf Street, between Yates and Bastion Street, 1860 [M07428] 7 8 8 Police barracks in what is now Bastion Square, 1860 [M08542 + M07427]

9 500 block Yates Street looking west from Government Street, 1860 [M09905] 9 10 Harbour from Government Street, ca. 10 1860. Looking towards the Royal Hospi- tal at right on Songhees Point [M08541 + M07544]