Bamfield, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Bamfield is a community that is surrounded by Crown Land
, Indian Reserves, and portions of the Pacific Rim National Park, located on Barkley Sound
, Vancouver Island
in British Columbia
. The community, with a population of 251 as of 2006, is divided by Bamfield Inlet.
of the Nuu-chah-nulth, the local indigenous
people. Europeans founded a small fishing community sometime in the late 1800s.
Bamfield was named after the first government agent of the area, William Eddy Banfield. The name "Bamfield" with an "m" is said to be either due to how the local first nations people had trouble pronouncing the letter n in his name, or a mistake made by the postal organization. In 1902, the Bamfield cable station was constructed as the western terminus of a worldwide undersea telegraph cable called by some the All Red Line
as it passed only through countries and territories controlled by the British Empire
, which were coloured red on the map. The cable initially went to Fanning Island, a tiny coral atoll in the mid-Pacific, and from there continued to Fiji
, New Zealand
, and Australia
. A second building, made of concrete was built on the site in 1926 to replace the old wood structure. This building, designated a historic site in 1930, is now used by the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
.
A Marine and Fisheries lifesaving station on the Pacific coast was established at Bamfield in 1907.
It was the first lifesaving station on Canada's Pacific Coast.
In 1953 the cable was extended up the Alberni Inlet to Port Alberni and the local station was closed on June 20, 1959. Following the closure, only the large concrete building, two cable storage tanks and an adjacent building survived, as all the rest were demolished.
Commercial fishing was based in Bamfield up to the mid-1980s. Bamfield is now home to several sport fishing lodges, which pursue primarily salmon
and halibut
. Bamfield is also the northern terminus of the West Coast Trail
, a hiking trail built in 1907 along the west coast of Vancouver Island
to help survivors of the area's many shipwreck
s find their way back to civilization. The trail runs 77 km (47.8 mi) kilometres along extremely rugged terrain.
Today Bamfield is primarily a tourist destination, either for the West Coast Trail
, ocean kayaking
or sport fishing. Bamfield also receives many university students who attend semesters at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
.
Crown land
In Commonwealth realms, Crown land is an area belonging to the monarch , the equivalent of an entailed estate that passed with the monarchy and could not be alienated from it....
, Indian Reserves, and portions of the Pacific Rim National Park, located on Barkley Sound
Barkley Sound
Barkley Sound, also known historically as Barclay Sound, is south of Ucluelet and north of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island and forms the entrance to the Alberni Inlet...
, Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The community, with a population of 251 as of 2006, is divided by Bamfield Inlet.
History
Bamfield is populated by Huu-ay-ahtHuu-ay-aht First Nation
The Huu-ay-aht First Nations is a First Nations community based on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The HFN is a member of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and is a member of the Maa-nulth Treaty Society. It has recently completed and ratified its community...
of the Nuu-chah-nulth, the local indigenous
Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast
The Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those historical peoples. They are now situated within the Canadian Province of British Columbia and the U.S...
people. Europeans founded a small fishing community sometime in the late 1800s.
Bamfield was named after the first government agent of the area, William Eddy Banfield. The name "Bamfield" with an "m" is said to be either due to how the local first nations people had trouble pronouncing the letter n in his name, or a mistake made by the postal organization. In 1902, the Bamfield cable station was constructed as the western terminus of a worldwide undersea telegraph cable called by some the All Red Line
All Red Line
The All Red Line was an informal name for the system of electrical telegraphs that linked much of the British Empire.It was inaugurated on 31 October 1902. It had this name because on many political maps, British Empire territory was coloured red ....
as it passed only through countries and territories controlled by the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, which were coloured red on the map. The cable initially went to Fanning Island, a tiny coral atoll in the mid-Pacific, and from there continued to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. A second building, made of concrete was built on the site in 1926 to replace the old wood structure. This building, designated a historic site in 1930, is now used by the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre is a marine research station established in 1972, located in Bamfield, British Columbia and run by the University of Victoria, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary...
.
A Marine and Fisheries lifesaving station on the Pacific coast was established at Bamfield in 1907.
It was the first lifesaving station on Canada's Pacific Coast.
In 1953 the cable was extended up the Alberni Inlet to Port Alberni and the local station was closed on June 20, 1959. Following the closure, only the large concrete building, two cable storage tanks and an adjacent building survived, as all the rest were demolished.
Commercial fishing was based in Bamfield up to the mid-1980s. Bamfield is now home to several sport fishing lodges, which pursue primarily salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and halibut
Halibut
Halibut is a flatfish, genus Hippoglossus, from the family of the right-eye flounders . Other flatfish are also called halibut. The name is derived from haly and butt , for its popularity on Catholic holy days...
. Bamfield is also the northern terminus of the West Coast Trail
West Coast Trail
The West Coast Trail is a long backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of survivors of shipwrecks along the coast, part of the treacherous Graveyard of the Pacific...
, a hiking trail built in 1907 along the west coast of Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
to help survivors of the area's many shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
s find their way back to civilization. The trail runs 77 km (47.8 mi) kilometres along extremely rugged terrain.
Today Bamfield is primarily a tourist destination, either for the West Coast Trail
West Coast Trail
The West Coast Trail is a long backpacking trail following the southwestern edge of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It was built in 1907 to facilitate the rescue of survivors of shipwrecks along the coast, part of the treacherous Graveyard of the Pacific...
, ocean kayaking
Sea kayak
A sea kayak or touring kayak is a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck...
or sport fishing. Bamfield also receives many university students who attend semesters at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre is a marine research station established in 1972, located in Bamfield, British Columbia and run by the University of Victoria, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary...
.
External links
- Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre previously Bamfield Marine Station
- Bamfield Chamber of Commerce
- Community Portal