Virtual Exhibitions

2009

A Life in the Woods - Oral Histories from the West Kootenay Forests

Listen to 16 audio interviews and follow along with the transcripts to the memories of sixteen individuals who worked in the forest industry in the West Kootenay during the last century, including forest fire spotters, loggers, truck drivers, and fire fighters. Created from a selection of 16 recorded interviews previously edited for publication in 3 coil-bound volumes by Peter Chapman and Joel Russ for the West Kootenay Forest History Project during the mid-1990’s. Funding for the development of the site was received from the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia. View the exhibit online at http://touchstonesnelson.ca/exhibitions/forest/ .

Sternwheelers of Kootenay Lake

Sternwheelers of Kootenay Lake features images and first hand accounts of the sternwheelers that were once the lifeline for this area. Discover the history of the sternwheelers on Kootenay Lake, survey the historic landings and routes on the Lake and explore the boats through photographs and rare old movies.

This online exhibit was developed in partnership with the Virtual Museum of Canada (virtualmuseum.ca)and local museums and historical societies. Through the archives and collections of the various partner organizations and local collectors, the exhibition is full of images and information on the various aspects of the boats.

2008

The Art of Doukhobor Textiles

Celebrating 100 years of Doukhobor Settlement in British Columbia.

This is the Web component of a physical exhibit which was on display at Touchstones Nelson between November 15, 2008 and January 18, 2009.

2007

Balance of Power: Hydroelectric Development in Southeastern British Columbia

The history of the area has been transformed by development - both on the rivers and along side them. Hydroelectric development in the area involved almost everything around us. The dams are the visible infrastructures, the stories of the people are less visible but their impact is just as strong. The transformation of the landscape over the last 110 years has been dramatic and the choices made have left their impression. Explore the history of the area through images, personal stories, and maps with film, archival photos and a Dynamic Map. View the exhibit.

2006

The Dewdney Trail

The Dewdney Trail was constructed to provide an all-Canadian route to the gold mining regions across southern British Columbia. The trail, constructed between 1860 and 1865, was named after Edgar Dewdney, the engineer in charge of the project who, in all likelihood followed many already established native and game trails. The route, beginning in the west at Hope, meandered 630 km to its eastern terminus at Wildhorse Creek near present-day Fort Steele.

In the exhibition, the route of the Dewdney Trail can be traced with either an interactive map or a virtual flyover. The exhibition was created in partnership with The Virtual Museum of Canada. Research assistance was provided by: Creston and District Museum, Trail Historical Society, Rossland Museum, Boundary Museum, Fort Steele Archives, Canadian Museum of Rail Travel in Cranbrook, Salmo Museum and Kettle River Museum.

2005

The Silver King (flash version or html version)

The discovery of copper and silver rich ore on Toad Mountain in 1886 brought a rush of development that witnessed the establishment of the Silver King Mine and the City of Nelson. With the mine came the need for transportation routes including wagon roads, railroads and steamboats to move the ore. Although the mine and its associated smelter did not survive past the first decade of the 20 th century, their impact on Nelson and the surrounding area continues to this day. A Virtual Museum of Canada, Community Memories Exhibit.