Chemainus – “The Little Town That Did”

Just an hour north of Victoria, B.C. sits Chemainus, known as “The Little Town That Did".  Chemainus  earned its nickname after residents decided to expand their forest industry past into a vibrant tourism-driven future. Through the dreams, imagination and energy of the community, the little town of Chemainus found a new life by putting on a new face. The town transformed itself - capturing and expressing its history, its people and its future – all with murals!

Artists from around the globe were invited to paint huge heritage murals on the sides of buildings, transforming a small coastal mill town into the world's largest outdoor art gallery.  In 1982, the first five murals were created - today there are 41 murals and 13 sculptures, attracting over 400,000 annual visitors to Chemainus.  Paulette was one of those visitors last weekend and she took all of the pictures on this post!

Painted in 1983 by Sandy Clark and Lea Goward, Victoria BC

A native princess contemplates the arrival of the sloop "HMS Reindeer". The ship's commander, Captain A. E. Kennedy, was an acquaintance of Isabel and Thomas George Askew, pioneers of Chemainus and mill owners for many years. The "Reindeer" made regular stops in Chemainus Bay on its rounds of the coast.

Painted in 1983 by David Maclagan

The mural shows the original town of Chemainus, then known as Horseshoe Bay. Passenger cars of the famous Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway (E&N) steam their way across this scene of the settlement at Horseshoe Bay in 1891. The large white house on the far left was the mill manager's residence; the area is now Waterwheel Park. The predominant centre road is present-day Mill Street, with Saint Michael and All Angels Anglican Church, erected in 1891 by Rev. David Holmes, situated on the mid-right.

Painted in 1986 by Alan Wylie, White Rock, BC.

This painting is a montage of historic buildings and events in the area between 1883 and 1939.  On the left are three buildings known as "the Lewisville hotel, store, saloon and barber shop." Established by former Chemainus teacher Samuel Girdlestone Lewis, this enterprise filled a void when the mill-owned Chemainus Hotel stopped serving liquor.

Painted in 1983 by Paul Ygartua, Vancouver, BC

This immense mural is based on figures from the native past and present in this area. Carved poles flank the central images of (left) Ce-who-latza, who was chief of the Lyakun Village on Shingle Point, Valdez Island, as well as a constable of the native police and a native pilot for the Royal Navy; (centre) former Chemainus Band Chief Clay-sa-luke; and (right) a Salish woman.

Painted in 1982 by Frank Lewis and Nancy Lagana, Victoria, B.C.

For the steam donkey and it's crew, hauling a log from the forest was an obstacle course of the worst kind, fighting rocks, gullies and stumps every inch of the way. "Charlie", the line horse waited patiently in the background, ready to pull the 20mm cable to the nearest felled log.

So, if you ever find yourself in Victoria, or anywhere else on Vancouver Island, do yourself a favour and make time to visit Chemainus, you’ll be glad you did.  In addition to the murals, there are dozens of unique shops, arts and crafts, restaurants and galleries that you are sure to have fun at for a morning or an afternoon.