Rath

Share:

William Rath, travelling with his brother George, arrived from Ireland looking for gold in California but ended up in Barkerville. On hiatus from the gold searching, they landed a canoe east of the Englishman estuary in 1858. William and his wife Elizabeth Rath (Talbot) had five children with daughter May Rath being recognized as the first white baby born in this new settlement.

The Rath farm gradually developed into a campsite costing .25 for a picnic and .50 for a weekend camping stay. In 1968, Rathtrevor Campsite became Rathtrevor Provincial Park. The Rath farmhouse, built in the 1930’s, is open to the public and is now known as the Nature House. See p. 27 Parksville & then some by Marjorie Leffler

Tags:

More Stories

Despard

Despard

A successful jockey in Ireland until he broke both wrists falling off horses, Ned Despard, took up a homestead on Errington Road naming it “Woodsgift” and later opened up his home as a hobby craft exhibit. Page 62 Parksville & then some by Marjorie Leffler details...

Gough

Gough

For over a hundred years, regularly on November 27th at 11am,  the Gough family descendents of Parksville and Nanaimo attended a ceremony commemorating the arrival of the Princess Royal (in 1853, seventy-five people travelled on this ship from Tillbury, England...

Nash

Nash

Charles Nash knew a good thing when he saw it; when he heard 38 acres with 450 feet of waterfront could be purchased for $800, he bought it. “Seabright’ as it was then and is now known became a showplace. Huge chestnut trees shaded expansive lawns and colorful...

Renz

Renz

Otto Renz, born in Nebraska’s Otoe County (hence, the name Otto) came with his family in 1885 to their new home on what is now known as Church Road. Both Otto and his father, who were Catholics, helped build St. Anne’s Anglican Church. Otto was particularly proud of...

read more
Kingsley

Kingsley

It’s true! That transport truck driving along the inland highway is owned by Kingsley Trucking but go back to 1893 when Jim Kingsley was born in Victoria – that’s where the story begins. Jim’s dad, Jack meets Mary Mills, marries, has children but Jack goes north for...

read more

1245 East Island Highway
Parksville, BC V9P 2E5

Phone: 250-248-6966
Email Us
View Map

The Parksville Museum is located on the unceded, traditional, & ancestral lands of the Coast Salish, Hul’q’umi’num’ speaking people including the Snaw-naw-as and Snuneymuxw people.

Admissions

By Donation

Your generous donation helps to make the Museum a vibrant part of our community and allows us to continue offering family-friendly events, programming and exhibits.

 

Hours

Heritage Buildings are now closed for the 2022 season.

The grounds are always open to enjoy.

Join & Support

On At the Museum