Tofino has a fascinating history
New book records the storied past of West Coast resort townNowadays, people most often come to Long Beach Lodge Resort and Tofino, B.C., seeking sun, surf or storms. But this spectacular corner of the world was once famous for more than the soft sands of Long Beach, surfer and hipster hangouts and luxurious lodges and resorts.
The new book Tofino and Clayoquot Sound: A History, co-authored by Margaret Horsfeld and Ian Kennedy (Harbour Publishing), details the fascinating past that helped shaped the region into what it is today.
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Did you know that the area around Tofino was largely transformed by a large air force base built in response to the Second World War?
Even earlier, the arrival of Spanish, British and American traders left a profound impact on the coast as they aggressively hunted sea otters for their pelts.
Of course, the original locals were the First Nations people – the Hesquiaht, Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht who inhabited the region and enjoyed Tofino’s spectacular weather, beaches and abundance of food.
They traded with the European explorers and businessmen who created a massive seal-fur industry.
Horsfeld and Kennedy’s book provides an extensive detail of the past, covering everything from the establishment of reserves and residential schools to the building of roads that brought tourists and, with them, the counter-culture of the 1960s that helped spawn the environmental movement.
The lens of history reveals much about the people and places that are familiar to locals and tourists visiting Tofino in 2015.
“A place is shaped by its people, and Horsfield and Kennedy highlight notable figures of past and present: the merchants, the missionaries, the sealers and the settlers; the eternally optimistic prospectors; the Japanese fishermen and their families; the hippies; the storm- and whale-watchers; the First Nations elders and leaders,” states a description of the book on the Harbour Publishing website.
The book includes many historic photos and maps that illustrate how much the area has changed and how those changes have shaped Tofino, B.C., a community that’s known around the world today for its spectacular setting and first-class services.
More about the book can be found HERE
