Welcome to the Whaletown General Store, Cortes Island, British Columbia, Canada

Whaletown General Store, Cortes Island, B.C.

Cortes Island lies between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia.
Whaletown General Store is on the West side of Cortes Island. The store started off it’s life as a trading post by Nick and Mary Thompson, and the store was originally across the bay from where the post office is located. Then it was moved to its present position, it is believed around 1927. Since 1927 the store has been owned by 5 or 6 different people. The present owner is George Frost who bought the store and car park where the post office and library are located in 1989.

The rock gardens at Whaletown dock were built by Velma and Gary Bergman (year unknown), and are at the head of the Government dock. The shed adjoined to the garden is at least 56 years old. The garden is admired by the locals and tourist alike and are shown in several boating guides.

Whaletown General Store 1952, Judy Anderson reading notices. Granddaughter of J. Olson who resided in the Gorge Harbour during the 1930's and 1940's

St. John, The Baptist, Whaletown.
Summer 1952

Gov't Float, Whaletown, Summer 1952

Home of J. Olson, Gorge Harbour.
Situated West of the Gov't Wharf, not too far from the end of the Gorge. Summer 1952

*note outhouse on left

Peter Police, long time resident of the Gorge Harbour. Summer 1952

Summer 1952
Mrs Saunder's horse (I believe)

The History of the Island

Cortes Island was originally part of the territory of the Coast Salish people. This Salish population was decimated by war with the Kwakiutl and the 1862 smallpox epidemic. The village at Squirrel Cove was established in the 1890’s and it became home to Klahoose Salish from Toba Inlet. The rolling hills at Smelt Bay, the pictograph in the Gorge and the petroglyph near Paukeanum are reminders of first nations history.

In 1792 British ships under Captain George Vancouver and Spanish ships under commander Valdes were charting the area.
The names Cortes, Sutil, Hernando, Marina, Ulloa, all reflect this period of exploration.
From 1869 to 1870 a whaling station operated at what is now Whaletown. The company left when the whales became scarce.

In 1886 Michael Manson settled at Clytosin (now Manson’s Landing) and established a trading post. The early white settlers were loggers, farmers, and fisherman. In 1892 the union steamship began a weekly service to Cortes. In 1910 a telephone line was established. In 1969 the ferry “Cortes Queen” began service from Quadra Island to Cortes Island. In 1970 electric power by submarine cable was supplied to the 450 residents.