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The History in Sight Archive, Powell River, BC (2026)

10/02/2026

Although this beautiful unused label looks like it came out of Saskatchewan, it carries a clear Vancouver connection—and even a thread back to my home of Powell River. Bloedel, Stewart & Welch began logging here in 1911, while Robertson & Hackett’s sawmills had already been operating since the 1890s, incorporating in 1917.

B, S & W Ltd leased 10,000 acres (4046 ha) of prime timber in Paradise Valley for $100,000, with their 8‑mile railway running to a tidewater terminus and main camp at Myrtle Point. After the 1918 forest fire, they purchased the Straits Lumber Company who operated out of the Duck Lake area with their log-dump at Lang Bay. B,S & W abandoned their Paradise Valley tracks but connected their Myrtle Point camp to the 9 miles of Strait’s track. They eventually had over 20 miles of track, 40 log cars, and 5 camps.

By 1927 Bloedel, Stewart & Welch Limited was marketing Red Band Cedar Shingles, proudly advertised as “Manufactured from Myrtle Point Cedar.” But in 1928 they pulled out of the Powell River region entirely, moving all their equipment to their operations on Vancouver Island.

The “Edgwood” name was introduced by Consolidated Mills of British Columbia in 1928 and seems to have been discontinued by late 1929—giving this label an exceptionally narrow window. I have been unable to determine many details of Reliance Lumber Company Limited’s history, though records show they operated lumber yards in several Saskatchewan towns in the late 1920s.

B, S & W later merged with H.R. MacMillan Export Co. in 1951 to form MacMillan & Bloedel, so even if some details remain fuzzy, this label certainly predates that milestone.

10/01/2026

My mom has a large Medalta collection that I am going through. It surprised me that the only Ogilvies advertising item she has is this 7 inch mixing bowl from Home Cash Grocery in Oliver BC - no creamers or measuring cups. Apparently the bowls were the first of the 7 or 8 different types of pieces done for Ogilvies between 1927 and 1937.

A very neat 100 year old advertising piece from a small BC town, and a business that has long been defunct.

09/30/2026

I've been MIA for awhile. Not enough time to get posts done while I deal with all the personal and family issues the past while.

While going through some old photos I came across, I found this one of me. Likely taken on my 3rd birthday. I was shocked to see the Matchbox Service Station in the foreground. While I recall having all the toys I've been pictured with in other photos, some of which I had throughout my childhood, I do not recall ever having the service station. Perhaps it's not mine and I'm playing at someone else's house, but I still have the tow truck and Heinkel bubble car that are also in the photo.

The service station is a model I'd love to own now, but if you can find one in good condition, they are very pricey. And even though my box would have been trashed, I'd want to own one in the box now, increasing the cost significantly.

09/10/2026

Although I don’t actively collect medicine bottles, I occasionally acquire examples of particular interest if they cross my path. A few years ago, the late Gareth Farfan offered me an amethyst Queen Oval from F.J. Williams of Victoria. More recently, I obtained the larger King Oval from P.B. Willits & Co., Kelowna, but on Vancouver Island.

Research into the druggists revealed relatively modest histories: Palmer Brooks Willits established his pharmacy in 1904, and Frederick Williams opened his around 1909, both having worked for other druggists first. Both operated for many years.

The bottles themselves present more intriguing details. The R.G. Co T base mark identifies Richards Glass Company of Toronto, a firm that produced some medical glassware but primarily acted as a jobber, contracting larger manufacturers, and then distributing to pharmacies. The diamond on the base suggests Dominion Glass as the producer. Whether this diamond corresponds to Dominion’s trademark diamond (introduced in 1928 and undated until 1938) remains uncertain. Willits’ incorporation and subsequent addition of Limited in August 1930 provides a possible—but unconfirmed—context for the actual date of use.

Several related bottle styles existed, including Imperial Oval, Victory Oval, and Princess Oval. These names denoted design features rather than capacity. Multiple manufacturers used them, and only the shape was patented, by T.C. Wheaton Glass Company of Millville, New Jersey in 1903, which only applied in the US of course.

The stylized “3” is actually the apothecary symbol for fluid ounces, with the Roman numeral indicating quantity. Thus, the bottles represent 4 oz and 6 oz.

A notable feature of the 6 oz example is the backward K in “King,” which may represent either a standard embossing practice or a less common variant. If anyone else has one, please feel free to contact me to show me the base of yours.

09/05/2026

A friend gave me a tip about a great deal on little round gem display containers that also happen to be the right size for bottle caps. I was headed to the location where they were and ended up buying a few hundred of them for very little money. The foam insert is a bit too thick, especially for used caps, so needs to be trimmed down, which isn't actually as easy it is sounds.

I had been displaying my caps on little acrylic jewelery display stands. I decided to glue the display containers to the stands, and the end result looks pretty good.

**rcaps

08/31/2026

I stumbled onto another uncommon colour Squirrel peanut butter ad during a recent treasure hunt — similar to the one I picked up last year. The seller, however, wouldn’t part with it unless I bought the Squirrel tin he was bundling it with… even though the ad and the tin weren’t from the same era. I passed.

A couple of days later, I found another one — this time dated April 1920. At first, I figured it was just a newer version of my 1919 example, but I grabbed it anyway. While digging through the seller’s other items, I spotted a December 1919 ad as well. Once I put the two side by side, the differences jumped out immediately.

The line “Packed in artistic, lithographed, air‑tight tins” is the standout. It’s the first time I’ve seen Canada Nut Company explicitly promote the packaging as a selling feature. Almost like they sensed these tins would become collectible a century later.

I had to run out and grab a frame for the new addition, and after about 30 minutes of poking around, I managed to find the exact same style I’ve used for my other ones. Now the next step is to get this 1920 ad framed and figure out where to hang it — ideally right beside its earlier sibling.

However, as I was mounting the 1920 in its frame, I realized that I now actually have 3 variations, as my earlier acquisition is from October 1919 and is different again!!! I've added an image of it here for comparison. Now I'm not sure if I should frame all three or what to do exactly.

08/28/2026

This bottle was a fun find last weekend. It’s the first amber British Columbia Distillery Co. Ltd. example I’ve ever seen in the 1931 patent style. From what I understand they’re not common, and finding one in a cork‑top makes it even more special, since that closure was short‑lived. I compared it to my clear examples, and the closest match is the one shown beside it in the photos—though even that bottle is a different design.

BCDCo patented a number of bottle designs in 1931, including several proprietary forms, the popular “bubble bottle,” and a few in this multi‑shield style. However, I haven’t been able to locate a specific patent for this exact design.

I also haven’t been able to determine exactly what liquor this bottle held. It wasn’t a Canadian rye or a gin, as those were bottled in clear glass, and the ryes carried shield‑shaped labels. Most of BCDCo’s Scotch whiskies used proprietary bottles in the 26 and 40 oz sizes, and their two bourbons (Old Colonel and C**n Hollow) were in proprietary 16 oz bottles. Very few of their brands were offered in a 16 oz size in 1932–34, which is when this bottle would have been used. Caledonia Antique Liqueur Wh**ky was available in this size in 1932, but no other obvious candidates appear. I have seen a 2 oz Sheriff’s Gold Bond Liqueur Wh**ky in amber, so that’s another possibility, though a 16 oz Sheriff’s isn’t listed in advertising or Liquor Control Board price lists. BCDCo’s “half‑bottle” of Rhum Negrita – Old Nick Rum is also a contender. Without a labelled example surfacing, we may never know for sure.

**ky

08/26/2026

Introduced by British Columbia Distillery Co. Limited in June 1923, Caledonia “Antique Liqueur” Wh**ky was a blended Scotch. It first appeared in the standard wh**ky bottle, but by September it was being sold in an embossed green bottle—likely the earliest embossed bottle used by BCDCo. I’ve had an example in my collection for several years, originally obtained from the late Gareth Farfan (Gareth Farfan). It’s a highly collectible piece, sought after by diggers and collectors alike, though not especially valuable.

Over the weekend I was on a short treasure‑hunting trip and spotted what I assumed was a spare. The price was too good to pass up, and knowing its popularity, I grabbed it as a trader. As it turns out, it won’t be a trader at all—it’s actually a variant.

As you’ll see in the photos, my two examples differ in height, lip finish, and shade of green. My original bottle has no maker’s mark and a heavy machine scar, placing it early in production. The new addition carries a Dominion Glass logo, putting it post‑1928. Advertising shows the bottles became screw‑tops in 1934 (though I have never seen it in a screw top), narrowing the window even further. Along with being slightly taller, the newer bottle is also a bit less oval in shape.

Caledonia is not mentioned in advertising after 1940.

**ky

08/13/2026

I picked up this bottle at a thrift store last week, even though it’s not from British Columbia — it’s not even Canadian. But everything I found online suggests it’s a bit collectible, since it’s the 100th‑anniversary commemorative bottle celebrating the famous Route 66 this year.

Route 66 is often called the “Mother Road,” a term coined by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. Over time it picked up other nicknames too: the “Main Street of America” and the “Will Rogers Highway.” Its decline began after 1956, when the Interstate Highway System reshaped long‑distance travel and bypassed many of the towns that once depended on Route 66 traffic. Here in BC, Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon to Cache Creek feels like our closest modern equivalent — a route with history, character, and real landscapes.

This Route 66 Root B**r bottle is a great play on words, and unlike a lot of craft sodas, it uses actual ACL labeling rather than stickers. I’ve always found humour and curiosity in the way Americans pronounce certain words. Some match Canadian pronunciation, and some diverge entirely. “Route” is one of those words — and in this case it’s even more interesting.

From a Canadian perspective, Route 66 has always been pronounced like “root,” as in root b**r. “Rowt 66” wouldn’t have worked for the pun, and honestly it just sounds wrong. Yet most Americans pronounce “route” as “rowt” in other contexts — running routes in football, a paper route, the route you take to get somewhere. But none pronounce Route 66 that way.

The word itself comes from the Old French rute, pronounced “root.” Historically, a designated highway like Route 66 was often pronounced “root,” while a less formal path might be “rowt.” And when used as a verb, Americans almost always use “rowt.”

The specific pronunciation of Route 66 was most likely cemented by the 1946 classic song (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66, written by Bobby Troup. He was from Pennsylvania, where “root” is a common pronunciation for numbered highways.“ Rowt 66,” would sound strange in the song, and you just wouldn’t get the same kicks from Rowt 66 Root B**r.

**r

08/10/2026

I found this old bottle about nine years ago, embedded in a tree root on a steep slope above the ocean. The root had grown right around it, and although I tried to free the bottle, it was clear I’d have to cut a whole section of root to get it out — and that would’ve seriously harmed the tree. So I left it as a little coastal time capsule. I neglected to photograph the entire tree - all I recall it that it was deciduous.

Judging by the style, the bottle is likely late 1940s or early ’50s, which puts the tree at roughly 70+ years old. It sits right at the edge of the beach, where the slope undercuts the roots and exposes whatever history the shoreline decides to reveal.

I’m thinking of paddling back there soon. Last time, the return trip was rough — waves coming over the kayak, my work phone got saltwater‑logged, and the only thing that survived was my little pocket camera in its lone waterproof pouch. I typically pack that camera and leave the phone on shore, to avoid losing or damaging the more valuable phone, but this time I'd brought it along as an emergency contact device.

Perhaps I'll paddle over there this week, and I'll grab a wider shot of the whole tree and see how it’s changed, and provide an update to this post.

The History in Sight Archive

10/02/2026

10/01/2026

09/30/2026

09/10/2026

09/05/2026

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

08/26/2026

08/13/2026

08/10/2026

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