Victoria Heritage Foundation

06/05/2026

The summer schedule for public tours of Government House returns this weekend! Starting on June 6, public tours will now run every Saturday into September.

Tours give a look into the residence of the Lieutenant Governor and the ceremonial home of all British Columbians, covering history, points of interest, and art and architecture. Tours are free but space is limited, and visitors must register in advance.

Pre-registration is required – register and select a date and time here, up to two weeks ahead: https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/government-house-49152051653

06/04/2026

🏠Now & Then: 151 Oswego Street (Built 1884 - 85)

One of James Bay’s most charming heritage homes has been watching over the corner of Oswego and Simcoe Streets for more than 140 years.

Built in 1884 - 85 by carpenter **William Francis Patton** for himself and his wife Martha, this picturesque cottage is one of the oldest surviving houses in the neighbourhood. Its distinctive Italianate design features ornate arched bargeboards, decorative finials, a welcoming front porch, and an unusual triangular bay window that still catches the eye today.

The house has witnessed generations of Victorians pass through its doors. Among its residents were government officials, merchants, engineers, physicians, and even **Lathom Blacker Hamlin**, a civil engineer who later joined the Klondike Gold Rush and tragically perished in the Yukon in 1898. Over the decades, the home also served as a revenue property for prominent public servant **John Graham**, who was appointed to Vancouver Island's Treasury Department by Governor James Douglas.

The historic photograph, taken in the 1950s, shows the house surrounded by a simple picket fence and open landscaping. Today, the beautifully maintained property remains a landmark at this prominent James Bay intersection, demonstrating how Victoria's heritage homes can continue to thrive while adapting to modern city life.

From horse - drawn carriages to bicycles, automobiles, and pedestrians, 151 Oswego Street has quietly witnessed the transformation of Victoria for nearly a century and a half.

📸 Then: City of Victoria Archives, Madge Hamilton Collection (1950s)
📸 Now: 2026

06/02/2026

Ahhh, summertime at Craigflower Manor. The water glistens as the wind rustles fresh leaves and the air is sweet. For your tour booking please email [email protected]. We look forward to your visit.

06/02/2026

🏛️ Join us for the 2026 Hallmark Heritage Society Awards Night!

Celebrate the people, projects, and places helping to preserve Greater Victoria’s architectural heritage at the beautiful Wentworth Villa Architectural Heritage Museum.

📅 Tuesday, June 9, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 1156 Fort Street
🎤 MC: Pamela Madoff

Come early to mingle with fellow heritage enthusiasts and explore the museum exhibits before we applaud this year’s award winners. Light refreshments will be served following the ceremony.

Admission is free for Hallmark Heritage Society members.
Non-members: $5
Or become a member for $25 and attend all meetings free throughout the year!

There is no reserved seating.

🎟️ Reserve your spot here:
https://hallmarkheritagesociety.ca/event-form/

📧 For inquiries only:
[email protected]

We hope to see you there for an evening celebrating the people who help keep Victoria’s heritage alive!

06/01/2026

05/31/2026

Day 31 of Asian Heritage Month closes with one of Victoria’s most recognizable landmarks — the **Gate of Harmonious Interest** at the entrance to Chinatown. 🏮🇨🇦

Completed in 1981 as part of the revitalization of Canada’s oldest Chinatown, the gate was created through a partnership between the City of Victoria and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. Its two inscriptions — *“To work together with one heart”* and *“To help each other achieve harmony”* — reflect the spirit of cooperation behind its construction.

Standing 38 feet tall, the gate is rich with symbolism and detail, from the hand-carved stone lions gifted by Victoria’s sister city of Suzhou, to the plaques honouring the 61 Chinese Canadians who died serving Canada during the Second World War. Hidden inside the outer red pillars are time capsules that won’t be opened until 2081 and 2096.

This year, the Gate of Harmonious Interest underwent an important restoration to preserve it for future generations. Special thanks to **Heritage Masonry** for their skilled craftsmanship restoring the intricate terra cotta roof tiles and decorative elements that make the gate such an iconic part of Victoria’s skyline. The restoration ensures this symbol of Chinatown will continue welcoming visitors for decades to come.

Thank you for following along during Asian Heritage Month as we explored the buildings, stories, families, and cultural legacy that shaped Victoria’s Chinatown and the wider community. ❤️

05/30/2026

🎶 Pacific Opera Victoria, in collaboration with the , is delighted to welcome Alex Chen back to the Awakening Chinatown Festival on May 31. 🏮

A remarkable baritone, collaborative pianist, and vocal coach, Alex brings a dynamic range of artistry to this special performance, featuring opera and Chinese art song.

Drawing on his diverse musical background, he returns to the balcony of the for what promises to be another unforgettable performance!

05/30/2026

Day 30 of Asian Heritage Month brings us to the historic **Lee Cheong Building** at 533–537 Fisgard Street, in the heart of Victoria’s Chinatown. 🏮🇨🇦

Built in 1901 by Lee Cheong and Lee Woy, this two-storey brick building reflects the growth of Chinatown during the second wave of Chinese merchants who arrived in Victoria in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These smaller family and clan-based businesses helped shape the neighbourhood with grocery stores, laundries, restaurants, medicinal shops, and housing.

Like many Chinatown buildings, the Lee Cheong Building tells a story beyond its street façade. Hidden passageways and interior courtyards connected storefronts to tenement housing and the bustling inner life of Chinatown — a world intentionally shielded from the outside city.

Architecturally, the building still retains many original features, including brick corbelling, segmental-arched windows, second-floor doors, and “cheater” mezzanines in the storefronts. A narrow passageway between the shops still leads to an inner courtyard and rear tenement building.

More than 120 years later, the Lee Cheong Building continues to evolve while remaining an important part of the living history of Canada’s oldest Chinatown.

05/29/2026

THIS SUNDAY!

Sunday, May 31st at 2 pm | Deaths by Mistake

Accidental deaths were a common feature of life in Victoria’s past. By definition, they were unforeseen, violent, unexpected, and unintended. Some resulted from chance or fate, but most involved human error or mistaken judgments. This team tour will feature sometimes gruesome stories of accidental death. Newspaper reports of these deaths, and the ensuing public reaction, offer an unusual window into the daily lives of Victorians and the hazards they encountered on land and sea, at home, on the street, and on the job. Some of these hazards seem familiar, and some we could never have imagined!

This tour takes place at Ross Bay Cemetery, beginning at 2 pm. We meet at the entrance gate on Fairfield Road at Stannard Avenue. Cost is $2 for OCS members or $5 for non-members; cash or e-transfer accepted.

Image item M07653 (Pacific Transfer Company, the site of one of the accidents that will be explored on this tour), courtesy of Victoria City Archives .