The Doukhobor Discovery Centre is pleased to announce that their petitioning for two historical designations has now been successfully concluded. Larry Ewashen, Curator, has been working on this initiative for several years. In a letter dated Jan 28, Federal Minister John Baird, wrote in part:
Dear Mr. Ewashen, I am pleased to advise you that I recently designated Peter Vasilevich Verigin as a person of National Historic Significance and the Migration of the Doukhobors to British Columbia as a National Historic Event. When it met in July, 2007, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada considered the National Historic Significance of Peter Vasilevich Verigin and the Migration of the Doukhobors to British Columbia and recommended their designation. . . . Sincerely, John
Baird, P.C., M.P. |
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2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the Doukhobor move to BC and both of these designations are particularly timely in view of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre's special commemoration of this anniversary. Masterminded by Peter Verigin, the Doukhobor migration to the Castlegar area provided the primary founding settlers of this region. It is an important historical fact that in 1908 when the Doukhobor migration began, the population of this area was about 400 souls. By 1913, 5000 Doukhobors had arrived; developing basic agriculture, orchards, lumber mills, irrigation projects, brick yards, roads, bridges, apiaries and the construction of over 90 communal villages in the West Kootenay and Boundary regions. Left: Peter V. 'Lordly' Verigin photo taken early 1890s - from the Discovery Centre archives. |
Through diligent frugality the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood owned over 14,000 acres in the Kootenays by 1916, and was incorporated as a limited company with $1,000,000 capital. This was an amazing accomplishment for a group who had arrived penniless and in debt a few years before. By 1938 when the CCUB was forced into bankruptcy with the BC government seizing all holdings, it was the largest communal enterprise in North America, comprising over 70,000 acres of land in the three western provinces and operating industry valued at over $11,000,000. |
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These designations bring timely and deserved recognition and honour to these Doukhobor pioneers and the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, which is located on original land purchased by Peter V. Verigin.
It is hoped that the next important historical designation of this area will be the declaration of the Doukhobor Discovery Centre site itself as a historic site.
The Doukhobor Discovery Centre expresses profound appreciation for the many individuals and organizations that have assisted with this procedure.