Stories by author "Josh Van Veldhuizen": 4
Stories
Buried Thousands of Miles from Home – The Royal Marines of Garrison Bay’s greatest enemy? The sea.
Along the mile trail to Young Hill lies a solemn clearing with five gravestones. The white picket fence enclosing the area marks the cemetery for the English camp. Buried in the confined area are six men, one civilian and five Royal Marines, who…
The Royal Marines of Garrison Bay – The sun never set on the British Empire, thanks in part to the Royal Marines of Garrison Bay.
Following their victories in the Opium Wars of East Asia, some Royal Marine veterans of the Second Opium War came here to Garrison Bay. They agreed to extend their service for extra pay. Earlier, conflicts between British and American settlers on…
Veggies and Flowers, the Garden at Garrison Bay – One of the first developments of the camp at Garrison Bay was a garden.
Early photos of the initial Royal Marine encampment at Garrison Bay suggest a life devoid of most conveniences. Crude tents, overgrown foliage, and dense surrounding forests defined the early camp. But for all the challenges facing the Marines as…
Burning the Forest – Native Americans shaped their environment through fire
Evidence suggests that the Coast Salish peoples of San Juan Island took an active part in managing and modifying the ecosystem they lived in. This included controlled forest burnings, where the dense forests of the island were purposefully set on…