Down here at the
Museum, we have been practicing our time travel and trying to imagine
what it would have been like for George Gibson and his sons to be out on
the water of Georgia Strait, cruising through the waves on their
eventual way to find their new home on the coast. I hope that the wind
wasn't howling like it is right now!
George and Charlotte Gibson Day is the
SCMA’s annual event commemorating the arrival of the Gibson family to West Howe
Sound in 1886. This year is the 126th anniversary! To celebrate this
historic occasion, we will host an Open House with cake and refreshments, live
music, and a slide show on the history of Gibsons. You will have a chance to
meet some of the living descendants of the Gibsons and other pioneer families,
as well as our new Board of Directors. Come on out to this all-ages event,
support your museum, and learn more about our local history!
Check out this great Big Pacific posting about G and C Day 2012 written by the wonderful Laurie McConnell:
George & Charlotte Gibson Day – 126th Anniversary
So why is Gibsons called ‘Gibsons’ when George and Charlotte were ‘Gibson’? These and other thorny questions continue to puzzle me when I ponder the early non-aboriginal days of the Sunshine Coast. (Have we finally learned not to call white folks the first settlers? I hope so.)
Given the 126 years of history, dating back to 1886, and there’s plenty of room for questions about what life was like for the Gibson family (collectively known as ‘the Gibsons’, perhaps?). The perfect place to get answers is The Sunshine Coast Museum & Archives in Gibsons Landing, and the date is Saturday May 19th from 2pm – 4pm.
Refreshments, live music, and a slideshow on the history of Gibsons will all be on offer. Heck, you can even meet living descendants. This museum is what a community historical resource should be like. Run by younger, historically-engaged people who appreciate the stories and images from hundreds of years before, and know how to present it in the current day so it becomes fresh and interesting all over again to an entirely new generation.
About the Author
Laurie McConnell is a 23 year resident of the Sunshine Coast, who came to the area for a summer internship at a local newspaper, and never left! She has been celebrating the Sunshine Coast and sharing it with the world since 1997 - over a decade of stories, images, and now, multimedia for you to enjoy.
http://www.bigpacific.com/sunshinecoastmagazine/2012/05/07/george-charlotte-gibson-day-126th-anniversary/
