Beacon Hill Park in the 1800's

1800's Timeline

1842	The final year of Lekwammen (Songhees) control of the land. These aboriginal people--a sub-group of the Coast Salish--actively shaped the landscape by cultivating camas and other native plants for food. Their land management practices created the open meadows admired by the British.
1843	Fort Victoria was constructed by the Hudson's Bay Company. From the first, white traders and settlers referred to the area now known as Beacon Hill Park as "the park." They grazed cattle and sheep in the park and let their pigs dig up the Lekwammen's camas roots.
1849	The British government granted control of Vancouver Island to the Hudson's Bay Company. In return, Chief Factor James Douglas was directed to divide land for private sale and to designate Public Reserves according to the Wakefield system of colonization. The Park became one of those required reserves.
1850	Douglas "purchased" the entire Victoria region "forever" from the Lekwammen for 371 blankets and a cap.
1852	Douglas purchased about 24 acres of the northeast corner of the Park for himself, adding it to Fairfield Farm, his adjoining property.
1858	The Beacon Hill area was labeled a "Park Reserve" on official maps.
1859	On February 23, 1859, Beacon Hill Park was officially designated a public park. Britain took over control of Vancouver Island from the Hudson's Bay Company
1862	Private purchasers were allowed to keep another eight acres of Park land cut out of the northeast corner and sold to them illegally by the Hudson's Bay Company.
1882	Beacon Hill Park was transferred to the City of Victoria in Trust on February 21, 1882 "to be maintained and preserved...for the use, recreation and enjoyment of the public."
1884	A landmark decision was handed down by Chief Justice Sir Matthew B. Begbie on August 30, 1884. He ruled an Agricultural Hall built in the Park was an improper use under the Trust. The Begbie decision has been a useful precedent ever since in excluding commercial developments and keeping Park land open for public use.
1888	Fountain Lake was constructed by the Park Keeper and his assistant. The first bandstand was built. These improvements were in place before the Blair Plan was used to develop the Park.
1889	A Beacon Hill Park landscape design competition was won by Henry J. Cresswell. His plan was quietly shelved almost immediately in favour of hiring John Blair. Under Blair's direction, Goodacre Lake and the Stone Bridge were constructed. Several roads were built through the Park. Against strong opposition, a road was built up the Hill.
1889	The zoo began in 1889. Deer were among the first animals in the 1889 zoo and a deer was the last zoo manmal to leave the Park in 1990, one hundred years later.