Queens Bay

Queens Bay is an unincorporated community in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The former steamboat landing is on the west shore of Kootenay Lake. The locality, off Highway 31, is about 38 kilometres (24 mi) northeast of Nelson.[1]

Queens Bay
Queens Bay
Location of Queens Bay in British Columbia
Coordinates: 49°39′00″N 116°56′00″W
Country Canada
Province British Columbia
RegionWest Kootenay
Regional districtCentral Kootenay
Area code(s)250, 778, 236, & 672
Highway Hwy 31

Early settlers

The settlement was named after the bay,[2] which honoured Queen Victoria. The name appears in the 1880s for the bay, but the establishment of the community was likely around 1900.[3] About 1909, the Eighth Baron of Belrath, Ireland, Lord Aylmer, and his wife, migrated from Ottawa with their five adult children. The family, like many contemporary settlers, had dreams of establishing a commercial orchard.[4]

Church

Originally named All Hallows, St. Francis-in-the-Woods opened in 1915. Although electricity arrived in 1938, a stove continued to provide heating for decades. The bell tower/steeple was added in 1971, as a memorial to Private Thomas C. Ough. Dwindling attendance led to deconsecration of the Anglican church in 1994. Soon after, the building was bought for $1 to be a community hall. During 1999, extensive renovations included rewiring and replacing rotting timbers.[5] Artist Thomas Kinkade composed a painting of the church. In 2012, the bulk of Christmas Miracle, a low-budget production, was filmed inside the building.[6]

Present community

The upper portion of the neighbourhood is often referred to as the Queens Bay townsite.[3] These properties serve as weekend retreats or as a bedroom community for Nelson.


See also

References
  1. "Queens Bay (community)". BC Geographical Names.
  2. "Queens Bay (bay)". BC Geographical Names.
  3. "Nelson Star, 28 Aug 2016". www.nelsonstar.com.
  4. "Nelson's Cemetery: Aylmer, Sir Matthew Lord". www.kootenay-lake.ca.
  5. "St. Francis-in-the-Woods Anglican Church - Queens Bay, BC". www.waymarking.com.
  6. "BC Local News, 17 Dec 2012". www.bclocalnews.com.


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