1859:

Queensborough (the current city of New Westminster) is declared capital of the fledgling colony of British Columbia. The site for the yet-to-be-built city, chosen by Lieutenant Governor Richard Moody, is selected for its “great facilities for communication by water, as well as by future great trunk railways into the interior,” in addition to its distance from the border, and defensible position on the Fraser Riverbank, in case of American attack. However, the name is never favourably received in England, and it is Queen Victoria herself who renames it as “New Westminster”.

It remains the capital of British Columbia until 1866, when the colonies of B.C. and Vancouver Island are united into a single province. There is much debate over the capital city of the new province, and, thanks to some underhanded tactics by Victoria supporters (including shuffling the pages of an opponent’s speech, and destroying his eyeglasses, to prevent him from being able to read), Victoria is chosen.

There is little rejoicing in either city.

Image: View of Hastings Sawmill, as seen from the foot of Gore St, circa 1888. Image courtesy of the Vancouver Archives.