Vancouver Island

Last Update: 15/OCTOBER/2025

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2025 American Forts Network

NOTE: Vancouver Island was a separate British colony from 1851 until 1866 when it merged with British Columbia.

¤ COAST ARTILLERY DEFENCES, VICTORIA - ESQUIMALT HARBOURS
Fifth Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery Museum
Defending the Coast from CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum
Harbour Defence of Victoria - FORT WIKI

¤ Christopher Point Battery
(1941 - 1944), Christopher Point, south of William Head
Two American-made 8-inch M1888 railway guns dismounted on M1918 barbette carriages were located here, as well as an AA battery. American crews provided technical support only. Battery site still exists, but no public access. Located at the Rocky Point Naval Establishment. The battery employed an independent U.S. system of range finding, using its own plotting room with base-end stations at Church Hill (still extant) and Beechey Head.

To the west at Church Hill was also the Naval Port War signal station (still extant).

¤ Mary Hill Battery
(1939 - 1956), Mary Hill, near William Head
Three 6-inch MK24 guns on MK5 mounts, an observation post, and a searchlight were located here, as well as an AA battery. Two additional searchlights were located on William Head itself. In 1942 new mounts were installed which allowed for greater firing range. Site still exists, but no public access (DND property, CFB Esquimalt).

¤ Albert Head Battery
(1939 - 1956), Albert Head, near Metchosin
Three 9.2-inch MK10 guns on MK6A mounts, and two searchlights, were located here. Two of the guns were transferred from Signal Hill Battery, and the third gun was added in 1944. An AA battery was also here. This site was also used as a lookout post since 1878 for Macaulay Point and other batteries. Site still exists, no public access. Located at the Albert Head Naval Training Centre, CFB Esquimalt.

In 1942 the Victoria-Esquimalt Fortress Command Post was moved from Mary Hill to Triangle Mountain, just north of Albert Head, and was also used as a battery observation post for Albert Head Battery. It was demolished in 2011 when the hill was leveled for a new housing development.

¤ Fort Rodd Hill (National Historic Site)
(1893 - 1956), Fisgard Point, near Esquimalt FORT WIKI
This fortress features underground magazines, a command post, barracks, artillery stores, and three gun batteries: Upper Battery, Lower Battery, and Belmont Battery. The Lower Battery (1895 - 1942) had two 6-inch MK6 guns on MK4 disappearing carriages. Also here is a 6-inch quick-firing naval gun (1923 - 1940). A 40mm AA gun was on the #1 gun position in WWII. The Upper Battery (1895 - 1941) had one 6-inch MK6 gun (still here) on a MK4 disappearing carriage (no longer exists). Belmont Battery (1900 - 1956) is an Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat battery that had two 12-pounder MK1 quick-firing guns. In 1944 both guns were replaced with one twin-barrelled 6-pounder MK1 gun that had a higher rate of fire. It was removed after the war. The 12-pounder gun now on site came from the Royal Canadian School of Artillery, CFB Shilo, Manitoba, on loan to Parks Canada since 1975. The twin 6-pounder gun now on site originally came from South Bar Battery (1943 - 1954) in Sydney, Nova Scotia. A rangefinder tower is also located at Belmont Battery. Another 40mm AA gun was also located in the fort in WWII. The WWII Fortress plotting room and two searchlight positions (#1 and #7) are here. The Fortress Observation Posts associated with the plotting room were located at Church Hill (Smythe Head), Mary Hill (William Head), Albert Head, Triangle Mountain, Signal Hill, Gonzales Hill (Walbran Park in Oak Bay), and at Mount Tolmie. Only the FOP at Gonzales Hill is still extant. A unique feature of Fort Rodd Hill is evident with the rear-facing concrete walls with rifle-slits at both the Upper and Lower Batteries. A harbour boom defence and an anti-submarine net were located here between Fisgard Point and Duntze Head in WWII. Admission fee. The Fisgard Lighthouse was built in 1859, making it the first permanent lighthouse on the Canadian Pacific coast.

¤ Duntze Head Battery
(1893 - 1945), Duntze Head, Esquimalt
Two 12-pounder quick-firing guns and two searchlights were located here from 1893 - 1938. In 1939 they were replaced with one 6-pounder twin quick-firing gun and one searchlight. A 75mm gun was temporarily here before the 6-pounder was emplaced. The harbor mine command was here 1900 - 1905. No public access except by guided tour of base.

¤ Black Rock Battery
(1893 - 1956), Esquimalt
Two 12-pounder quick-firing MK1 AMTB guns were located here. One searchlight was located here in WWII. The guns were transferred to Golf Hill Battery in 1940 but were later replaced. In 1956 the battery became a Naval training battery with two 3-inch gun turrets. Site still exists, but no public access except by guided tour of base.

¤ Brother's Island Battery
(1878 - 1893), Esquimalt
Located here were three rifled muzzle-loading guns, providing part of the first defence for Esquimalt Harbour. No public access. Nearby was a British sailors cemetery prior to 1889.

¤ Signal Hill Battery
(1899 - 1938), Esquimalt
Two 9.2-inch MK10 guns on MK5 mounts and a Fire Command observation post were located here. The guns were transferred to Albert Head Battery. In 1939 - 1945 this was the headquarters of the 5th B.C. Coast Brigade. The battery still exists, but no public access.

¤ Macaulay Point Battery
(Macaulay Point Park)
(1878 - 1956), Esquimalt
Three rifled muzzle-loading guns were located here in 1878 - 1893. They were replaced with three 6-inch MK6 guns on MK4 disappearing carriages, two of which were removed in 1924 and replaced with two 6-inch quick-firing MK2 naval barbette guns. In 1938 the third DC gun and the two naval guns were replaced with two 6-inch MK7 guns on MK2 mounts until 1948. Two AA guns were here in 1942. The battery is still extant, and is now a city park. Two WWII searchlight positions were nearby at Saxe Point and Harrison Point. At Saxe Point, now a public park, the base of the concrete searchlight structure forms the end of a railed lookout at the west side of the park and the interior of the concrete foundation of its small generator building (located to the east of the lookout) is used as a flower bed.

¤ Golf Hill Battery
(1940 - 1944), Esquimalt
Two 12-pounder quick-firing AMTB guns were located here, transferred from Black Rock Battery. A searchlight position (two lights in separate concrete emplacements) was located nearby at McLoughlin Point. The battery still exists, but no public access. The two searchlight emplacements still exist (no public access, but can be viewed at close range from adjacent public land).

¤ Work Point Barracks
(1878 - 1956/present), Esquimalt
The Garrison and Fortress Command Headquarters for the entire harbour defence was located here at Work Point. The site is now the Naval Officer Training Centre for CFB Esquimalt. On display on the grounds of the Barracks area is a WWII-era British MkIII QF 3-inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft gun, once used in the defence of the Victoria - Esquimalt area.

¤ Ogden Point Battery
(1939 - 1943), Victoria
Also known as Ogden Pier Battery. One 6-pounder twin quick-firing AMTB gun was located here, which had replaced an earlier 12-pounder AMTB gun in 1944. This battery was previously emplaced as the Breakwater Battery in 1939.

¤ Victoria Point Battery
(1878 - 1893), Beacon Hill Park, Victoria
Two naval rifled muzzle-loading guns were located here, providing part of the first defence of Victoria Harbour. Two searchlights were located nearby at Holland Point during WWII.

¤ Finlayson Point Battery
(1878 - 1893), Beacon Hill Park, Victoria
Two naval rifled muzzle-loading guns were located here. During WWII two searchlight positions were located at nearby Clover Point.

¤ NOTES: The Esquimalt Naval Base and Dockyard (established in 1855) and its defences were under British control until 1906. A submarine mine field was planted in Esquimalt Harbour from 1900 - 1905. Trial Island was to have a three-gun 7.5-inch battery in WWII, but it was never built. Several batteries of the C.A. Defences of Victoria - Esquimalt were considered part of the joint US - Canadian Harbor Defenses of Juan de Fuca Strait. They were as follows: Christopher Point Battery, Mary Hill Battery, Albert Head Battery, and Macaulay Point Battery.

Special thanks to David Morgan and Robert Zink of the Coast Defense Study Group for providing info on the Coast Artillery Defences of British Columbia.
Also thanks to John Eckersley (CDSG) and Vic Stevenson for updates and corrections.

Esquimalt Post
(1843 - 1862, 1868 - 1883), Esquimalt
Originally the location of the Hudson's Bay Co. docks and transfer warehouses for Fort Victoria. The HBC docks were first opened for servicing the Royal Navy in 1843 and were expanded during the Crimean War in 1855. The Canadian Navy's HMCS Naden was originally the site of four wooden huts built by the HBC to house the Royal Engineers sent to Canada from 1858 to 1862 to survey the international boundary between the colony of B.C. and the United States. After completion of the survey, the huts were handed over to the Royal Navy, along with 10 acres of land (for use as a naval hospital). The Puget Sound Agricultural Company, an HBC subsidiary, began a farm operation in 1868, and also that year a trade store began operations (HBC records cover 1868 to 1876). The British Royal Navy bought one acre for use as a cemetery in 1868, known as "God's Acre". Now the Veterans Cemetery maintained by Veterans Affairs Canada.

Established circa 1850 on the south coast of Vancouver Island, Esquimalt served as a fur warehouse and a supply point for ships that used the harbour, although most fur trade business was conducted at Fort Victoria. In 1868 improvements were made to the buildings and wharf at the post. In 1869 the HBC established a store at Esquimalt, which was managed by William T. Livock, clerk in charge of Esquimalt from 1871-1872. In 1881 the harbour was taken over by the Esquimalt Naval Station, and in 1883 the post was closed.

Songhees Indian Fort
(unknown dates), Victoria
A palisaded Indian village was once located here. No remains.
(info courtesy of Mike Clevan)

There are traces of earthworks located at Weirs (Taylor's) Beach, of First Nations origins, possibly connected with the Songhees fort.

Fort Victoria (National Historic Site)
(1843 - 1864/1920), Victoria FORT WIKI
A Hudson's Bay Co. 100-yard square stockaded post with two octagon blockhouses/bastions, the site of which is at Bastion Square. Originally named Fort Camosun until 1845, then renamed Fort Albert for three months before being renamed again. Became the headquarters of the HBC's Western Department in 1849. Satellite posts included the North Dairy Farm and Upland Farm, both in use until at least 1880. The fort was dismantled in 1864, but HBC operations continued at a new store site in the city (HBC records end in 1920). See also History of the City of Victoria || PHOTO LINK

Fort Victoria was established in 1843 on the southeast corner of Vancouver Island as the general depot for the HBC's Pacific trade. The founding of the post by Chief Factors James Douglas and John McLoughlin marked the end of two decades of indecision regarding the best location for a main depot to service the Pacific Coast. Several locations were considered, including Fort Vancouver, then headquarters of the Columbia District; however, its close proximity to the still-undetermined U.S. boundary line, as well as the dangers and inconvienences associated with crossing the Columbia River Bar led Governor George Simpson to select the more northerly and easily accessible location of southeastern Vancouver Island. Initially, imported goods and operational command came directly from London, as both travel and communication were faster and more frequent than through Red River. Aside from servicing the northwest coast and the Vancouver Island Colony, Fort Victoria also provisioned the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company, as well as the San Francisco (CA) region and the Hawaiian Islands.

In 1849 the headquarters of the Columbia District was transferred from Fort Vancouver to Fort Victoria. In 1853 the Columbia District was separated into the Oregon and Western Departments, with Fort Victoria remaining the headquarters of the Western Department. Fort Victoria was also the headquarters of the Crown Colony of Vancouver Island from 1849 until 1859, when control returned to the Crown. The fort remained the headquarters of the Colony government and James Douglas, now Governor of the Colony, continued to reside there. The city of Victoria was incorporated in 1862, and as a result of urban development, Fort Victoria was demolished in November 1864.

The Puget Sound Agricultural Company, a HBC subsidiary, set up several farms in the area (Craigflower, Viewfield, Constance Cove, and Colwood) between 1850 and 1853. Livestock, grains, and vegetables produced were sent to other HBC posts and communities, including those in Alaska and Hawaii. The company ceased operations by 1934, although by then it had transformed mostly into a land development and management company.

Victoria continued to be the headquarters of the Western Department until its dissolution in 1899, when it was reorganized into the British Columbia District. Through this reorganization, the former Western Department districts of Port Simpson, Cariboo, New Caledonia, and Cassiar became sub-districts of the British Columbia District and reported to the Commissioner's Office through district headquarters at Victoria.

In 1890 the Victoria Saleshop was established, with trade being principally in general wholesale. In 1912 the HBC bought land at the site of the old St. John's Church in Victoria and announced its plans to build a department store on the property. Construction began on the store in 1913; however, World War I delayed its opening until 1921.

The Bay, Downtown Victoria, first opened at 1701 Douglas Street, at Fisgard Street, in 1921. The Hudson's Bay Company purchased the plot of land in 1912 and broke ground the following year, but the onset of the First World War and resulting labour shortage delayed construction and the department store did not open until 19 September 1921. Opening day celebrations included many honoured guests including Lieutenant Governor Walter Cameron Nichol, Premier of British Columbia John Oliver, and other delegates. Built at a cost of $1.5 million, the downtown Victoria store contained 50 departments and employed a staff of approximately 250 people when it opened. The building was six storeys tall with a library on the first floor and a restaurant on the fourth. In 1965 HBC rebranded its department stores, including the downtown Victoria store, as "The Bay." The Victoria store hosted many different public exhibitions throughout its history and celebrated its 80th birthday in 2001.

In September 2002 HBC announced that the store would be relocated to a four-level, 236,000 square foot space in the former Eaton Centre, because the original Douglas Street location had become too far away from the centre of retail activity in Victoria. HBC opened its new downtown Victoria store in what is now known as The Bay Centre on 2 May 2003. As of 2013, this store is still open for business and has been rebranded as "Hudson's Bay," while the original Victoria HBC store building has been converted to an urban living residence.

NOTE: The Hudson's Bay Company went out of business for good in June 2025, after 355 years.

Patricia Bay WWII Defences
(1942 - 1945), North Saanich
Anti-aircraft batteries were located here to protect the military and civilian airfield (Victoria International Airport).

Sooke
(1790 - 1793), Sooke
A Spanish settlement that was abandoned to the British by treaty. It may have been fortified.

Jordan River WWII Defences
(1940's), Jordan River
Two 25-pounder guns were located here in field emplacements. Two additional 25-pounder guns were located to the east at Otter Point.

An RCAF Chain Home Low early warning air defence radar was also located in the vicinity in 1942.

Kiix'in Indian Fort (National Historic Site)
(1800 - 1890), near Bamfield
A palisaded Huu-ay-aht Indian village and stronghold was once located here.

Ucluelet WWII Defences
(1940's), Ucluelet
A two-gun 75mm AMTB battery and an AA battery were located here to protect the military seaplane base.

An RCAF Chain Home Low early warning air defence radar was located nearby at Amphitrite Point in 1942.

Fort Defiance
(1791 - 1792), Tofino
An American fur trade post. Some trace earthen remnants possibly remain (?).

Tofino WWII Defences
(1942 - 1945), Tofino
Anti-aircraft batteries were located here to protect the military air base (present Tofino Airport).

Nearby on Radar Hill, south of town and west of the Tofino Airport, was the site of a WWII RCAF microwave early warning / ground control intercept radar station. Site is accessible by public trail.

Fort San Miguel
(Yuquot National Historic Site)
(1789 - 1795), Friendly Cove, Yuquot
A Spanish six-gun fort and trade post (Santa Cruz de Nutka) located on Hog Island in Nootka Sound built to defend their claim on the Northwest Coast against the Russians and British. British trader John Meares earlier had established a trading post here in 1788. The Spanish arrived in May 1789 and evicted Meares, then captured two British merchant ships in July 1789 (the "Nootka Incident"). After the construction of defences and barracks in April 1790, the 80-man garrison (mostly Mexicans) slowly declined over the few years due to the cold climate and illness. The post was abandoned in March 1795.
See also History of Friendly Cove from Vancouver Island.com

Ferrer Point Radar Station
(1942 - 1945), Nuchatlitz Inlet
An RCAF Chain Home Low early warning air defence radar was located here, on the western edge of Nootka Island at the southern entrance to the inlet.

Nanaimo Bastion
(1853 - 1862), Nanaimo
A Hudson's Bay Co. stockaded post built to serve as a company office, arsenal, and storage facility, and in the event of enemy insurgency, as a safe haven for English and Scottish coal miners and their families. It is the only known Hudsons Bay Company post that focused solely on coal mining rather than fur trading. The post was sold to the Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company in 1862. The blockhouse is well preserved, operated by the Nanaimo District Museum. The town was originally called Colvilletown until 1860. See also HBC Heritage || Canadian Register of Historic Places

HBC presence at Nanaimo was established in 1852, on the east side of Vancouver Island at Nanaimo Harbour for the purpose of establishing a coal mine. In 1853 a bastion was built at Nanaimo as a means of protecting the miners. The main floor of the bastion was used as an office and a store. In October 1853, surveying of land purchased by the HBC at Nanaimo was begun by J.D. Pemberton. The survey was completed in May 1854 and deeds of purchase for the land were prepared. The terms of purchase between the HBC and the local Aboriginal community for the land at Nanaimo were completed in December 1854, and in May 1855 the purchase of the coal field and salt spring at Nanaimo by the HBC was completed. In 1862 the HBC sold its land at Nanaimo to James Nicol of the Vancouver Coal Mining and Land Company.

Yorke Island Battery
(1914, 1938 - 1945), Yorke Island FORT WIKI
Two 4-inch naval guns were temporarily emplaced at Seymour Narrows in 1914. In WWII this was the examination battery for Johnstone Strait, armed with two 6-inch MK7 guns on MK2 mounts (originally from Stanley Park Battery, Vancouver), which had replaced two 4.7-inch quick-firing guns in 1942. The examination gun was a 6-pounder Hotchkiss gun. Two 40mm Bofors AA guns were here 1942 - 1945. Three searchlights were emplaced here. The gun emplacements and searchlight positions still remain. This battery protected the "backdoor" northern approach to Vancouver and Victoria. Located off of the northern shore of Hardwicke Island.
See also Yorke Island Revisited from the Campbell River Museum
May 2010 Blog entry by Catherine Gilbert on Kasha's Corner

Fort Rupert
(1849 - 1852/1867/1883), near Port Hardy FORT WIKI
A Hudson's Bay Co. post built at Beaver Harbour to exploit a local coal seam. Abandoned for Nanaimo in 1852. Operated as a private trade post thereafter until 1867.

Fort Rupert was established in 1849 at the northeast end of Vancouver Island on Beaver Harbour. From 1849 to 1852 Fort Rupert was the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company's commerical coal mining operations on Vancouver Island. From 1852 to 1882 Fort Rupert served as a trading post for fur and salmon. When the HBC withdrew its operations from Fort Rupert in 1883, postmaster Robert Hunt bought the trading post and members of his family continued to run the store until 1968.

¤¤ COAST ARTILLERY DEFENCES, PORT HARDY

¤¤ Port Hardy Battery
(1940's), Port Hardy
An anti-aircraft battery was located here to protect the military air base.

¤¤ Coal Harbour Battery
(1940's), Coal Harbour
A one-gun 75mm AMTB battery and an AA battery were located here to protect the military seaplane base and the "backdoor" to Port Hardy.

Cape Scott Radar Station
(Cape Scott Provincial Park)
(1942 - 1945), Cape Scott
An RCAF Chain Home Low early warning air defence radar was located here. The Cape Scott Lighthouse was built in 1960 (DND property, no public access).

NOTE: Many of the Hudson's Bay Company post descriptions are courtesy of the HBC Archives.

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