A historic book chockfull of leadership minutes before the formation of the District of Vanderhoof has found its way home.
More than a hundred years old, the book was recently donated by Walker Mooney of Vancouver, who found it amongst his father’s possessions.
Mooney’s father, Dr. Alvin Willis Mooney, had practiced in Vanderhoof for 40 years before retiring to Fort St. James, where he had died in August 2007.
“When you read through the contents of the book it appears that whichever party was in power in Victoria for the province, that party in the local regional area also assumed control of that district because this book is from recording meetings usually on a monthly basis from about 1916 to 1919,” Mooney said.
“If you review the book, you’d see that, and it refers to a lot of the old-timers that were around at that time and involved in the party and its allocation of funds for a lot of road improvements through the district out to Sinkut Lake and out towards Prince George.”
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Mooney is uncertain how his father possessed the book and said many people gave him things for safekeeping.
He still comes up to Vanderhoof, where his father’s former medical clinic still stands on Columbia Street West and the Omineca Express is located.
He said he always meant to bring the book with him, and just a few weeks ago, he finally delivered it to Mayor Gerry Thiessen.
“It’s for the community,” Walker said. “It’s no value to me and just something that should be available for people up there to view and see—an anecdote of history.”
On Facebook, Thiessen wrote there was much excitement during the time of the book as plans were being made for the community.
The District of Vanderhoof, geographically located near the centre of B.C., was incorporated in 1926.
“Our history was great, and my hope is we will be back to that excitement soon,” Thiessen said. “This will be in the museum in the future.”
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