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...a glimpse into life on Vancouver Island, needle felting, photography, food, gardening, etcetera...etcetera
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Distillery District....


File:GooderhamAndWorts1800s.jpgOnce upon a time there was a place which was the largest distillery in the whole world.
It produced millions of gallons of whiskey which was shipped abroad.
This was in 1860.
Today, it is home to fancy shops, cafe's, pubs, offices and condos.
It became derilect in the late 1980's, and many of the surrounding buildings were demolished or left in ruin.
Then, along came some smart developer who has saved and revived many of the original structures.
I spent the day wandering, as usual, coming across that kind of history of a place that feeds my soul.
Here's one of the millstones used to grind the grain.
The top of the Cooperage building where the barrels were made.
This neighborhood was next to...
Corktown, where many of the Irish immigrants lived who worked at the distillery. 
(thought Paudie would get a kick out of this one over at endofera! )
A flower shop which used to hold massive tanks of whiskey...
The Stonehouse distillery now houses lawyers and such in posh offices.
One of the original 100 ft smokestacks still in tact...
They have preserved some of the original brick on pavement and storefronts...
So there you have it...a little bit of whiskey history!

3 comments:

myletterstoemily said...

i just love it when boutiques inhabit
old factories and businesses. such
an historic feel to the place.

thank you for the fun whiskey, i mean,
history lesson!

Sherry O'Keefe said...

i've been quietly enjoying your blog, but this time i had to leave a comment. truly enjoyed the tour~it fed my soul, too.

sherry o'keefe
http://www.toomuchaugustnotenoughsnow.blogspot.com

farmlady said...

I really need to go visit the eastern part of Canada. This looks like Europe to me. I love old buildings and your photos are wonderful.
Here in America we are in the habit of tearing down these old buildings and building bigger ones. What a loss this is. I'm glad that Canada doesn't do this.