A brothel and Prince George City Hall once had something in common, but that changed quickly once word got about about a certain building's history.
That fact and many others with a lively twist are all part of the information shared with residents of Prince George and tourists when the Prince George Public Library once again offers its hour-long free downtown walking tour, starting today at 1 p.m. There is also a seated, online tour available at the library.
Diandra Norburn, a bachelor of health sciences grad from UNBC, is the tour guide and heritage project assistant at the library this summer. The seated tour is offered on rainy days or to anyone unable to walk the tour themselves, due to mobility issues.
"I didn't know a whole lot about Prince George's history when I first started, " said Norburn. "I knew some things that I learned at Exploration Place about forestry and trains but I didn't know the history of the downtown area. There were lots of things that surprised me, especially City Hall's history and stories about the Alexander Hotel really surprised me, too. I found it really interesting when the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire were here and the owner of the hotel went to the police chief to get illegal alcohol to impress the royal couple by making mint juleps, which was the Duke's favourite drink."
Deep in the history of the City Hall being the same place where a brothel had once been is the tale of a set up.
The mayor was proudly going to unveil a plaque to commemorate a special occasion and as he lifted the covering there was a picture of a pin-up girl covering the plaque. The shock on the mayor's face was captured forever by the photographer quickly snapping a picture. The prankster was the photographer himself, who was promptly fired from his position at the local newspaper, despite the fact the photo was still published.
From the library, the tour goes to City Hall, down George Street, turns left on Third Avenue to Brunswick Street, another left to Fifth Avenue to Quebec Street, down to Fourth Avenue where the tours goes to Dominion Street, up to Sixth and back to Civic Plaza, explained Norburn.
The Prince George Heritage Commission and the library have partnered to create a new brochure for the walking tours and it's available at the library.
"I think a history of a city really impacts its future and its present and so it's important to understand and celebrate the rich history that Prince George has," said Norburn. "And for the community to know that as well as tourists. The focus of the tour really is the stories of the people who have shaped Prince George into what it is today."
People are welcome to drop in for the tour or call ahead. Tours are available Mondays at 11 a.m., Wednesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m. On rainy days the seated tour will be offered.
To book a private tour or for more information call 563-9251 or check out the library's website at www.lib.pg.bc.ca.
