Gabriola Island

GABRIOLA ISLAND  () , 58 sq km, is one of the GULF ISLANDS in GEORGIA STRAIT, opposite NANAIMO. It was visited in 1792 by the Spanish explorers ALCALÁ-GALIANO and VALDÉS, and the name apparently derives from the Spanish word for "seagull." The SNUNEYMUXW (Nanaimo) First Nation had a village here. The earliest settlers were miners from the Nanaimo coalfields (see COAL MINING, VANCOUVER ISLAND) who wanted land to farm. For several decades a...

If you are already registered on KnowBC, login now to get access to the full article.

You may already have access to KnowBC through your school, university or library.

• Schools that subscribe to KnowBC
• Colleges and universities that subscribe to KnowBC
• Public libraries that subscribe to KnowBC

If you do not already have access to KnowBC, you can subscribe.