Stories of the Butler family in Saanichton

The final instalment of the Saanich Pioneer Society’s Talk and Tea spring series is this Sunday, March 22.

The final instalment of the Saanich Pioneer Society’s Talk and Tea spring series is this Sunday (March 22), opening the doors into history and the beginnings of the Butler family.

In 1868, George and Fanny Butler arrived on the Peninsula and settled on 160 acres of preempted land. Nearly 150 years later, Joan Butler Gilbert will tell the stories of their early pioneering experiences and their impact on the area, including how Keating Cross Road was once named Butler’s Cross Road, and the family’s involvement with industrial development and farming.

The afternoon events are a way for locals and those new to the area to hear stories about the families and communities that have made the Peninsula what it is today.

“They’re good stories,” says Susan Myerscough, vice president of the Saanich Pioneer Society. “They’re interesting and they’re diverse. They give you a glimpse into how things used to be here.”

The afternoon begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 22 at the log cabin museum, 7910 Polo Park Crescent (just behind Thrifty Foods).

Admission is $7 for general public, or $5 for members.

The Society’s Talk and Tea series resumes in the fall. For more information, visit saanichpioneersociety.org.

Peninsula News Review