Bastion in Nanaimo - Courtesy of Brawns Photography
Looking over the harbour is the Nanaimo Bastion - They used a French-Canadian construction method called “poteau-sur-sole”. The advantage of this technique was its strength which allowed the use of logs that varied in thickness. The Bastion was originally thirty-six feet in height, octagonal in shape with three floors. The first and second floors are 19 feet across and the third floor is 24.5 feet across. The structure was built without the use of nails. Originally the roof was covered with cedar bark and the structure painted with lime made from clamshells. A June 2, 1853 letter from Joseph McKay to James Douglas states “The Bastion is nearly finished.” Surprise that’s over 150 years ago!
