| Feature Type: | Locality - A named place or area, generally with a scattered population of 50 or less. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | W side Cortes Island at N end strait of Georgia, Sayward Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 50°05'58"N, 125°03'00"W at the approximate population centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 92K/3 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Whaletown (Settlement) adopted 6 April 1950 on 92/NW. Form of name changed to Whaletown (Post Office & Steamer landing) 6 November 1952 on 92K. Form of name changed to Whaletown (Locality) 15 June 1982 on 92K/3. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Referring to the whaling operation here, 1869-70. James Dawson (1819 - 1875) and Abel Douglass took 8 whales from Saanich Inlet in 1868 - the beginning of the non-native whaling industry in British Columbia. The following year they built a whaling station in this bay on Cortes Island, and by the end of December 1869, 14 whales had been landed and more than 450 barrels of oil had been shipped from Whaletown to Victoria and San Fransisco. In June 1870 the Whaletown operation was moved to what is now called Whaling Station Bay on Hornby Island, the Dawson and Douglass Company subsequently amalgamating with the Lipsett Whaling Company to form the British Columbia Whaling Company. The company was liquidated in December 1871 due to increased competition, and a decrease in the number of whales in the Strait of Georgia. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |