Holberg, BC

1984 – The End of an Era - Assorted Sources

Jim Cordy - One day while I was still living in Holberg, my friends and I saw a small boat coming up the Holberg Inlet. When it tied up to the dock we saw six men in the boat. By their clothes we knew they weren't settlers in the area. These strangers got out of the boat and without a word to anyone as to their destination, they went up the trail from Holberg, then suddenly veered off into the bush, where there wasn't even a trail. They just disappeared. I think they must have had a compass. After some time lapsed, the purpose of their visit was that there were signs of work being done in the high mountains - overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Then domes were seen on the mountains. The settlers here weren't in contact with news of the area, so we just kept wondering what was happening, but we soon found out. Men were clearing the forest where the Station is today. We were told that if we went to Vancouver or some other place, we were to avoid any talk of the happenings in the area. Time went on and the Station was built. After the land was cleared, the PMQ's and a few other buildings were built.

This is an excerpt from an account given by Mr. Jim Cordy, a resident of the Holberg area since 1927. Mr. Cordy was 95 years of age when he related his observations on the establishment and early days of the Station - in 1984. Regretably, Mr. Cordy died in 1984.

Earle Lincoln - Earle Lincoln had a cabin on the old San Josef trail. Lincoln worked at RCAF Station Holberg, became a recluse, was committed to a home in Port Hardy, and died soon after.

Bernt Ronning - Bernt Ronning bought 5 acres of land (see the map above) in 1910 and over the next 50 years, he planted seeds and cuttings of plants from all over the world. Ronning lived nine miles up island from Holberg and he filled acres of his clearing woth flowers, shrubs and trees from around the world. Twin monkey-puzzles guarded his gate. Babmoos, rhododendrons, azalias, flowerings peaches and oriental maples made themselves as much at home in the garden of this young immigrant from Norway as did chrysanthemums, pansies, delphiniums, asters, phlox, roses and a host of other more common species of the plant world. Following major surgery, Bernt Ronning spent his last days in Vancouver. Ronning died in 1963 and the rapidly growing rain forest took over. Ron and Julia Moe eventually purchased the property and have worked towards restoring this heritage site.

A few of the early settlers such as Ronning, Cordy and Lincoln found some productive work at RCAF Station Holberg after many lean years of prospecting, trapping or bush work. Although they moved into the station and enjoyed the comforts of warm barracks and regular meals, they still maintained their tidy homesteads carved out of the surrounding bush.