Curated by Rod Taylor

In different ways, we are all “making our mark” as it were, both in the lives of ourselves and others. Architecture is often one of the more literal examples of this – tangible evidence of the people and circumstances that created it. In Nelson, architecture has long been a prominent feature of our community. From the presettlement structures of the First Nations to the Chako-Mika mall, it is an integral part of our civic identity.

The “Memory Wall”, conversely, makes tangible the other end of the spectrum; some of the smaller but no less vital contributions and connections that are made in our community. Some of our strongest memories are quite small. Similar to architecture, however, they often have a strong connection to the place they happened. Where you got caught out in the rainstorm, rode a bike for the first time, liked to have coffee every morning. By gathering these memories on a map, it makes visible that connection to geography that we share with the buildings around us.

The majority of the images you see here are selected from the Touchstones Nelson archives and represent only a fraction of the well and lesser-known structures of Nelson, and few of the people directly associated with them. If local history or architecture interests you, I would encourage you to visit our Permanent Museum Exhibit on the second floor if you haven’t already, as well as the Shawn Lamb Archives downstairs. Enjoy the exhibit!