D'Arcy Island
{{Short description|Canadian island in the Pacific Ocean}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = D'Arcy Island
| image_name = File:D'Arcy Island.jpg
| image_caption = D'Arcy Island from the west
| image_map = File:Gulf Islands map 2.png
| image_map_caption = Gulf Islands, including D'Arcy Island to the south
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| location = British Columbia, Canada
| coordinates = {{Coord|48|33|59|N|123|16|44|W|region:CA_type:isle|display=inline,title}}
| waterbody = Haro Strait
| area_ha = 83
}}
D'Arcy Island is an {{convert|83|ha|acre|adj=on}} island in Haro Strait, south of Sidney Island and east of the Saanich Peninsula (Vancouver Island). It is the southernmost of the Gulf Islands and is part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.
History
The island was used as a leper colony for Chinese immigrants from 1891 to 1924, when the inhabitants were moved to Bentinck Island, closer to Victoria. Ruins of the time's buildings still visible.{{Cite web |title=D'Arcy Island Marine Park |url=https://vancouverisland.com/things-to-do-and-see/parks-and-trails/vancouver-island-bc-islands/darcy-island-marine-park/ |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=VancouverIsland.com: Vancouver Island News, Events, Travel, Accommodation, Adventure, Vacations}}{{Cite web |date=2005-08-11 |title=Gulf Islands National Park Reserve of Canada : D'Arcy Island |url=http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl_e.asp#darcy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221070208/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl_e.asp#darcy |archive-date=2007-02-21 |website=Parks Canada}}{{Cite news |date=August 2, 1893 |year= |title=THE CITY : A visit to the leper colony on Darcey [...] |url=https://archive.org/details/dailycolonist18930802uvic/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater&q=leper |access-date=2024-12-13 |work=The Victoria Daily Colonist |page=5 |publication-place=Victoria, British Columbia |volume=LXX |issue=45}}{{Cite web |last=Bondoreff |first=Andrei |date=21 June 2009 |title=Victoria banished Chinese lepers to island colony |url=http://www.timescolonist.com/life/victoria-banished-chinese-lepers-to-island-colony-1.7584 |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=Victoria Times Colonist |publisher=Glacier Media Group}}
File:D'Arcy Lepers 1.jpg on D'Arcy Island in the 1890s]]
D'Arcy Island's proximity to the border with the United States was exploited by American bootlegger Roy Olmstead in the smuggling of Canadian liquor, primarily whisky, to Washington State.{{cite video |url=https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/watch-video/#id=2082733861 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412043348/http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/watch-video/#id%3D2082733861 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 12, 2011 |title=Prohibition; Episode 2: A Nation of Scofflaws; Good Bootlegger |date=October 2011 |last=Burns |first=Ken |last2=Novick |first2=Lynn |type=Video |publisher=PBS |isbn=978-1-60883-430-3 |oclc=738476083}}{{Time needed|date=December 2024}} His operation would transport the liquor from Victoria, British Columbia, to islands in Haro Strait, including D'Arcy, for later pickup by smaller craft that would move the contraband during rough weather, making it more difficult for the Coast Guard to detect them.{{cite web |author=McClary |first=Daryl C. |date=November 13, 2002 |title=Olmstead, Roy (1886–1966) — King of King County Bootleggers |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/4015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209054338/http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?displaypage=output.cfm&file_id=4015 |archive-date=2008-12-09 |accessdate=2024-12-13 |website=HistoryLink: The Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History |series= |publisher= |department=HistoryLink.org Essay 4015}}
D'Arcy was declared a marine park in 1961 and included as part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve in 2003.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024|reason=This statement was added in the original revision of this article on 2007 February 3 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=D%27Arcy_Island&oldid=105255897). A citation to http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl.aspx#a6 was added on 2011 March 10 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=418162782&oldid=327564917&title=D%27Arcy_Island). This statement is not supported by archives of this page across its various URLs in both English and French and from both before and after that date: https://web.archive.org/web/20121008233621/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl.aspx#a6, https://web.archive.org/web/20110605075257/http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl.aspx#a6, https://web.archive.org/web/20121020072904/http://www.pc.gc.ca/fra/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl.aspx#a6, https://web.archive.org/web/20060218204609/http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl_e.asp#darcy, https://web.archive.org/web/20060526203347/http://www.pc.gc.ca:80/pn-np/bc/gulf/carte-map-nfl_f.asp#darcy}}
Access
D'Arcy is accessible by private watercraft only.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}
Camping
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve offers seven marine-accessible backcountry campsites on D'Arcy. Facilities are limited to pit toilets and picnic tables. There is no drinking water available, and no campfires are permitted.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf Gulf Islands National Park Reserve]
- {{cite news|url=http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Tales+from+Vault+lepers+Arcy+Island/7496097/story.html|title=Tales from the Vault: The lepers of D'Arcy Island|last=Ruttan|first=Stephen|date=November 4, 2012|work=Times Colonist|page=C4|accessdate=November 6, 2012|archive-date=November 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106094207/http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Tales+from+Vault+lepers+Arcy+Island/7496097/story.html|url-status=dead}}
{{GulfIslands}}
Category:Islands of the Gulf Islands
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