The City of Rainbows: A Colourful History of Prince Rupert

by Blair Mirau

Since time immemorial, rain has defined life on Kaien Island, now known as the townsite of Prince Rupert. As the rainiest and cloudiest city in Canada, Prince Rupert is the perfect environment for rainbows—and the rainbow is an apt metaphor for the a symbol of diversity and inclusion, a supernatural gateway between worlds, and a universal sign of hope and calm after a storm. From its original Ts’mysen inhabitants to the first European explorers and fur traders, the building of dozens of salmon canneries to the construction of the transcontinental railway, the global upheaval of two World Wars to decades of industrial boom and bust, Kaien Island, and Prince Rupert, has always been a rich, multicultural trading hub that has weathered countless storms. By weaving together historical events illustrated by compelling archival photographs, The City of Rainbows strives to tell the story of Prince Rupert from a modern perspective, one that confronts the impact of colonization head-on and moves away from a romanticized account of the development of a “pioneer” town. Balancing the histories of Indigenous Peoples, European and Asian settlers, and recent immigrants, this book reveals powerful, intriguing, uncomfortable, and beautiful truths about an undoubtedly colourful city.

256 pages, Paperback

Published April 16, 2024

Reviews

[Shannon Lough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just for Rupertites, this book shares a history that tells a broader story of Canada, the history of trade the began with the First Nations, and all the idiosyncrasies that make remote communities exciting.

Blair Mirau cleverly weaves together the historical narrative of Kaien Island, which includes thousands of years before settlers arrived and branded it Prince Rupert, named after an early investor in the Hudson’s Bay Company. Blair’s retelling has an agenda. He wants to convince the reader that Prince Rupert is literally and metaphorically a City of Rainbows. He convinced me. I don’t have 200 pages to persuade you here, so I tempt you to read his book and visit one day to see the rainbows yourself.

[Nathan Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging, well-written history of Prince Rupert. Mirau's depth of research and nuanced perspectives on this small, yet increasingly influential, coastal city make for an engaging page-turner. Highly recommended for anyone interested in how global trade economics shape the culture and evolution of remote coastal communities!