One of the attractions in Nanaimo for the visitor is the many historic sites that can be visited and just walking the streets of the city the long history is evident to the visitor in this city that was incorporated in 1874. There are five separate native villages that can be visited, the harbor with the fishing, freighters, tugboats barges and other watercrafts. There are also places where the visitor can take wildlife cruises, kayaking trips or fishing charters.
There are historical buildings like The Miners Cottage, which was built in 1897 in Pipers Park. The Nanaimo Courthouse built in 1896; Earl Block that is brick faced built between 1888 and 1890. The Palace Hotel is another of these historical buildings that was constructed in 1889.
One of the spectacular things that can be seen is the 72 million year old palm tree fossil, which is the largest fossil leaf that has ever been found in Canada. The fossil was discovered in Nanaimo in August of 1996.
When visiting Nanaimo there is the Old City Quarter where there are antique shops, a tour of the historic railway station. There is an outdoor art gallery on Bastion Street and other specialty boutiques that will be found among the old and newer architecture. It is also possible to take tours of the area with a guide that can explain the history of the Old City Quarter to the people taking the tour, including the architecture, the history of the section of the city and important events that have occurred in Nanaimo.
There are potters, weavers and doll makers that are made the way that they have been for centuries, and there is the Tozan wood fired kilns that are one of only three wood fired kilns in the world.
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