Government Street was named after the colonial administration offices located at Fort Victoria. Government Street is constantly bustling with downtown shoppers and outdoor cafe coffee drinkers. The streets are lined with specialty stores like Ralph Lauren, GAP, Eddie Bauer, Roger's Chocolates, ROOTS, The Cowichan Sweater Store, and Christmas Store, all of which are located in heritage buildings. Vendors are lined up and down Government Street serving up the freshest hot dogs and yummy hot chocolate to go!
Trounce Alley is just north of View Street off Government. It has authentic gas lights that line the narrow pedestrian only area and that are over 125 years old. This alley was named for the Victoria pioneer Thomas Trounce. The store to the left of the entrance, W&J Wilson's, has been there since 1862 (the same year Victoria was incorporated as a city).
Bastion Square is part of the historic "Old Town." The Court House (designed by architect H.O. Tiedeman) was the first concrete building in Victoria. The square is also the home of the Maritime Museum, and the Court House has been revived inside. You can see where the prisoners were brought up from the trap door to be sentenced by the legendary "Hanging Judge" Begbie.
The Law Chambers, designed by Rattenbury (Parliament Buildings), were built at the turn of the century.
Around the corner is the Burnes House, which was originally a hotel in 1882, then a brothel, and later a warehouse. The building was restored in 1967. Also in Bastion Square is the Strousse Warehouse, built in 1885 as a supply center for goldminers. The Board of Trade building was built in 1892 by A.M. Muir.
This is one spooky square at night . . . you can imagine all the ghosts . . . many with a good story to tell!
Ghost Tours
