Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Nelson

Nelson High School may not be the most photogenic looking building but it begins with an N for our ABC Wednesday tour of Burlington....
Located on New Street,
it was built in 1957 and named after Horatio Nelson - he who defeated Napoleon's Navy in 1805. According to an internet article, the school celebrated the 200th anniversary of that victory "with colourful events and staff dressed as characters from the day". it is nice to see that the namesake of the building is recognized and celebrated.

I didn't go inside, but there is a mural of the HMS Victory painted by former teacher Robert Bateman (who is a naturalist more known for his wildlife paintings).

The school is also located in the former village of Port Nelson which was incorporated into the City of Burlington in 1874.










Among the other places named Nelson, there is a Port Nelson United Church, which I include here because they are celebrating their 60th anniversary this year with a special service on May 6th. A nurturing, inclusive community church it was also one of the founders of the local Habitat for Humanity.
another note of trivia, one of the members of the band Walk off the Earth (with a new video!) which was featured here was a student at Nelson

22 comments:

  1. would NOT have pegged that as a school!
    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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    1. this is typical of a lot of schools of that era around here. very bland architecture.

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  2. wE HAVE A TOWN nELSO, AND IT WAS BADLY FLOODED RECENTLY. (SORRY CAP, SOMETHING WRONG WITHTHE KEYBOARD.)

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    1. I hope the flood damage wasn't too severe and can be avoided in future

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  3. That is an unusual building for a school, but they have a colorful sign out front. I like the village sign on the tree.

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    1. it is a rather small innocuous sign. if I didn't pass by it several times a day, I might have missed it entirely.

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  4. I remember going to Nelson when I was a kid with my parents - on our way to camp in the Kootenays. I didn't know Robert Bateman taught there! I actually had the opportunity to meet him at a book signing years ago! Great choice for N week,

    Leslie
    abcw team

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  5. Replies
    1. I know! but even better, imagine having had him as a teacher!

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  6. I know of a town called Nelson (not named after that Nelson) in Lancashire about 30 miles from me but yours seems far more picturesque. Lovely post!

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  7. Would have loved to have seen that mural.

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    1. so would I! but I figured I would not be welcomed as a stranger inside a high school with my camera!

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  8. That looks like a perfectly nice school to go to. It certainly beats the one I went to hands down. Mine was a boring brick building.

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    1. it is actually quite big and has an extension at the back. just no interesting gothic details to make a photographer drool.

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  9. Interesting and I live in Waterloo, where Napoleon lost his battle !
    Gattina
    ABC Team

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  10. Nelson and Wellington must be the most commemorated characters from history, at least in the names of streets, roads and pubs. And now a high school. If only they'd known......

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  11. You learn a lot from ABC Wednesday - thanks.

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  12. i have an uncle named Nelson...he may not be as valiant as Horatio Nelson but he and Napoleon are of the same height.:p

    N is for...

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  13. We have lots of streets named after admirals, but when I think about it no schools.

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