The Butchart Gardens is located at Tod Inlet. That stems directly from the Vancouver Portland Cement Company, which set up a limestone quarrying and cement factory operation at Tod Inlet in 1904.

Robert Butchart was the Managing Director, and shareholder, in the Vancouver Portland Cement Company.

Here is a map showing the location of Tod Inlet:


Here are some site with more information about Tod Inlet:

The earliest map of Tod Inlet is an 1859 cadastral map now part of the B.C. Public Archives collection:

Portion of 1859 cadastral map showing Tod Inlet and the land that is now Butchart Gardens (BC Archives)
Portion of 1859 cadastral map showing Tod Inlet and the land that is now Butchart Gardens (BC Archives)

Here are some photographs of the Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant as seen from Tod Inlet:

BC Ministry of Mines photo of the Vancouver Portland cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1904. Note the aboriginal canoe on the wharf. (BC Archives photo I-56386)
BC Ministry of Mines photo of the Vancouver Portland cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1904. Note the aboriginal canoe on the wharf. (BC Archives photo I-56386)
The Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1904 (BC Archives photo G-08188)
The Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1904 (BC Archives photo G-08188)
The CPR steamer Charmer at the Vancouver Portland Cement Company wharf, Tod Inlet, circa 1908 (BC Archives photo A-00024)
The CPR steamer Charmer at the Vancouver Portland Cement Company wharf, Tod Inlet, circa 1908 (BC Archives photo A-00024)
Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1910 (BC Archives photo G-06193)
Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1910 (BC Archives photo G-06193)
Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1910 (BC Archives photo G-6194)
Vancouver Portland Cement Company plant at Tod Inlet, circa 1910 (BC Archives photo G-06194)

 

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