More about Zuckerberg Island

Geology 

Long ago the Columbia River carved through the Selkirk Mountains forming a major valley. The ice age buried the river and mountain tops with glaciers. As the ice melted into the valley the Columbia River had, at times, many river channels. Zuckerberg Island may have been formed as a lag deposit within this channeling.

 

The island formation and unveiling after the ice age invited rich and diverse vegetation and wildlife communities.

 

Original Inhabitants

This section is under review and revision. 

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Alexander and Alicia Zuckerberg

The attraction of the island drew Alexander Zuckerberg to establish his special island home. Zuckerberg Island remains not only a place of beuaty, but also a legacy to its historical past. Alexander Feodorovitch Zuckerberg was trained as a civil engineer. He taught mathematics in a Russian high school until 1917, then he immigrated to Canada in 1923 with his second wife, Alicia, and son and daughter, Gilbert and Asta. In 1931 he came to Castlegar at the request of Peter Verigin II to teach the Doukhobor children. Shortly afterwards, he settled on the island and began building the Chapel House. He was a Tolstoyan and his lifestyle reflected his admiration for the great Russian writer, humanitarian, and pacifist. Zuckerberg was as unique as his work and was greatly admired to this day, particularly by the Doukhobors. Find out about Alexander Zuckerberg's story here.