Founding British Columbia, August 2, 1858

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

While to Crown Colony of Vancouver Island was created on January 13, 1849, the mainland remained an HBC commercial enterprise until the Gold Rush of 1858 threatened the area with American annexation. On August 2, 1858, the mainland was made a Crown Colony. B.C. had an exciting history for a bit, The Canyon War and Ned McGowans War, but managed to remain British.The colonies remained separate until 1866 when an economic downturn made duplicate administrations impractical.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_British_Columbia_(1858%E2%80%931866)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Vancouver_Island

Everybody else has an August holiday "just because its the middle of summer" but we have something to celebrate.