New displays, plenty of upcoming events at BC Interior Forestry Museum
Above: This 1950s era Caterpillar Tractor was donated by Lorne W. Camozzi Co. Limited of Revelstoke and is on display at the BC Interior Forestry Museum. Left: This head saw was used during the 1950s at the W. & S. Sawmill which was located south of Revelstoke at 12 Mile. The blade has a 54-inch circumference and spun at 600 rpm (equivalent to about 200 km/h). It was purchased by Walter and Steve Kozek from the Simonds Canada Saw Co. of Vancouver for $350 in 1955. Both are on display at the BC Interior Forestry Museum.
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Updated: June 30, 2009 9:19 AM
Since its inception in 1999, the BC Interior Forestry Museum has become an important cultural destination for locals and tourists alike, playing a key role in the preservation of our forestry heritage. Opening its doors for a tenth season in May, this year’s highlights include fun family events, new exhibits and a quirky new range of gift shop items.
Timber Days festivities kick off at the museum on Saturday, July 4 with an old-fashioned Loggers’ Breakfast from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.. Guests will be treated to a hearty breakfast of flapjacks, eggs, sausages, bacon and biscuits and live musical entertainment from local performer Steve Smith. For those curious about traditional wood-cutting, the museum’s hard working volunteers will be out tie hacking, shake splitting and two-man chain sawing at Centennial Park over the Timber Days weekend. Take some time to chat to the volunteers to find out more about upcoming events or how to become a museum member.
During Homecoming, July 24 to 26, the museum will host an old-fashioned wiener roast, complete with roasted marshmallows and ghost stories around the campfire. Log cabin and wood carving demonstrations and a kids’ tree planting workshop at the museum will also provide plenty of family entertainment over Railway Days from August 14 to 23. At each of this year’s events there will be the opportunity to tour the museum’s fascinating collection, brought to life through the colourful logging stories of the museum’s volunteers.
Two new exhibitions feature this year at the museum: The Story of the Pine Beetle, which opened mid last season, explains the devastating effects this little critter is having on B.C. forests and the upcoming First Foresters exhibit, which will open in July. First Foresters tells the story of how the First Nations people of this region used the forests for shelter, tools, transportation, food and medicine. The care and respect of the First Nations People for their natural surroundings is a story of immense interest and value in these times of environmental concerns.
Situated on three acres of parkland overlooking Revelstoke Dam, the Forestry Museum is a great place to bring the family for a picnic and a stroll through the large collection of antique logging trucks and machinery. The museum is also a fun and educational field trip destination for school kids, where they can learn about the local forest ecology and the importance of sustainability in the Forestry industry.
The BC Forestry Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday until June 28, Monday to Sunday from June 29 to September 7 and Wednesday to Sunday September 8 to October 11. The museum is located at the turn-off to Revelstoke Dam, 3.5 kilometres north of Revelstoke on Highway 23N.
For further information on upcoming events or to organize a museum tour please visit the website: www.bcforestrymuseum.ca or contact Gerry Gardner / Hayley Johnson or phone: (250) 837-8078 or email: info@bcforestrymuseum.ca.
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