Community Stories Printable Version

1

Harrison River in Harrison Mills, BC
20th Century
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

2

1778
- Captain James Cook travels the Pacific Ocean looking for the Northwest Passage.

1790s
- Fur traders arrive in British Columbia.

1792-1794
- Captain George Vancouver charts the area along the coast of British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

1808
- Simon Fraser and his party sweep by the mouth of the Harrison River in the final stage of their journey to the coast.

1814
- The Harrison River, called "Pinkslitsa" by the local First Nations people, appears on David Thompson's map.

1827
- Between 1827 and 1830 fur traders made attempts to investigate the Harrison waterway in search of beaver populations and transportation routes for the fur brigades. Explorations set out from Fort Kamloops in August 1827 and Fort Langley in 1828.

1828-1829
- Governor Simpson of the Hudson Bay Company officially names the Harrison River after Benjamin Harrison, a Quaker who was deputy governor of the Company from 1835 - 1839.

1847
- The Hudson Bay Company sets up a fish packing industry at the mouth of Harrison River. Though the exact location is unknown, the purpose of the site was to salt salmon for export. A number of local First Nation's people were employed there.

3

Harrison Mills on the Bank of Harrison River
20th Century, Circa 1920
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

4

1858
- Some 30,000 miners moved into an unorganized territory that led to the creation of a new colony on the mainland, which they named British Columbia, in reference to Christopher Columbus. This ended the supremacy of the Hudson Bay Company.

- Gold was discovered in the streams and sandbars of the Fraser River. Thousands of prospectors arrived in Fort Victoria seeking passage to the mainland hoping to enter the interior and strike it rich. The most popular route was the Fraser River which led into the Harrison River and up to Harrison Lake.

- A primitive hotel stood at Harrison Mouth on the 2 1/2 acre Lot 10A during this time. Surrounded by the Scowlitz Indian reserve, it was run by a succession of hotel operators. William Ashwell also built a small store on Lot 10A.

- The Umatilla was the first steamboat to make it up the Fraser River to Yale. In a speech on July 19th, Governor Douglas states that the way to the interior is by way of the Harrison River and that a road is being prepared.

- The Umatilla stern-wheeler made a "trial" trip up Harrison River and Harrison Lake near the end of July with 80 miners onboard.

5

The "Vedder" Boat on the Harrison River beside Kilby General Store
20th Century
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

6

1858-1859
- Harrison Mouth was a fueling stop for the paddle wheelers traveling the Fraser and Harrison Rivers.

- Governor Douglas opened the "Harrison River to Lillooet Trail" as a route to the BC interior.

- December 16th, 1859: The first record of pre-empted land in the Kent Municipality and Harrison valley was owned by John J. Ferguson and Jesse McMillan and was recorded at Port Douglas.

1859
- October 23rd: Governor Douglas named the town site at Harrison Mouth on Lot 10A "Carnarvon," after Lord Carnarvon. The town consisted of one small hotel on an Indian Reserve.

1862
- Work had begun on the Cariboo Trail route through the Fraser Canyon. Although, it was found to be a superior route, the Harrison Lake to Port Douglas-Lillooet route was still the favored trail.

- One of the Donnelly brothers recorded 160 acres of pre-empted land at Harrison Mouth. The future community of Harrison Mills developed around Lot 10A. James Donnelly, the eldest brother, managed the hotel and store and the property was in his brother Paddy's name.

1863
- Henry Bateson, a Liverpool sailor, records a piece of central land on the east bank of Bateson Slough at Lot 481 containing 160 acres in the Harrison Mills area. From this land and much of the surrounding unclaimed land, Bateson harvested and sold wild hay, shipping it by large barges called "scows" up Harrison Lake to Port Douglas where he sold it at $60 per ton.

7

Chilliwack Shingle Mill in the Village of Harrison Mills
20th Century
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

8

1867
- Louis Nunn Agassiz pre-empted 1600 acres of land that now bears his name a few miles east of Harrison Mouth.

1873
- Harrison Mouth, later renamed Harrison Mills, operated as a refueling point for paddle wheelers.

1877
- The British Columbia Guide listed 16 people as residents of Harrison Mouth.

1884
- The first post office was established at Harrison River (Harrison Mouth).

1885
- The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) line was opened and was completed through Harrison Mills to Port Moody. The station at Harrison Mills was the junction for the town of Chilliwack directly across the Fraser River. The railway that linked the Canadian nation from east to west was meant to secure the territory from the Americans.

- The St. Alice Hotel was built at Harrison Hot Springs.

9

Lumber Mill in the Village of Harrison Mills
20th Century, Circa 1920
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

10

1886
- Harrison Hot Springs Hotel neared opening, and the area was being considered for its recreational potential.

1887
- Regular train service began on the CPR.

- The first mail contract between Harrison River and Chilliwack landing was given to J.T. Harrison.

-Joseph Martin and his son Fred pre-empted the land immediately south of the CPR tracks at Harrison Mills and built the Harrison Sawmill Co. This steam powered sawmill operated until 1898.

13

1888
- Thomas Kilby arrived in New Westminster (Sapperton) from Ontario.

1889
- The BC Directory listed Joseph Martin as "Mill Owner, Harrison River".

- Thomas Kilby married Eliza Ann Tompkin (nee Finlay), a widow, on September 13th.

- J. Baker was recorded as the postmaster of Harrison River.

- William and Emma Menton arrived in the Agassiz area and learned of a promising business opportunity at Harrison River.

1890
- Records show that William Menton was the postmaster at Harrison River in May of this year.

- A mining boom reopened interest in the Harrison to Port Douglas-Lillooet route to the Fire Lakes Mines.

- Acton Kilby was born on August 4th, at New Westminster (Sapperton).

1891
- Emma Menton became the legal owner of Lot 10A in Harrison Mills in February of this year.

- The Hotel-Store was built in Harrison Mills and Emma Menton ran both.

- The BC Directory listed the Harrison Saw Mill Co. under Joseph Martin and Son.

1892
- The Martin's made the decision to move their milling operation to the other side of the Harrison River to a site beside the new railway and to build a large new mill. The new mill site was a half-mile away from Lot 10A toward the west. This was a steam-powered mill. The whole community moved westward with it over the next few years.

1894
- William Menton captained a series of boats that plied the trade on Harrison River. The first was "Gypsy" a 50ft. screw tug. Next was the "Willie," and later the "Welcome."

- Harrison River District on the left bank of the Harrison became incorporated as Ward 1 of the Municipality of Kent on September 27th, 1894.

- Activity increased at the site of Lot 10A in Harrison Mills with the CPR station of Cheam becoming the junction for the large agricultural center of Chilliwack. It was the commercial center of the district for the next decade.

14

Chilliwack Shingle Mill in the Village of Harrison Mills
20th Century
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

15

1896
- David Galbraith and his wife Laurie (nee Green) arrived in Harrison River (Harrison Mills) after a brief time in Agassiz. They built a store and boarding house in direct competition with the Menton store and hotel at Lot 10 A.

- By this date the new railway station, now named Harrison River, along with a new water tower, was built at the West End of the district next to the mill. The new station was built on the south side of the tracks, convenient to the river landing.

1898
- James Trethewey purchases the Martin Mill in Harrison Mills with plans to build an entirely new and larger sawmill.

1899
- Emma Menten purchased some land east of the Martin's Mill in November. Speculation is that she may have leased the property and put up a hotel and store well before she made the purchase just as the Galbraith's had done.

1900
- The new Trethewey mill was completed in July and called the Harrison River Mills Timber and Trading Company. It measured 40' x 330' and was built on the site of the old Martin mill.

- John D. Fulbrook and Joseph Innes built the Harrison River Shingle Mill Co. on the other side of the Harrison River below the railway tracks west of the Railway Bridge.

- October: The Department of Education acquired half an acre of land from David Galbraith at the northeast corner of his property in Harrison Mills.

16

Harrison Mills Canadian Pacific Railway Station
20th Century, Circa 1902
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

17

1901
- The Department of Education built the first small school on the half-acre purchased from D. Galbraith the previous year. It was raised about 6 feet to protect against flooding and built to accommodate the influx of mill workers and their families.

- The Harrison River Shingle Mill Company became the Chilliwack Shingle Mill.

1902
- The Harrison River Shingle Mill burned down. By the spring, the Neville Smith organization rebuilt the mill and renamed it the Chilliwack Shingle Mill, equipped with 4 machines and 2 dry kilns. That summer, the Trethewey's bought the Galbraith store and hotel as the company store and boarding house and they hired Thomas Knight of Chilliwack to operate it.

18

T. Kilby Hotel & General Store
20th Century, Circa 1906
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heriatge Society

19

1903
- Early spring, possibly February: Thomas Kilby and his wife Eliza and 12 year old son Acton arrive to take over the management of the Harrison River Mills Timber and Trading Company boarding house (formerly the Galbraith store and hotel).

- The Trethewey's, looking for investors, decided to sell a half interest in the mill to the Rat Portage Lumber Company.

- July 20th, a fire started in the boiler room, destroying the mill, the railway station, and several houses along the way. The Trethewey's sold out entirely to the Rat Portage Lumber Company. The former Galbraith store and boarding house were not damaged in the fire and the Kilby's continued to manage it for the next 3 years.

October: The Rat Portage Lumber Company purchased the entire holdings of the Trethewey's and proceeded to develop a real company town. It would take six years before the new sawmill started up in full operation. Besides the mill site, they now owned the former Galbraith acreage, store and boarding house.

- The Menten store and hotel at Lot 10A also goes up for sale due to Captain Menten's sudden death from blood poisoning on June 24th at the age of 59. The Rat Portage Lumber Company acquired this additional property from Mrs. Emma Menten, as well as lot 10A, which the Menten's continued to own.

1904
- Plans for the new mill town were extensive, though the mill would not start full production for another 6 years.

- The Rat Portage Lumber Company orders a portable mill and a small output of lumber was produced.

20

Rat Portage Lumber Mill in Harrison Mills
20th Century
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

21

1906
- Thomas Kilby was appointed postmaster in March. Two weeks after Thomas Kilby's appointment as postmaster, the store and boarding house burned to the ground. The Kilby's lost everything in the fire.

- Charles Inkman of Agassiz had just undertaken the management of the Rat Portage Company store, just shortly before the fire. He had put his fifteen-year old son Frank in charge. His father lost stock to the value of $5000 and never reopened business in Harrison Mills.

- Eliza Kilby purchased two vacant lots from Emma Menten east of the old boarding house and store. These were the two lots Emma had purchased from the Martins in 1903. A photocopy of the land deed dates the purchase to June 21, 1906. The new store was built before or after the purchase in 1906.

- August 1906: Five months after the fire, the Kilby family celebrated the opening of their own store by hosting a dance at the hall. An old invitation card stated: "dance to be held in the Hall, Harrison River, BC on the occasion of the opening of their new store."

22

Harrison Mills Village with Rat Portage Saw Mill in Foreground
20th Century, Circa 1920
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

23

1906
- Late Fall/Early Winter: The Rat Portage Company began to rebuild the company store and boarding-house which then operated in direct competition with the Kilby store.

1907
- Rat Portage installs the machinery in the new mill.

- Thomas Kilby purchased Lot B in Harrison Mills from F.J. Martin. This would become the site of the large Kilby dairy barn in 1914.

-A hotel addition was built on to the rear of the Kilby store and doubled the size of the building.

1909
- In the spring, the Rat Portage lumber mill finally opened with a work force of 200 men at the mill and 400 more men employed in the logging camps up Harrison Lake. Vast sums of money had been invested in all aspects of the operation. The large new mill was a lumberman's showpiece.

1910
- Thomas Kilby purchased the last remaining parcel of land held by F.J. Martin. This was a five-acre lot to the northwest of the store. The store property remained in Eliza's name while Thomas used Block B and the five-acre parcel as collateral in future business ventures.

24

Village of Harrison Mills with Kilby General Store on Right
20th Century, Circa 1920
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

25

October 3, 1910
- The BC Electric line opened between Chilliwack and New Westminster. This caused further decline for the businesses in Harrison Mills as the people in Chilliwack no longer had to cross the river to catch the train to Vancouver west bound. Much of Eliza Kilby's hotel business was lost.

October 10, 1910
- Eliza Kilby notified the public that she would be closing the Manchester House Hotel; She continued to operate it as a boarding house, taking in schoolteachers and other paying guests.

1911
- After only two seasons, the Rat Portage Lumber mill closed down and never reopened. It had been a financial failure. Watchmen guarded the mill for many years and all the town's people believed that some day it would reopen.

1912
- Thomas purchased a large adjacent acreage to begin a dairy farm.

1914-1918
- The outbreak of the First World War delayed any chance of recovery for the town for several years.

26

Canadian Pacific Railway Station in Harrison Mills
20th Century, Circa 1910
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

27

1914
- The Rat Portage sold the stock of the company store to the Kilby's, who became the soul suppliers to the Rat Portage logging camps around Harrison Lake.

1915
- The Canadian Northern Railway was completed. The railway passed through Chilliwack and ran parallel with the CPR on the south side of the Fraser River. Crossing the river to catch the train eastbound was now unnecessary. The role of Harrison Mills as a traffic junction had come to an end. With the closing of the mills and new transportation options, the town of Harrison Mills began its decline and the town emptied.

1917
- The general economic recession and the war in Europe furthered the decline, which eventually forced the closure of the Kilby's General Store from 1917 until 1920.

1920
- Thomas reopened the store and the building was raised up and extensively refurbished.

28

The "Shamrock" Boat Taking People on Tour of Harrison River
20th Century
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

29

1921
- The Rat Portage Co. began to make plans to reopen the mill. They made an offer to Thomas Kilby to purchase 100 acres of his waterfront property. Reportedly, Thomas Kilby offered to sell them all of his land holdings including the store, yet the deal never materialized.

1922
- Due to his father's failing health, Acton Kilby returned from Merritt in February. He would take over the management of the farm and Thomas and Eliza would retire. A cottage, which once belonged to the Martin Family, was moved up from the beach by means of the capstan, ropes and a horse. This would be Thomas and Eliza's home. Jessie and Acton remained in the living quarters arranged above and to the back of the store.

-A school road was built and the new Harrison River school building was relocated to a 2-acre site to the east.

1923
- Kilby Road was built.

- The Rat Portage Lumber Company sold the mill machinery.

1926
- The first dyke was built in Harrison Mills by the local farmers. It stretched from the base of Mount Woodside near the entrance of Batson's Slough, and around the peninsula to the railway embankment.

1928
- Thomas Kilby passed away. Acton Kilby was appointed Postmaster after his father died and carried on the duties for the next 40 years. Jessie, Acton's wife, acted as Postmistress during Acton's frequent absences on business.

30

Churns and Cream Separators at Kilby General Store
20th Century, Circa 1970
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

31

1930
- The Rat Portage mill burned to the ground along with the railway station and 200 yards of CPR tracks lay twisted and unusable from the heat.

1933
- Mrs. Jessie Kilby purchased what remained of the Rat Portage Company houses and property. She then rented them to the people of the community for $10 each for front row houses and $8 each for back row houses. Renters were given discounts on the purchase of milk from the Kilby's dairy farm.

- Fires and floods took their toll over the years and the last house was destroyed by a fire in April 1980.

32

School House in Harrison Mills during 1948 Fraser River Flood
20th Century, Circa 1948
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

33

1948
- The Flood of '48 was the most talked about flood as it affected the entire community. The dykes had not been well maintained and the river broke through in many places causing millions of dollars in damage to homes, roads, and railways. The Kilby store and Post Office remained open, though many people couldn't get there. The house was flooded out and the family moved into the rooms above the store where they remained for two years while repairs were made to the house. The boardwalks and the oil shed were destroyed. The warehouse was damaged and the horse barn was knocked off its foundation and later torn down. The dairy or cow barn suffered a lot of damage as it sat on foundation logs which were probably in bad shape even before the flood, and was dismantled around 1950 or 1951.

1958
- The mail train service to Harrison Mills was discontinued and regular mail truck delivery took over.

1968
- The Harrison Mills post office was closed, and Acton Kilby was forced to retire as Postmaster at the age of 77. The post office was moved to the Country Caf� on Harrison Bay, a building owned by Charles Pretty. Acton decided to organize the old General Store as a Museum. In 2006, the post office is located on School Road, a fifteen minute walk from the Kilby Historic Site.

34

Harrison Mills Community during 1948 Flood - General Store in Background
20th Century, Circa 1948
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

37

Celebration of the British Columbia Government Purchasing the Kilby General Store
20th Century, Circa 1976
Kilby Historic Site, Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada

Credits:
Fraser Heritage Society

38

1972
- The Province of British Columbia bought the Kilby General Store and designated it a Historic Site. Acton and Jessie stayed on as curators until ill health obliged them to retire.

1978
- Acton Kilby passed away at the age of 87.

1997
- Jessie Kilby passed away at the age of 101.

2006
- The Kilby Historic Site celebrates its one hundredth anniversary. Most of the Kilby family descendents attended the special event along with dignitaries and hundreds of guests.

2007
- Kilby descendants still reside in British Columbia, and maintain a close relationship with the Kilby Historic Site that was once their family home.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38