Central B.C. Railway and Forestry Museum
By Jeff Elder
If you’re planning a trip to central and northern B.C. you can get a good preview of local museums, galleries and historic sites online at www.goldenraven.ca. Golden Raven is the brand for 10 cultural attractions stretching from Valemount, through Prince George and up to Mackenzie. While the Valemount Museum, Huble Homestead Historic Site, Barkerville Historic Town, and the Fort St. James National Historic Site are closed ‘til next spring, you can still visit them online. You’ll find incredible historical photographs, fascinating stories and lots of information to plan your trip.
The Valemount Museum, located in a restored 1914 railway station, has a virtual tour on their website along with links to online history and art exhibits. Huble Homestead Historic Site, 40 kilometres north of Prince George, celebrated the 100th anniversary this year of the Huble House. Their website has panoramic photos that bring to life the interiors of the house, trapper’s cabin, blacksmith shop and barn. Click on the titles Huble Homestead, Salmon Valley Post Office, Giscome Portage and others near the top of the home page for photos and detailed histories.
Barkerville Historic Town’s website has a searchable database of photos, artifacts, newspapers and more. Click on the ‘Collections and Research’ tab for a fascinating tour of the area’s history and culture.
Fort St. James National Historic Site has online resources for teachers, a multimedia gallery and a youth zone. Click on ‘Natural Wonders and Cultural Treasures’ for photos and information about the fur trade and the sites’ historically unique wooden buildings.
The remaining six Golden Raven cultural attractions are open year ‘round. The Whistle Stop Gallery, located in McBride’s historic train station showcases the work of over 50 Robson Valley artists, many of whom you can see on their website. Also in McBride is the Valley Museum and Archives, which features local and regional art exhibits along with historical displays.
The Mackenzie Museum, open year ‘round on Centennial Drive in Mackenzie, traces the history of this planned community along with paintings of local First Nations people and displays that tell the story of trappers, prospectors and early settlers. The Museum encourages people to share their stories and help identify the people depicted in old photos posted on their website.
The Two Rivers Gallery in downtown Prince George has a wealth of information about past and current contemporary art exhibits on their website. The Gallery, representing Prince George and region, is free on Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Central B.C. Railway and Forestry Museum on River Road in Prince George has descriptions and photos of their collection of train cars and information on upcoming speakers and special events on their website.
The Exploration Place Science Centre and Museum in Fort George Park, Prince George, has an online searchable database and an incredible array of online exhibits. They range from the Wally West Collection of local photographs to Fossils of Northern B.C., and Milltown to Downtown, which traces the history of Prince George (the fastest growing City in B.C. from 1947 to 1972), with 2,000 photos.
You can explore the broader history of the central British Columbia region on the site www.settlerseffects.ca. This online exhibit, called Settlers’ Effects, Environmental, Cultural and Social Change, 1805-1972, has sections for McBride, Valemount, Prince George and Mackenzie, with 10,000 captivating photos covering the fur trade, construction of the railways and development of the forest industry.
The website www.goldenraven.ca, a cultural branding project of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, is your gateway to all this and more!