The Barrhead and District Historical Society is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Barrhead Centennial Museum.
To commemorate the event, society president Anna Churchill and treasurer Elsie Measures have reprinted Trails Northwest, which was originally printed in 1967.
The book chronicles the history of the area from the fur traders and gold-seekers that travelled the Klondike Trail, Measures said.
Churchill agreed, adding she bought the first copy of the 2017 reprint.
“I was very determined to do that. They cost $55 and have a wealth of historical information leading up to the formation of what is now the Town of Barrhead,” Churchill said, adding later additions to the area such as the Misty Ridge Ski Hill and Veteran’s Hope are not included.
“It would be nice to get a follow-up book printed, but we don’t have the resources at the moment,” she added.
Before the museum was built, the society was formed.
“The idea to form the society began with a number of coffee sessions in 1961 between Frank Thompson, Bill Sutherland and Bill Johnson, who met at Charlie Yuill’s café and discussions ensued regarding the feasibility of providing a facility to house items relating to the history of Barrhead and the surrounding area,” Measures said, adding the first public meeting was held on Feb. 12, 1962.
The museum has a variety of displays available for public viewing.
“The oldest piece on display here is 9,000 years old. If the museum had started 10 years earlier, there would be more items on display,” Churchill said, adding it is unfortunate that people do not always recognize the historical value of things they no longer have a use for.
“It’s too bad because when it’s gone, that part of local history is lost.”
The only aspects of history that are not part of any display at the museum are geological exhibits and textiles.
“We don’t include that stuff because when you get involved in geology, unless it comes from outer space, we don’t really want to have anything to do with it. There are a number of problems. How are you going to track it? You need all kinds of information and that costs money and time. Textiles too, they cost money to maintain and we just don’t have the resources,” she said.
The Barrhead Centennial Museum is open beginning June 1, Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and order forms for the book are available.
