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Bloedel Stewart & Welch steam locomotive #1 (Class B Shay) at BC Forest Museum (now BC Forest Discovery Centre) in Duncan, British Columbia. Photo by SoftwareSimian.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about B.C Forest Discovery Center, Duncan

The B.C Forest Discovery Center is an open-air museum in Duncan, Vancouver, British Columbia. The B.C Forest Discovery Center covers about a hundred acres in area.

It features forested areas, nature trails, indoor and outdoor exhibits showcasing the history of logging, artifacts, historical railway equipment, and a picnic ground. The site also has its heritage railway, which is operational as well.

There are exhibits of collections of steam locomotives that existed in different times of history. Train lovers will find the place interesting. Visitors can engage in a variety of activities such as bird watching, train rides, and nature walks.

It is a fun place to learn about the history of logging and forestry on Vancouver Island. The center is run by the B.C Forest Museum Society. 

It is one of the heritage sites in Canada and many visitors tour the area all year. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about BC Forest Discovery Center.

1. The BC Forest Discovery Center was founded by a collector

The founder, G.E Wellburn was a collector. Wellburn had accumulated a vast collection of forestry materials and trains by 1965. His life activities explain to some extent the nature of the center itself.

He founded a sawmilling and logging company in the 1930’s but later sold it. He used to log with horses at first then used steam yarders. He was one of the first to use Caterpillar trucks.

Today, the center chronicles the history of logging and locomotives. Wellburn was an active member in community affairs and the center shows his selfless goal of making his collection publicly accessible.

2. The Center began as a private collection assembly

G.E Wellburn was fascinated by the items he collected and these were mostly forestry-related and locomotives. By the early 1960s, he had gathered  an extensive array of such items.

He had collected engines, tools used in logging, locomotives, and other scrap materials to create a living museum.

In 1963, he moved this personal collection to a publicly accessible site. The site chosen was a former location of the Cowichan Valley’s first public building.

 It is still part of the area occupied by the center today. The first board was the Cowichan Valley Museum Society, incorporated in 1964. The site was known as the Cowichan Valley Forest Museum. 

3. It was first opened to the public in 1965

The museum was opened to the public on May 24, 1965. It had a rail line, which is still operational today.

The first visitors were carried on the rail line. Paid attendance for the year amounted to 16, 881.

In 1966, the attendance increased to 23, 369. The museum showed a steady operating profit and in the following year, four more properties neighboring it were bought, adding to the size of the museum.

By 1974, Cowichan Valley Forest Museum had grown to over 95 acres in size. It became a historical site under the Archaeological and Historic Sites Protection Act.

4. The Center is significant for its preservation of forestry-related information

Part of a forest in Vancouver Island. Photo by Darren Kirby. Wikimedia Commons.

Forestry is one of the largest sectors in Vancouver province. The Discovery Center’s original mandate is to conserve and maintain a collection of historical and modern materials related to the forest industry in British Columbia.

 From timber harvesting, lumber processing, pulp and paper making,  the center offers well-collected facts and materials. There are demonstrations and exhibits of artifacts at the site regarding the history of forestry.

Visitors get to learn about forest management and the importance of sustainable forests for future generations at the Forestry Forever exhibit.

5. The Center has a heritage railway

Hillcrest Lumber Company steam locomotive #1 (25-ton, 2-truck, 36″ gauge Shay) pulls visitors around the BC Forest Museum (now BC Forest Discovery Centre) in Duncan. Photo by SoftwareSimian.

A heritage railway  serves to recreate and preserve railway history in terms of equipment, practices, and operation modes. It has been preserved in a state replicating a certain period in the history of railways.

 The BC Forest Discovery Center has an incredible collection of locomotives and some of them are still operational.

Most, if not all have been replaced by modern rail equipment. The Center preserves the old machinery in living history.

It has a 2.5 km of operational 3ft narrow gauge railway. The train is a century-old steam locomotive.

6. The Center has a collection of seven steam locomotives!

Cowichan Valley Railway locomotive #23 “Sandy” (Plymouth 8-ton DLC6) at BC Forest Museum (now BC Forest Discovery Centre) in Duncan, British Columbia (16-Jul-1995). Photo by SoftwareSimian.

Steam locomotives, just like the name suggests, are rail machines that operate using the expansion of steam.

Steam is produced by burning materials such as coal and wood. Early rail technology used these while modern times have had them replaced by electric trains!

 The Forest Center’s collection chronicles these old machines’ history. The collection includes the Cowichan Valley Railway ‘Vulcan 0-4-0T’ (Suzie) and (Samson).

Others include the Hillcrest Lumber Company ‘Shay’ and ‘Climax’, the Mayo Lumber Company ‘Shay’ and the Bloedel Stewart and Welch ‘Shay’.

The machines are on display in outdoor exhibits.

7. The Forest Center has over 5, 000 artifacts

An exhibit showing tree-ring dating at BC Forest Museum Vancouver. Photo by 4077.

What began as a simple private collection has now evolved into an extensive assembly of items. These range from forestry-related or logging materials, machines, old locomotives, engines, and many others.

 Volunteers offer to add to the collection for the benefit of the community and visitors interested in learning the history of trains and logging in Vancouver.

These artifacts attract many tourists who visit the Center to view and acquaint themselves with their living history.

8. It offers the historic train ride through the Somenos Lake trestle

Hillcrest Lumber Company steam locomotive #1 Shay pulling tourist train over Somenos Lake trestle at the BC Forest Museum (now BC Forest Discovery Centre) at Duncan, British Columbia. Photo by SoftwareSimian.

The ride is a favorite for many who visit the site. Somenos Lake is located in North Cowichan on southeast Vancouver Island. 

 There is a trestle over the lake, a bridge composed of short spans and closely-spaced frames. The train runs through the trestle, a fascinating experience. There is an old but operational water wheel along the route as well. It spells ancient all the way!

9. There are Halloween and Christmas train rides as well

The Halloween Train offers a thrilling ride through ghostly scenes in the Green Hornet train. There is trick-or-treating and a haunted house too! It’s perfect for Halloween.

The Christmas Express train is a fascinating ride through twinkling beautiful lights. One can visit Santa and enjoy hot chocolate after the fun, a typical Christmas experience for family and friends.

10. The Center holds an annual Antique Truck Show

It is usually a weekend of lots of fun, with trucks of all sizes on display. It is held in July. The majority of the participants are local community members.

Tickets are sold on admission to the museum. There are lots of activities over the two-day event, great food and barbecue, and stream train rides.