Kilby Historic Site is the perfect place for a trip down memory lane. Kilby General Store is all that remains of the original town of Harrison Mills, a once bustling community. The store was the hub of the town, serving as the general supply store, post office, gas station, hotel and meeting place. The people of Chilliwack would take the ferry to Harrison Mills and then the train into Vancouver. With saw mills and the train station close by, the store catered to everyone from locals to vacationers.
Thomas Kilby opened Kilby General Store in 1906. His son, Acton, took over the store in 1922, which is reflected in the era that Kilby Historic Site represents. After a lifetime of collecting memorabilia, Acton turned the store into a museum in 1977. His favourite saying was, “You never know; some day, somebody may want it.” Today, the Kilby General Store Museum is packed with fascinating products from the 1920s and ‘30s. Kilby Historic Site celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2016, marking over a century of serving the people of the Fraser Valley.
Harrison Mills suffered many floods, which is why the town had connecting boardwalks. Kilby General Store still has its boardwalks intact, which is a very prominent feature of this historic site. Since dykes now hold back the floodwaters, only the unique architecture of Kilby Historic Site reminds visitors and townspeople alike of what this area endured.
Harrison Mills is nestled in a rural valley just west of Agassiz and is the picture of rustic beauty. This area is surrounded by mountains and at the confluence of Fraser and Harrison Rivers. Eagles are often seen soaring overhead or perched in the trees at Kilby Park along scenic Harrison River during the winter months.
Today the Kilby general store is a world class 1920s Fraser Valley living history site, complete with costumed interpreters. This 5 acre BC Heritage attraction includes a 1906 General Store Museum, farm animals, cafe, gift shop & campground.