Saanich Pioneer Museum facts for kids
The Saanich Pioneer Museum is a special place that tells the story of the early settlers and history of the Saanich Peninsula in Canada. You can find it in the village of Saanichton, British Columbia.
Discovering the Saanich Pioneer Museum
The Saanich Pioneer Museum helps us understand how the Saanich Peninsula grew. It shows what life was like for the first European settlers who arrived here in 1852.
How the Museum Began
In 1867, just 15 years after the first settlers came, ten local farmers decided to create an Agricultural Society. Their goal was to share ideas and promote farming in the area. At that time, the peninsula was divided into North Saanich and South Saanich. Important members from North Saanich included Robert Brown, George Thomas, J. T. Mcllmoyle, and Peter Emrie. From South Saanich, there were William Thomson, Henry Simpson, Duncan Lidgate, Thomas Michell, William Turgoose, and Captain George Stephen Butler.
For the first four years, the society held yearly Fall Exhibitions in different places. By 1873, they bought five acres of land. This land was given by Henry Simpson, who also owned the Prairie Tavern. This tavern later became the Prairie Inn in 1893. This spot was important for community gatherings.
The First Saanich Fairgrounds
The land where the museum stands was originally the site of the very first Saanich Fair. This fair opened in 1868, thanks to those ten pioneering farmers. The museum building itself, a log cabin, was built in 1933. The Saanich Pioneers' Society got permission from the Fair Society to build it on the fairgrounds.
In 1993, the Saanich Fair moved to a new location on Stelly's Cross Road, where it is still held today. The original fairgrounds were then turned into a park called Polo Park. The historic log cabin still stands in Polo Park and now holds important records and archives about Saanichton.
