Bear Flat Museum

Bear Flat Dispatch. May 14, 2026

Arlene and I have had a semi-official private museum here at Bear Flat for about 20 years that has generally operated by word of mouth. It started from a combination of homesteading type artifacts mostly from her family (the Bentley’s), and my log building restoration skills, and has slowly grown from there. When Highway 29 was moved due to the Site C reservoir, our collection of old log buildings suddenly became very visible to the traveling public, and some people started driving into our yard believing that it was some form of public facility.

So, this year we decided to open it up to the public on a more steady but controlled basis. We have put up highway signs, and signs in the yard directing people to the displays. The ever-important outhouse is available and a couple picnic tables are set out. Open to the public are three cabins with artifacts, a “sign museum”, and some old farm equipment. There are also a few other heritage buildings that can be viewed but are not open to the public. They are clearly marked with a sign with “Private. No Entry”. Folks are welcome to walk about and enjoy the valley here on the property while being respectful and controlling their pets and kids.

One of our cabins is home to the “Site C Sucks Museum”. It has an extensive collection of documents from all aspects of the project over the years, as well as many artifacts from the various forms of resistance to the project. There is also a 5-minute video from 8 years of our time lapse photos that show the actual dam being built and the filling of the reservoir.

We are generally open daily from 9:00 to 5:00 from May through September, but because we also have other things happening in life, we are not always open and therefore are not advertising a firm schedule. Therefore, the Bear Flat Museum sign at our driveway will simply display either “open” or “closed” accordingly. If people want, they can contact me at 250 262 9014 to confirm before making a special trip up the valley. By every definition of the term, we are most definitely “non- profit”, so donations are greatly appreciated with a drop box clearly marked in one of the cabins. We also encourage guests to sign our guest book.

We are partners with the Northern Trails Historical Society, and this summer they will hold their annual “Doors Open” event whereby participating local museums offer free admission. Details on this event and dates will be made public soon.

History is amazing, and the Peace region is blessed with some great museums to showcase it. We hope you can get out this summer and visit some of them.

Ken Boon