Gerry Wellburn first began his collection of forestry related equipment in the early 1950s. Personal interest sparked his dedication for seeking out and preserving these artifacts from all over Vancouver Island, and the artifacts were brought to Wellburn’s 15-acre property in Deerholme where he personally fixed them up. Along with machinery, locomotives, and various tools, Wellburn collected abandoned railway pieces and decided to build his very own narrow-gauge railway to give his repaired locomotives a proper home, named the Glenora and Western Railway (GWR). Everything, including the railway itself, could be deemed historical – the railway even contained track that was used for the Canadian Pacific Railway, dating back to 1873. The process for building the GWR started in 1954 and took four years for the one-and-a-half-mile track to be built. The first locomotive to run on the GWR was Samson No. 25, built in 1910 and acquired by Wellburn in 1955.
To celebrate the completion of the railway, members of the British Columbia Historical Association held an event on Mr. and Mrs. Wellburn’s property on June 28th, 1958. The itinerary of the day included lunch, tea, rides with horse-drawn vehicles, and of course rides on the Glenora and Western Railway. The most important activity, which made this day particularly special, was the ceremonial driving of the last railway spike.
After the opening celebration, Wellburn continued to host events with similar itineraries. He held meetings for both historical and fan organizations, fundraisers, picnics, fun fairs, events for forest products week, and more. Gerry Wellburn made sure people got a memorable experience when visiting his property. Part of the joy in restoring these artifacts was sharing them with others.
Wellburn’s property was special not only due to his distinctive collection but also because of the nature it possessed. The 15 acres was home to a 1300-year-old Douglas fir, and at the time this tree was allegedly the oldest of its species in Canada. The property and its contents were praised for their uniqueness and Gerry Wellburn was commended for his passion. The Glenora and Western Railway received many compliments and great reviews. Wellburn’s collection was labeled by the professional opinion of Elwood Maunder as the best of its kind in North America, and the GWR quickly became a popular attraction in Deerholme. Gerry Wellburn’s increasing collection and customer attendance resulted in the property lacking the space required for an inevitable expansion and an area in Victoria was mentioned while searching for new plots to house Gerry Wellburn’s collection. This caused some worry in the community as locals had grown fond of the Wellburn property and the GWR. Community members fought for the new museum to stay in the Cowichan Valley, and between the City of Duncan, taxpayers, individual donations, and industry donations, their efforts paid off. The property of what is now the BC Forest Discovery Centre was purchased in 1964
Kennedy Derksen, Curatorial Assistant.
Aug 12, 2024.
