Mill Bay - Malahat Historical Society

06/17/2026

This Saturday: A journey to the stars! ☕✨

TEA & TALES PRESENTATION: NORTHERN STAR
20% OFF TICKETS PURCHASED ONLINE
millbaymalahathistory.com

The wait is almost over!

Join us this Saturday at Cobble Hill Hall for our 'Tea & Tales' presentation of Northern Star.

Meet filmmaker Nick Versteeg, enjoy local refreshments, and discover the incredible legacy of JS Plaskett.

📍 Where: 3550 Watson Ave, Cobble Hill. 🕐 Doors open at 1 PM; Presentation at 2 PM.

Limited tickets remaining—get yours now at: millbaymalahathistory.com or email us at: [email protected]

06/16/2026

Now a place for socializing and eating great food, the Duncan Garage's original purpose was (you guessed it!) to be a communal garage for cars. This 1939 photo shows the what the building looked like when used for car maintenance.

The use of the Duncan Garage during this time represented an overarching shift: a shift towards car-based infrastructure. Downtown Duncan has much more walkable steets in a grid formation with many small buildings and businesses. As you leave the downtown area however and get closer to the department stores or Cowichan Aquatic Centre, roads become wider and larger parking lots become more common to facilitate higher volumes of vehicle traffic. The Duncan Garage was a very early step towards this evolution.

06/16/2026

History is a team effort! 🛠️📦

While our museum building is a local landmark, the real magic happens behind the scenes.

From cataloging new donations in our artifact storage building to prepping the handcrafted mannequins for our next exhibit, our volunteers do it all!

We are always looking for fresh faces to join our crew and help "preserve our local history."

Have a few hours to spare?
Become part of our team! 📧

Email us at [email protected] to learn how you can help.

06/14/2026

Inspiring the next generation of explorers 🔭🌌

TEA & TALES PRESENTATION: NORTHERN STAR

Did you know that the same local pioneers who mapped the Milky Way from Victoria paved the way for modern space exploration?

By showcasing the achievements of John Stanley Plaskett, the documentary Northern Star aims to ignite curiosity and encourage young minds to pursue careers in science and technology.

Bring the whole family to Cobble Hill Hall on June 20th for a presentation that celebrates Canada's role in the cosmos!

Grab your family pass or individual tickets at millbaymalahathistory.com or email us at: [email protected]

06/12/2026

Rail was a huge part of life on Vancouver Island, and Duncan was no exception! Pictured here is Duncan downtown, most likely during the 1910s

The train station was the transportation lifeblood of the town which many residents relied on.

The train station is now no longer a functioning train station, but the building is preserved and is now the Cowichan Valley Museum. The museum has a lot of information about how Duncan and its community evolved over time, and is certainly worth a visit!

06/10/2026

DREAMERS & SCHEMERS LIVE THEATRE SHOW

Step back in time and see a show performed exactly as a travelling troupe would have in the early 1900s.

Our production uses no technology—sound effects are created by simple props and the actors' imaginations!

The wonderful cast includes Megan Bourns, Susan Quinton, Max Bethal, Kim Watts, Hanah Nichol, and Grayson Muller.

Can you guess what Megan, our stage manager, is doing in the first photo?
Come to the show and find out!

11 performances starting July 3rd.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit millbaymalahathistory.com or email us at: [email protected].

06/07/2026

Remember the "Night Shift"? 🍔🕺

Long before it was Cooper’s, it was the Millstream Restaurant, built by the Bartnecks in 1948.

In a true feat of local engineering in the 70s, the building was actually rolled on pipes 100 yards south and turned 180 degrees to its final home by the creek!

Whether you remember the family burgers or a night at the Night Shift Night Club downstairs, this building is a legend of local nostalgia.

Share your memories in the comments.

06/04/2026

06/02/2026

Hauling the stars up the mountain! 🏔️🐎

TEA & TALES PRESENTATION: NORTHERN STAR

It took more than just a brilliant mind to build the world’s largest telescope in 1918—it took serious local muscle.
This archival photo shows horses and wagons hauling a 9.5-ton polar axis up the rugged terrain of Saanich Mountain.
This is just one of the incredible local stories featured in award-winning filmmaker Nick Versteeg’s documentary, Northern Star.
Saturday, June 20th at Cobble Hill Hall. Doors open at 1pm. Grab your tickets early at: millbaymalahathistory.com or email us at: [email protected]