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The Archives
The Museum maintains a small community archives with holdings that consist of documents created by the municipal government from the 1930's to the 1970's (primarily records created by the finance department and are not a complete collection). Documents created by the Pitt Meadows School District from 1912 to 1945, and containing correspondence, minutes, and financial records. Records of various community groups, businesses and families that reflect the social, cultural, and economic life of the community from the 1880's. Other holdings consist of 49 maps, 1000 photographic images, an oral history collection, and research files with clippings, stories, and other copied material relating to the history of Pitt Meadows and surrounding areas.
Publications
Harris Road Walking Tour
Historical Story of Pitt Meadows by Edith McDermott (1997 reprint)
The Museum is located in the old General Store building on Harris Road in Pitt Meadows. The main part of the building dates to 1885 and was moved from its original location near Herring Road to its present site in 1908. The building housed Pitt Meadows' first post office (in use to 1944) and one of its earliest stores (in use until 1931). After 1931 the building was used primarily as a residence and received municipal heritage status in 1989. By the mid 1990's the building was vacant and had fallen into a state of disrepair. It was purchased in 1997 by the Corporation of the District of Pitt Meadows, and, after eight months of restoration, the Pitt Meadows Heritage & Museum Society became its new tenant.
Artifacts relating to the pioneer and agricultural history of the community are located on the first floor of the Museum with offices, work and storage areas, and a small community archives located on the upper floor.
In October 1999 Hoffmann & Son Ltd. and the Pitt Meadows Heritage & Museum Society completed the donation of the property, buildings and collection that made up the Hoffmann & Son machine shop and ditching business. The property has been in continuous use as a business since the 1920's with the present building dating to 1934. At present the site is not open to the public (except for special events on Pitt Meadows Day and Canada Day), but the Society, in partnership with the Corporation of the District of Pitt Meadows, is working towards public access in the years to come.
