was built by the Christian Communities of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB) Doukhobors in 1929 as a place to teach English and academics to Doukhobor children in the area,” says Relkoff. “The school was in use until the late 1940’s at which time the students were carted off to Grand Forks to attend Central Elementary School there.”
Today, the interactive School Room exhibit pays tribute to this piece of history. Visitors are invited to conduct their own lessons, and kids can dress-up before attending class.
Relkoff says that the original building gradually fell into a state of disrepair and remained so until four decades later when it was completely restored by the Doukhobor Historical Society. Now its used as the central location to preserve a Russian language library, heritage artifacts and an archives which, collectively, preserves the rich fabric of the Doukhobor legacy.
Everything about the school house emulates the rugged, resourcefulness of this unique culture. The school was made of brick from the local brick factory located near the school grounds. It originally housed two classrooms - one at either end - and a teacherage between the two. This schoolhouse, which is now the museum, was named “Fructova”, meaning “of the fruit” in the Russian dialect, had been formerly used by Doukhobors to describe Grand Forks in general, in recognition of its sunny climate and agricultural productivity.
The Boundary Museum grounds, from the veranda looking south-west, feature a spectacular view of the valley, and a bread oven and fruit drying facility - all are replicas of what was built and used by the self-sufficient Doukhobor community.
Over the past year, many Boundary Museum staff and volunteers have been hard at work improving the grounds at Fructova through landscaping, building restoration, and the erection of a new shade shelter. This shelter is the only one of its kind in Grand Forks and will be available on a drop-in basis for small groups, or can be booked in advance for larger events free of charge. There are presently five large exhibits in addition to several smaller exhibits on First Nations cultures, forestry, heritage sports, and music in the Boundary region.
The Doukhobor Exhibit features traditional costume, handicrafts and artifacts. In the centre of the room are the three symbols of Bread, Salt, and Water which represent health and hospitality in the Doukhobor philosophy. Another point of interest is that the Boundary Museum recently partnered with the Granby Wilderness Society to inform visitors of the ongoing conflict between goldfish
C C Today
Explore Yesterday
Z
Take a giant leap back into the 1890’s and experience the restored pioneer boomtown of Fort Steele. A family favorite for decades, Fort Steele is a must! Open daily. Call for current schedules and a list of special events or visit us online.
9851 Hwy 93/95, Fort Steele, BC V0B 1N0 (located just 16km northeast of Cranbrook)
rvsnowbirds.com
www.FortSteele.ca | 250.417.6000 recorded info line 250.426.7352
info@FortSteele.bc.ca
and the endangered tiger salamanders at Saddle Lake.
The Phoenix copper mine and various railways played an integral part of Boundary history, bringing many pioneers to the area. Ore would be brought by train from Phoenix and other mines, to the Granby Smelter. “The Granby Smelter was the largest smelter in the British Empire and was located right here in Grand Forks, BC,” Relkoff says.
Another excellent display you’ll find at the museum is the Hunter-Kendrick Co. General Store. “There are many artifacts in our general store exhibit from as early as the 1920s. If you’re lucky, there may even be some candy for sale,” Relkoff quips.
The Boundary Museum is located at the Historic Fructova School Site approximately 4.5 km from the Grand Forks, BC city centre at 6145 Reservoir Road. Parking is available for standard vehicles, buses, and RVs. Facilities are easily accessed from Crowsnest Highway 3 by turning onto Reservoir Road.
S N O W B I
R D S
43
R V T R A V E L E R S
C C
Z
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64