MSA Museum

on Mill Lake in Abbotsford  

Trethewey House The Abbotsford Lumber Company built this "arts and crafts" style bungalow in 1920 for B.C. timber baron J.O. Trethewey. The house has been restored to c.1925 and furnished through donations from a number of local families and assistance from the Province of British Columbia through the British Columbia Arts Council and Direct Access Gaming.

Abbotsford's most important early industries are represented in Trethewey House: it was built with the finest fir lumber produced at the mill on Mill Lake. The mill was operated by the Abbotsford Lumber Company, which was owned by J.O. and his brothers.  The bricks used in the chimneys and fireplaces were made with clay mined on nearby Sumas Mountain and processed at Clayburn Village,  B.C.'s first company town.

Trethewey House was designated as a heritage site in 1983, and is now operated by the MSA Museum Society. We encourage you to come view the house and enjoy our period gardens and spacious grounds.

Heritage Gallery and the MSA Museum Office are located in the Carriage House, a reproduction of the original building used to house the Tretheweys' automobiles and Joey's pony and motorcycle.  See an interpretation of Mill Lake and brief  history of the company and its connections to the oldest extant Sikh Temple in Canada where Abbotsford Lumber donated building materials for its construction in 1911.  This room is available for rent on a limited basis.  Call 604-853-0313 for details. 

Joey's Playhouse - Joey Trethewey had the smallest family bedroom but compensation for this included the space for his pony and motorcycle in the Carriage House and his two room playhouse.  Both the playhouse and the carriage house were rebuilt with the support of a BC Community Spirit Abbotsford 2000 project funded by the Province of BC and the Museum Society.  The playhouse serves as a pioneer classroom  for school programs and venue for summer day camp.

Upper Sumas BC Electric Railway Station - an original station on the electric railway that was completed from New Westminster to Chilliwack in 1910, skirting the southern shore of Sumas Lake.  Learn the story of the line that had a dramatic effect on the profitability of dairy farming in the valley. 

Museum programs and activities include:

• Trethewey House tours - ESL option available
• Site Use Rentals of  gardens, grounds and /or structures
• Powerpoint and video history presentations
• Walking tours of Mill Lake
• Historica Heritage Fairs Program 
• Special events for adults, kids, and families

Trethewey House Heritage Site is located on Mill Lake, 
in Abbotsford  near the boardwalk around the lake.  
The  Museum parking lot is  off Alta Avenue. 

To visit Trethewey House and Gallery, please come to the Museum office 
during the House open hours. For group tours, advance booking is preferred. Admission is by donation.  Drop in visits are welcome.  Room for bus turn around. Please call the office at 604-853-0313.


BC Go Card accepted - 10% off on purchases