Kilby Farm Historic Site

Run by The Fraser Heritage Society, Kilby Farm is a historic site with a museum and campground located in Harrison Mills in the Fraser Valley.

Kilby Farm & Campground in the Fraser Valley

The Kilby Historic Site is a tourist attraction located about an hour and 40 minutes east of Vancouver. It was originally built as a farm in the early 1900’s.

Kilby Farm is located at 215 Kilby Road in Harrison Mills. This is about 20 minutes from Agassiz and less than 25 minutes from Harrison Hot Springs.

Admission and Hours

The historic farm is normally closed from late December until mid-April. As explained later in this article, however, the campground is open year-round.

In 2019 the tourist attraction is open at the following times:

April 18th to June 24th – from Thursday to Monday between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.
June 27th to September 2nd – every day from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
September 5th to October 27th – from Thursday to Monday between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm.
October 31st to December 22nd – from Thursday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Admission to the museum is about $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 for youth and students, and free for kids under the age of 6. There is also a family pack available for $25. Folk who are BCAA members get a 10% discount as well.

Events at Kilby

Below are some of the events that Kilby Historic Site offers throughout the year. (Note: Event details are subject to change.)

Easter Egg Hunt – on Easter weekend in April
Mother’s Day – in May
Pioneer Days – on select days in May, June, August and September
Father’s Day – in June
Kilby Kids Summer Carnival – in the summer (July)
Harvest Festival – in the fall (September)
Thanksgiving Dinners – on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in October
Kilby Kids Halloween Party – near Halloween
Eagle Festival – in November
Old Fashioned Christmas Luncheon – on several dates close to Christmas in December

Kilby Farm Turkey

Waterloo Farm at Kilby Historic Site

All three hectares of the farm have been preserved in their original, historic condition. Folk of all ages can interact with and learn about the variety of animals they have stocked at the farm.

In addition to the farm animals, there is also an orchard and playground on-site.

Kilby Museum

The Kilby General Store Museum has been preserved from its origins in the 1900s and showcases a variety of merchandise with packaging dating back from the 1920s/1930s.

Especially in the summer and busy times, there are workers dressed in period clothing around the museum who are there to answer questions or just chat.

Also in the General Store Museum is the Post Office. It was also run by the Kilby family beginning in 1906 and used as the family’s business office.

Upstairs from the General Store is the Manchester House Hotel. The rooms are furnished with décor from the 1920s. It was opened by Eliza Kilby who named it after her hometown of Manchester, England.

Kilby Store Shelf Displays — Museum Display in the General Store

Camping at Kilby Park

Kilby Park is situated right where the Harrison and Fraser Rivers come together. There are 35 campsites at the park along with a day-use picnic area, beaches, trails and a boat launch.

Of the 35 campsites, 17 are available for reservations.

Daily rates for camping are as follows. (Note: Rates are subject to change. See the Kilby Park Campground website for details.)

January 2nd to February 28th – $15
March 1st to May 14th – $25 (seniors 65 & over $20)
May 15th to September 30th – $30
October 1st to 31st – $25 (seniors 65 & over $20)
November 1st to January 1st – $15 (water turned off)

Use of the boat launch costs $10. It also costs $10 to picnic in the day-use area (although when we went in the fall of 2019 we didn’t see a sign saying we had to pay).

Camping at Kilby Park — Kilby Park Campground

Tips and Advice

Below are some suggestions to help you make the most out of your visit to Kilby Farm.

TIP # 1: Combine your trip to the farm with a visit to other places of interest in the area. Harrison Hot Springs, for example, is a beautiful spot and just a short drive away.

TIP # 2: Visit the historic site on an event day. Those are the most interesting times to be there. Other good times can be when there are festivals in the region, including the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival in November.

TIP # 3: While in the Fraser Valley, don’t forget to fill up with gas. Fuel prices in communities like Abbotsford and Chilliwack are typically 10 cents or so less per litre than at stations within Metro Vancouver. Gas stations in Harrison Hot Springs and Mission are good places to fill up too.

TIP # 4: If you like historic places and heritage homes, an interesting place to visit within the City of Vancouver is the Roedde House Museum. Also in the Fraser Valley is Fort Langley.