The Forest Museum

08/31/2026

Attention local businesses and organizations! We have TWO great opportunities to promote yourself AND support our museum. For more details, contact us by email at [email protected] OR fill out the sponsorship form on our website at https://sites.google.com/view/forest-museum/donations

08/28/2026

Kids of all ages are having a great time on a beautiful day. Head downtown to enjoy the rootin' tootin' fun on the Western end of King Street! No proof of age needed!

08/28/2026

If you wish to drop off your photos, we are open Tuesday to Saturday, 10-4. Our email is [email protected] .

08/27/2026

History works in mysterious ways sometimes! Case in point, Tyler Coultis and his daughters were visiting from out of town today, hoping to check out some ancestral roots in Forest. Unfortunately, a bad starter on their car meant they would not have a chance to see more than our museum. So, what did we do? Loaded them up in my car (I just happened to have popped by the museum) and headed off to Coultis Park and Beechwood Cemetery.

The Coultis name is big in the area’s history. The family came to Forest about 1869 and set up their first sawmill. Despite setbacks caused by fires, the Coultis family prospered in the mill industry, establishing mills here in Forest, Kettle Point and Thedford. Coultis Brothers also built a large number of homes in the north end of Forest.

Tyler’s branch of the family moved out of the area many years ago, but he and his daughters were very happy to connect with a very important part of their - and our community’s - heritage….. Maybe that starter wasn’t so bad after all.

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

A livery stable was a place where you could hire a horse-drawn buggy or wagon and a driver (aka drayman). The first ones in Forest appeared in the 1870s. J.W. Bell (1879-1959) built this livery on the southeast corner of Main and Wellington Streets in about 1900. The building had many additional uses over the years. It served as an early office for the People's Telephone Co. and, in 1933, became the home of the Bluewater Creamery. Later on, Jack Scott Plumbing & Heating set up shop here. The building still stands. Listen carefully the next time you go by and maybe you'll hear some ghostly neighing or squeaky wagon wheels.

08/26/2026

So many great museums to see!

08/25/2026

Our museum volunteers are very excited to announce that plans are in place for our "Forest Museum Hollyberry Christmas Tour" of holiday decorated homes, churches, the Carnegie Library Event Centre, and our museum. In total, we will have at least 10 places for you to visit to get you into the holiday spirit! The event takes place on the afternoons of November 14th and 15th. Tickets are $25 and are now on sale online AND at the museum. To purchase your ticket(s) online, please go to https://sites.google.com/view/forest-museum/hollyberry-christmas-tour-2026

08/21/2026

Yesterday, seven young photographers participated in our Photography Workshop. We thank the Port Franks & Area Camera Club for running this event and the Optimist Club of Forest for being the event sponsors.
Following the workshop, the participants took nearly 800 photos of local architecture. From these photos will be selected ones to use in our forthcoming “Then & Now” Photobook of Forest. Stay tuned for more details about that project!