Port Clements Settlers Museum
What luck! It seems the Port Clement Museum is only open from 2:00 to 4:00 on the weekends in the off season (11:00 to 4:00 every day during the summer). I got there right at 2:00 on Sunday, paid the $2.00 admission fee and was looking at a big room full off interesting items.
It was well organized though, and just about everything was labelled with its name, who donated it and what it was used for. Being that Port Clements was a pioneer and logging town there was a need for large variety of tools that had a very specific job. Rudimentary specialized tools and and highly specialized machines are a testament of Port Clements rich history. On the outside of the museum are large relics of the forest industry including a larger steam donkey and a huge claw for grabbing logs.
There is a section in the Port Clements museum that has pictures and more information about the Golden Spruce. But what really caught my attention was a stuffed white raven in a glass case that had a TV beside it showing the bird in action. This was the famed white (albino) raven of Port Clements.
The white raven was known by many names, but none was settled on. They figure it was the only chick in the nest, thus did not have to compete with other fledglings for food. The bird was very friendly with humans and won the hearts of the entire community of Port Clements.
“It was a sad sight”, according to witnesses outside the Gas Plus station that saw the white raven that day. Apparently the albino raven was commiserating with local crows, when distracted, flew into an electrical transformer and some how completing a connection thus electrocuting itself. It was 1997 and the white raven was not yet 2 years old, 1997 was also the year Port Clements lost the Golden Spruce as well. That year Port Clements lost two of its great treasures.
It was good to know that both the Golden Spruce and the White Raven of Port Clements is being honoured and appreciated through the Port Clements Museum. I personally found the museum interesting and educational I would highly recommend a visit to this local attraction. It also seems to be the only place I have found where I could buy, for $2.00, a Golden Spruce post card.