Retro Reflections
Coquitlam Heritage Society is celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2024 with our exhibit, Retro Reflections: A Nostalgic Journey Through 40 Years of Coquitlam Heritage. Each room on the upper floor of Mackin House will feature a different display highlighting the history of ourselves and the community. Take a look at what it was like growing up in the 1980s and 1990s; a time of mixtapes, video games, and the emergence of zines and fan culture.
Did you know that we used to be a toy museum? Come view our wonderful toys through the decades In our toy display room. Also, look back on the history of our programming, like the Feasts of Coquitlam series, and see featured items from our extensive collection. Join us as we explore themes of nostalgia and look at how the “good old days” were not necessarily true for everyone.
*At the time of its opening, this exhibit was featured in each room in Mackin House. As of June 2024, the exhibit will exclusively be featured on the top floor of the museum, while the ground floor has been restored to a period home reflecting life of an upper middle class family in Coquitlam in the 1900s - 1930s.
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Acknowledgements
The Coquitlam Heritage established on September 25th, 1984, marks its 40th anniversary in 2024. In the seven rooms including the kitchen, we are looking back at the society’s history.
In the parlour you will learn about the society itself, listen to oral histories and learn about why and how to record your own history. The dining room features our popular Feasts of Coquitlam, a program that works with the community to represent and teach different cultures and cuisines. In the kitchen there is a poster about preserving food and the importance of preserving history. One of the upstairs rooms features toys from our days as a toy museum. Another takes you back to a teenager’s room from the 1980s. The community gallery features artifacts donated by local Coquitlam residents. Artist James Groening, part of the ‘60s scoop generation, approaches history from an Indigenous and personal perspective in our final room.
Throughout the house there are some interactive elements: listen to music on a Walkman, curate your own exhibition, and perhaps feel inspired to leave a memory of your own in our teenager’s “diary.”
Mackin House, built in the Edwardian style in 1909, the toys and many artifacts in our collection are predominately of white settler origin. We feel strongly that the story the museum tells must reflect the diversity which has always been there in the past and continues to be here in the present and future. Over the past years, Coquitlam Heritage has dedicated itself to presenting inclusive histories including hidden and untold stories. Coquitlam Heritage records oral histories with South Asian families who worked in the Green Chain at Fraser Mills, and the diverse stories of local corner store owners. Caribbean carnival parade traditions are preserved in the form of hats and wings, West Indian cricket is featured in oral histories and exhibitions. We celebrate Diwali, Mid-Autumn Moon, and Black History Month, we tell the important story of Black Porters in the form of a immersive live performance, we discuss the painful history of residential schools and Sixties Scoop survivors through Indigenous-led community presentations.
We hope you enjoy our special 40th anniversary exhibition.
We would like to express our gratitude to all those who have contributed to our success over the past 40 years, including:
Our MLAs and MPs who served our community
Coquitlam Mayors and Councils
Our Board members
Our many volunteers
Community partners
Business partners
Research partners
Everyone who provided us with oral history
Artists and Performers
Generously funded by the Province of British Columbia.
Society History
1963
The Coquitlam Historical Society is formed, they begin to host events commemorating the history of Maillardville, with awards given to some of the founding members of the community. Events are held to discuss the history of the Francophone settlement, and the nearby lumber mill.
July 1st, 1972
The Train Station opens as the Coquitlam Historical Society’s first Museum, located in Blue Mountain Park. The station had initially been bought for the sum of $5.25. Many different artifacts were put on display in the small museum, such as Lous Boileau’s barber chair, a fossil, a butter churn, and other historic objects from Maillardville. Present at the opening event are Chief Tommy Williams, and John Dicaire, one of the first 110 Francophone settlers in Maillardville, having initially arrived on September 28, 1909. CHS employees dressed in historical attire were present at the event.
1981
The various historical societies of Port Moody, Coquitlam, and Ioco are merged. This is done to suit the needs of School district 43, ahead of curriculum changes coming in 1982. The goal is to expand and improve the local museums to better educate students about their local history. All assets of the Coquitlam Historical Society are given to Port Moody’s society for $10.
September 25th, 1984
Coquitlam Heritage Society is formed. Following the breakup of the Port Moody collective, in March of 1983.
1992
Coquitlam Heritage Society first moves into the basement at Mackin House. The city of Coquitlam will still make use of the upper floors as offices until 1996.
1993
First plans are being drafted for Maillardville Heritage Square, what will become Heritage Square
October, 1994
Work has begun on Heritage Square. Renovations have begun on Mackin House with the goal of providing a museum to commemorate the history of the Francophone settlers. At this time, no other commemorate structure existed. It was hoped that the museum would be able to teach visitors to the neighborhood about its history. The City of Coquitlam spent half a million dollars to help refurbish the building, as time had begun to damage it. PDA was also undergoing refurbishment, with corporate sponsors donating a total of 1.3 million dollars to the project.
December 14th, 1998
Pare Room opens in the lower level of Mackin House. This space contains a large map of Maillardville, with historic pictures placed where they were taken. The room also features some artifact displays, featuring historic objects. This first exhibit is titled “The Way Things Were.”
1999
Mackin House Opens! The staff at Mackin House had spent the previous years working to gather scattered artifacts, now with full custody of the house, it has been opened to visitors as a museum, seeking to replicate life 100 years ago. The home is complete with a newly renovate Parlour, Kitchen, and Dining room. Heritage Square now contains the Train Station, from Blue Mountain Park, along with a CPR Caboose, as well, a newly renovated and refurbished Place des Arts is open to visitors.
March 13th, 2000
A three car accident outside of Mackin House sends one vehicle through the porch and the wall, into the house! Repairs began, with some wood being sourced from another heritage home in Vancouver in order to repair the floors.
2000
First “Fair in the Square”
2004
Since about 2000, Nick Prison has worked to collect around $30,000 worth of vintage toys. These were displayed upstairs in what would later become the [Fraser Mills] Gallery. A large sum of the money came from community grants generated with Casino Profits. This was intended to bring more kids and families into the museum. Some of these toys are still on display today, with many being available in Coquitlam Heritage’s digital archives. The toy collection would remain an important fixture until 2017.
July 10th, 2009
9th Annual Fair in the Square. Actors are present in historic Maillardville costume, with some dressed as historic residents for the 100th anniversary of Maillardville.
2014
Mackin House becomes the official archive for the city of Coquitlam.
2016
Coquitlam Heritage begins to host original exhibitions. The first exhibition looks at the history of healthcare in Coquitlam, making use of some of the artifacts from the Riverview Historical Society.
2017
The Train Station and Caboose are sold to the Coquitlam Heritage Society by the CHRA. The Train Station having been acquired by the CHRA during the breakup of the Port Moody Society. Today, the train station and Caboose are open during the summers for visitors. They showcase many artifacts and exhibits relating to the history of British Columbia’s railroads. During Halloween, the train station is transformed into a haunted house!
The Societies Early Days
In the early days of the Coquitlam Heritage Society, Antonio Paré and a small team of dedicated community members and volunteers worked diligently to catalogue and document the local history which had been neglected. Antonio Paré worked to catalogue a large number of photographs of Maillardville, as well as publishing a book with his recollections titled My Memoirs of the Le Vieux Maillardville: Its founding people, their families, and where they lived alongside other works As well, Paré helped to write Coquitlam 100, another work documenting the history of Coquitlam and its culture.
The early Coquitlam Heritage team was able to acquire the basement of Mackin House, which they operated out of initially. In 1994, this small office was where Paré, and other members of the society, worked to create an exhibition of the old Maillardville, opening in late 1998 to the public, titled The Way Things Were.
Not long after, the bottom floor of the house was restored, allowing for tours and events to take place. Many of these had a historic focus on Maillardville’s Francophone culture and past. Members of the CHS would dress up in Edwardian Era clothing, and take on roles of notable townspeople to allow visitors to see what life was like.
In the earliest years of the Coquitlam Heritage Society, donations from the community were frequently solicited, with the society needing many objects to fill out Mackin House, as much of the original furniture had been taken when previous residents moved out.
People of the Society
Preserving History
Equitable
A museum’s role to preserve - to literally canning history - protects cultural heritage. It creates a ready pool of information for educators and the public to engage with and learn about history. This role of the museum helps to create a collective understanding of our past. It allows us to learn from mistakes and successes, and it shapes identity.
Artifacts, oral histories, letters and other items in the museum’s collection create a comprehensive narrative of the past and present.
For the Coquitlam Heritage, ensuring diversity in historical preservation is crucial. For any museum it is important to include voices that have been historically marginalized. To achieve this end, it is important to actively seek out and incorporate diverse sources, narratives, and artifacts, while challenging traditional historical biases.
Adapting historical narratives as new information emerges is essential for maintaining accuracy and relevance. History is a dynamic field, and as scholarship progresses, our understanding evolves. Museums and archives must be open to revising exhibits and collections based on updated research and a more nuanced comprehension of historical events.
The process of working toward a truly equitable preservation of history involves acknowledging systemic acts of repressions and exclusion which took place in the past. This commitment to truthfulness contributes to a more honest and inclusive historical record, fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities of the past.
The preservation of history in museums and archives serves not only as a means of conserving the past but as a dynamic and ever-evolving undertaking. By prioritizing diversity and adaptability, museums can contribute to a more comprehensive and meaningful representation of the collective human experience.
“I ain’t afraid of no ghost”
Ray Parker Juniors song for the 1984 Ghostbusters movie can serve as a reminder that museums and individuals should not be afraid of the past, be it ugly or inconvenient. Museums play a significant role in shaping cultural narratives. Their exhibitions and collections often reflect only White Eurocentric values and histories. In the past, non-European items were actively excluded, or relegated to the status of the primitive. Even if that is no longer the case, it is crucial to actively collect from a diverse perspective and not one of white supremacy. It is important to keep in mind that museums are educational providers, hence, diversity is crucial.
In summary, museums act as cultural and social gatekeepers by influencing how individuals and communities perceive and engage with their cultural heritage. Their role extends beyond preservation, encompassing education, representation, and shaping the broader narratives that contribute to the identity of a society.
MAckin House
Mackin House was constructed as a residence for the second highest ranking manager of the Canadian Western Lumber co. Ltd. (Fraser Mills) circa 1909. From 1909 to 1914, Henry Mackin, the General Sales Manager, and his family lived in the house which was later named Mackin House after its first occupant.
Household Servants
Household servants during the Edwardian Era took on a wide variety of roles. In larger homes, there was a stratification of live-in servants with many different rankings. The Housekeeper, or the head of female service staff, and the Butler, the head of the male service staff, were at the top of this hierarchy. In smaller, middle class homes, a “maid of all work” was usually employed. She would take care of all the tasks usually associated with maids of the time. Maids and other servants awoke many hours before the family of the house to prepare the home for them. These jobs included lighting fires to heat the home, ensuring everything was clean, and preparing breakfast. Other meals would also have to be prepared, as well as after-noon tea, alongside its accompaniments. Maids and other servants were typically paid very little, at times, their clothes cost more than their salary. Servants were also expected to remain unmarried as it was thought that a spouse or partner would distract them from their duties. In the 1800s, around one-third of servants were male, but by the late 19th century this had changed and now 90 per cent of servants were female. Before 1900, Domestic service was the most common form of employment for women.
Toku Kitagami
The 1921 census reveals that during this time Henry Mackin had a Japanese servant by the name of Zogo Kitagum. She was married, around 38 years old and born in Japan. She arrived in Canada in 1917. She did not live with the Mackin family but rented a house presumably at Fraser Mills. Her income was around $400 per year. Not much is known about her and the little information that exists is not conclusive. Some records point to a Toku Kitagami (age 37) who arrived from Yokohama in 1917 in Victoria with her son Takuichiro (age 12). The name Zogo Kitagum might be a misspelling. In some records, the Z resembles more of a T. Spelling mistakes are not uncommon in older documents. Racist attitudes of the day also resulted in carelessness when it came to non-European names, or at times a blatant disregard and often stereotypical names are assigned. For example, Sikh workers were often assigned the wrong name “Muslim” simply followed by a number, for each individual. Another house servant in the employ of Henry Mackin was Louisa Seguine (Rochon), she later worked for the mill superintendent, Mr. Ryan. In the book Coquitlam 100 her son Albert Seguine speaks about the family’s experience living and working in Coquitlam and Fraser Mills.
History of Packaging Design
Innovations
Today we have a large array of custom plastic bottles, tubes and containers. Before World War 2 none of these packing styles existed. Most packaging was serving primarily as a means of protecting food. In some cases, customers would bring their containers. After WW2 pent-up consumer demand and an increase in disposable income created more demand. Together with industrial advances such as lithography in the 19th century, advances in creating plastic packaging became more elaborate and visually appealing. Digital print technologies allow for more intricate designs, vibrant colours, and detailed graphics.
Companies recognized the power of visual appeal in attracting consumers, which in turn led to the rise of branded packaging and distinctive logos. Functionality was no longer the primary concern instead the marketing appeal was more important.
Customer enticement has become a science, with packaging designed to stand out on crowded shelves, convey brand identity, and communicate product benefits.
Problematic Packaging
With increased ecological awareness of customers, companies are to produce more ecologically sound packaging and non-oil-based inks.
Many companies have come under fire for greenwashing their products and packaging. In 2008 Starbucks released a strawless lid as part of the sustainability drive, but the new lid contained more plastic than the old combination of lid and straw.
Some packaging has become iconic and is recognized by most consumers, and examples are Kellogg’s Tony the Tiger, Quaker Oats and many others.
However, some historical packaging designs have perpetuated racist stereotypes, such as the controversial Aunt Jemima imagery. The use of racial caricatures on packaging reflects a darker aspect of history, reinforcing harmful prejudices. Nancy Green was the real-life person behind Aunt Jemima Tower she never saw adequate compensation for her recipes and the use of her likeness. Only the actions of the Black Lives Matter movement promoted the company to remove the image.
1894 caricature of Nancy Green. By R.T. Davis Mill Company - Early Advertising of the West Collection, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76439836
Green as Aunt Jemima. In 1910 she was working as housekeeper, she was killed in a traffic accident and buried in a pauper grave in Chicago in 1923. By A. B. Frost - source url, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2490978
The Hoosier Cabinet
Late 1800s and early 1900s houses seldom boasted built-in cabinetry. The absence of integrated storage solutions prompted the rise of innovative furniture like the Hoosier Cabinet. Hoosier Cabinets not only addressed the need for storage but also introduced efficiency and organization, revolutionizing the way households operated. The Hoosier Cabinet Company, founded 1889, was located in Indiana. The word Hoosier is a slang term for people from Indiana. The Hoosier Cabinet featured a metal work surface, a set of drawer and cupboards below, and a cabinet that could store many different sized jars, perfect for keeping spices, flour, sugar, or preserves. The cabinet proved to be the company’s best selling item, as soon, they shifted production to focus solely on it.
By 1903, the Hoosier Cabinet Company had created an assembly line in order to mass produce the cabinets. By 1920, 2 million units had been sold, this meant that 1 in 10 households had a Hoosier Cabinet. At its peak, the company was making upwards of 700 cabinets in a single day. Success of the company has been attributed to a robust dealer network and an adoption of effective advertising. The company placed ads in magazines popular with housewives in order to better reach their target demographic.
Many other companies, mostly from Indiana also began to manufacture similar cabinets, these all began to be called Hoosier Cabinets. They often differed in minor ways, some were on casters, while others had solid legs. In the 1930s, the Great Depression, combined with more homes being built with kitchen cabinets forced many of the Hoosier Cabinet manufacturers out of business. Beginning in the late 80s, with a publication on the restoration of Hoosier Cabinets, a resurgence of the furniture took place. They began to sell at auctions for thousands of dollars, many people found uses for the cabinets in their homes. Some companies even make modern versions of the Hoosier Cabinet.
Food in the 1980s
The 1980s brought about many new ways of cooking that made it easier than ever to put food on the table. The 80s were a bustling time, and people were less willing to spend hours on a large dinner every night. While simple dishes using canned food such as Green Bean Casserole or Pork Chops in Onion Soup existed before, they, like many other easy to make recipes found popularity during the 1980s.
The microwave oven contributed to this, being an easy way to make dinner faster. Although TV dinners had existed since the 1950s, 1986 saw the first microwave safe frozen meal invented. Since freezers were very common in homes, the ability to freeze leftovers made meals like the Sloppy Joe and excellent choice that made a later meal easier.
Other meals featured spins on classics, like Pizza cooked on bread instead of a pizza dough. Most of these dishes made it easier to put dinner on the table, with less time needed. People had less time to make dinners, with more women having to spend more time in the workplace, as the 1980s brought about new opportunities for careers.
Bedroom
This is one of the home’s bedrooms, specifically the children’s bedroom. The other bedrooms have been converted to exhibit spaces, although this one remains as a display depicting what a bedroom was like during the 1980s.
The 1980s were a revolutionary time for young people. More women were able to attain higher levels of education, as such, many middle class families saw both parents working, this led to more children with free time to themselves after school hours, or during school breaks.
The 1980s saw the first widely available computers and video games in the home. Where previous generations did not. Other forms of entertainment remained popular for youth though, including sports, television, print media, and music.
Other popular hobbies of the 1980s included activities like crochet. Gaining popularity in the 1970s, this new generation of crochet featured vibrant colours and patterns. Trading cards were another popular pastime of the 1980s, featuring sports players most commonly, however many different themes and sets were available.
This room is not intended to represent a single person, but rather to showcase many elements of how people of different races and genders may have decorated their bedrooms.
Centennial Video
The video playing was produced in 1989 by the Centennial High School Media class. This film features their takes on popular advertisements and news footage of the late 1980s.
Homework
Homework has been accepted or rejected by parents, students, and educators at various times throughout the 20th century. Several movements appeared in the early 1900s to ban homework, with the state of California effectively abolishing it. Homework became popular again in the 1950s, as pressure to compete with the Soviet Union ramped up. As well as in the 1980s, following the publication of A Nation at Risk, a report which received widespread attention in 1983, claiming that American schools were failing in significant ways. Part of the reforms that came out of this included an increase in homework for students.
Booklets
These booklets are stories about growing up as a teenager during the 1980s and what it was like to be Black during that time. Feel free to read them.
Media Room
James Groening’s Art
James Groening, known also as Blue Sky, is a Cree artist from the Kahkewistahaw Band, Turtle Island, based now in Burnaby. James was adopted by his white grandparents, during the Sixties Scoop, a series of large-scale seizure of indigenous children from their families, with them being forced into child welfare and into white foster families, or into Residential Schools. James re-united with his birth mother at age 24, learning the other half of his name, Lost in Time. James was eager to reclaim his lost culture, finding a love for the woodland art style, he briefly apprenticing with Ojibway artist Mark Anthony Jacobson, who taught him to paint.
James’ artwork works to help him learn and teach about his cultural identity. James has had his artwork exhibited at the Arts Council of New Westminster, Skwachays Lodge Aboriginal Hotel and Gallery, and the Massey Arts Society. James has also led several Turtle Legend workshops in New Westminster.
Nostalgia Section
Many beloved pieces of 1980s media are on display here. The 1980s saw many form of media able to flourish in North America. Mixed tapes and the compilation of music became widely available with people able to record their favourite songs onto cassette tapes. The Walkman and other portable cassette players allowed for music on the go. Originally made possible in the 1970s, the 1980s saw an explosion of new mixed tapes.
VHS and camcorders made the recording of home videos possible as well. With home video setups able to playback these tapes. The availability of VHS made other forms of media possible, such as the ubiquitous home workout tapes.
Video games made their way out of the arcade and into the home for the first time. Consoles like the ATARI 2600 pioneered the home console market. Following the video game crash, Nintendo and SEGA came to dominate the market into the 1990s.