Mesachie Lake: A Brief History

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​​Carlton Stone was born in 1877 in England and immigrated to Canada in 1908 arriving on Vancouver Island in 1910.  He was 33 years old and looking to build his own company in the logging industry.  Near the area of Fairbridge in British Columbia, Canada, he built a small steam powered mill and there developed a unique way of moving the logs from the woods to the sawmill.  He had horses pull empty rail cars up to where the logging took place and then with the use of a hand brake, the loaded cars were manoeuvred downhill to the sawmill.

 

He operated that mill for 7 years but the timber was running out in that location, so in 1917 the mill was moved to Sahtlam and that gave him wider access to railway transportation (E & N) and a worldwide market.   As well, he incorporated his company as Hillcrest Lumber Company at that time.  Also at this time, he designed a gas powered form of truck which was used on the rails bringing out the timber.  Within 10 years he was one of the biggest companies on Vancouver Island.  Annually the company cut 45 million board feet of lumber and employing over 300 men.  Again, at Sahtlam, as at Fairbridge, the timber became scarce so another move was planned.

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This time he decided to move the company to Mesachie Lake and subsequently created the town called Mesachie Lake for his workers in 1942.  This area had been logged earlier and now had excellent second growth forest.  There was room to build the mill, cookhouses, logging equipment storage, and the new town with a school, Church, community hall, playing fields and most importantly housing for the workers.  Over 100 acres were cleared, leveled and surveyed for these buildings.  The streets were laid out, water mains and sewers were installed and a power station built.  Around 60 families lived in Mesachie Lake.  The houses were almost all company owned and rented to the employees.  The company maintained the streets, houses, hall and Church.  The water system was both chlorinated and fluoridated and a sewage system served the whole village.  The mill site incorporated a new design which allowed for roominess and efficiency.  As well, brand new and up to date machinery was installed while still utilizing some of the older machinery.

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In 1942, everything that could be moved from Sahtlam was taken up to Mesachie Lake and reconstructed, along with the erection of so many new buildings.  When the mill as Sahtlam stopped, the machinery was moved and the first sawn lumber was produced in Mesachie Lake in August, 1943.

There were times when the power house at Mesachie Lake produced enough power for both the mill and townsite and on occasion helped the Village of Lake Cowichan if their plant was broken down or overloaded.

As Carlton Stone’s family of 6 children (5 boys, 1 girl: Hector, Norman, Gordon, and twins Peter and Paul; Auriol) grew up, all the boys became involved in the day to day operations of the mill.  And as such, Hillcrest was often referred to as a “family operation”.  

 

Hector was President and general manager, Gordon was mill manager, Peter was assistant manager, Paul was Superintendent of mechanical affairs and Norman was the gang mill night shift manager.   Due to the exceptional relationship between management and the employees, a large number of employees had long service records with Hillcrest.   Carlton Stone was a very civic minded individual and along with the financing of CMHC in the late 40’s, was responsible for over 100 homes being built in Lake Cowichan.

The Stones, Carlton and his wife Ellen were very involved in St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Duncan as well as St. Christopher’s in Mesachie Lake.  He also gave very generously to Queen Margaret’s school chapel.  Carlton Stone passed away on October 10, 1950, one day before his 73rd birthday.  Mrs. Stone passed away on July 27, 1959.

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The mill continued operating until August 6, 1968 when it closed, as timber in that area was no longer available.  The machinery in the mill was auctioned off and what was left of the original wood sawmill building was intentionally burned to the ground in 1970.  Only 3 buildings remain standing to this day, the original office (now a caretaker’s home), the old garage (now a maintenance building) and the old dry lumber storage shed, now rebuilt and converted to a hall gymnasium/meeting building.

There is still a small town of Mesachie Lake remaining to this day and the little community continues to thrive.    Where the mill once stood on the lake shores, there is now a religious summer camp.  Given Carlton’s lifelong devotion to his Church and his love of children, this seems a particularly fitting solution.