HISTORY & CULTURE
SPARWOOD MUSEUM
The Michel Natal Sparwood Heritage Society is dedicated to preserving and sharing the histories of Sparwood, Corbin, Michel, Middletown, Natal and Sparwood.
140 million years ago, long necked herbivorous dinosaurs walked along the shores of an ancient lake in what is now the southeast region of British Columbia. Following this herd of gentle giants, was a pack of large predatory dinosaurs. Like lions following wildebeest across the plains, the dinosaurs waited for an opportunity to feed on the weak, old and injured in the herd.
Fast forward to today and this lakeshore is now a mountaintop region near Sparwood known as Line Creek. Amazingly, the ancient tracks from this drama were perfectly preserved and were recently uncovered during exploratory activities. Follow the trail for yourself in the Sparwood Museum’ s fascinating new permanent Jurassic Exhibit.
The community of Michel was founded in 1897 and named after Chief Michel of the Ktunaxa Nation. The first residents
32 were the miners who came to work in the nearby coal mines, and quickly the town grew to over 1,500 people with businesses, schools, and churches. More settlements followed at Middletown, Natal and‘ up the Valley.’ In the 1960s, the provincial government made the decision to create a new community at Sparwood and a decade of challenges followed as residents fought for new homes and to protect their livelihoods. The last remaining building in Michel – the Michel Hotel – was abandoned in 2005 and demolished in 2010.
141b Aspen Drive | 250-425-0560 Sparwoodmuseum. ca
Summer Hours: May 20 – September 1, 2025 Open Daily 10 am – 6 pm Fridays until 6:30 pm at the Sparwood Farmer’ s Market.