Mural #25 Waiting for the Whistle

On a quiet Saturday afternoon in November 1923, a massive and violent fire consumed the entire roof of the third Chemainus mill and the structure collapsed. In the spring of 1924, much to the relief of the townspeople, the foundations were laid for a new mill, to be known as one of the largest of its kind in the world. It was not until 1940, however, that a new whistle was installed on the roof of the fourth mill.

The central theme of this expansive tryptic is that of the mill and its workers anticipating the end of the shift with the sounding of the handsomely crafted steam-operated whistle. Somber greens and blues mark the dying light of an evening in summer.

To the right is another portrait of mill workers assembling and installing the new mill whistle in 1940, set against a sepia-like reproduction of the mill’s bull saw. During its heyday, the fourth mill was an example of efficiency and productivity, and was renowned for its size and modernity. The whistle was retired with the mill in the early 1980’s, and is now on display in the Chemainus Valley Museum.