McLean Mill National Historic Site is a steam-operated

Steam engine

A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...

 sawmill

Sawmill

A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....

 on Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...

, officially open to tourists since July 1, 2000.

History

The mill originally ran as a family operated saw-milling business from 1926 to 1965. The original plot of land was purchased by Robert Bartlett ("R.B.") McLean, and he moved there with his wife Cora, and his three sons Arnold, Philip, and Walter.

The business was eventually taken over by Arnold, who then passed on the business to his son Howard McLean, who ran it until its closing in 1965. One of the main reasons for its closing was competition from the larger lumber

Lumber

Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....

companies in the area.