The Westbank Museum started as the retirement dream of Claire and Billee Small. Claire decided that his retirement project would be to create a museum for Westbank artifacts and antiques to save as much as he could for the future.  After years of frustration, delays, and disappointments, his dream was brought to fruition in October 1978 when Mr. Small received a Young Canada Works grant and permission that half an acre of his property could be donated to use as a home for the Museum. The grant allowed him to hire five young people for seventeen weeks to do the work required.