Millet Community Hall
At the end of the block, turn right (north) onto 51 Street. Notice to your left the old Community Hall. The Millet Board of Trade built the Community Hall in 1950-51. The first event was a dance held on June 27, 1951 when the building was not yet complete. The Legacy mural on the front was constructed for Millet's 100th Birthday. It is titled "Community Spirit" and displays the 1917 Pinyon's Hall on the left, which was the first community center provided by a local entrepreneur. The right side displays the current Community Hall as well as dancers and vehicles of the 1950's. The hall continues to be used for many functions. See plaque for more information.
From 1917-1942, people came from Miles around to attend dances, concerts, plays, minstrel shows, and movies at Pinyons Hall.
The Orchestra (many times formed by local families) took a one hour break at midnight. The dancers then went for coffee at one of Millet's restaurants that had stayed open to accomodate the crowd.
Fred Pinyon's family had arrived and settled west of Millet in 1900. In 1910, Mr. Pinyon cut and hauled logs from Pigeon Lake to build a two-storey structure at 5016-49 Ave. The Pinyon Family resided on street level while social functions took place in the hall on the upper level.
In 1942 the Hall was sold and demolished.
On June 27, 1951, three hundred people attended the first dance held at the new Millet Community Hall. The Millet Board of Trade had purchased the site at 5107-50 Avenue in 1949. The members formed a building committee and a community canvas for funds and pledges took place. Raffles, Dances, Sports Days, Winter Carnivals, Community Auctions and Suppers were held as well. Construction of the Hall was done largely by Volunteers.
Over time Local Organizations and the Town of Millet undertook projects to modernize the Hall and to provide furnishings and other necessities.
This building stands as a relection of the vision and dedication of yesterdays volunteers.
Note: This hall is no longer in use and the new Millet Community Hall is located within the Millet School building.
Community Spirit Mural
Early in 2003, the Millet Town Council Established a Visual Arts Committee to create legacy murals to preserve the rich heritage of the Millet Community as well as to commemorate Millet's Centennial year (1903-2003). On August 1, 2003 the Mural on this building was dedicated to observe Millet's 100th Birthday Celebration.
The committee commissioned artist Ray Bindr to paint a mural that would depict a typical social activity held in Pinyon's Hall (1917-1942) as well as one in the community Hall after 1951. On the left side of the mural are shown car models and clothing worn in the time of Pinyon's Hall, and on the right side are car models driven and clothing styles worn that depict the time of the Community Hall beginning in the 1950s. Dancers of both time periods meet at the center of the mural to enjoy the popular ballroom dancing that took place during the first century of Millet's existence.