The former Campbell Woolen Mill building originally was built in 1872 as the Almonte Furniture Company by Messrs. Kirby and Bennett and was known locally as the KirBen Building. In September of 1876 The Almonte Furniture Factory had a large fire and the town wanted it to be rebuilt even if it was thought due to indifferent management and heavy loss the furniture factory would have to close down. The shares in the company were so low that shareholders were willing going to dispose them for 30 cents on the dollar.
It may well be imagined then that the fire left little hope remaining of the factory ever regaining its proper basis. Not so, however, for the fire seems to have aroused the business men of the place to the necessity. If Almonte was still to retain the proud name of being the “Canadian…
This being an Olympic year, Almonte is moving in to grab a piece of the action. The Almonte Legion Little Olympics they plan to call it and It’s scheduled for July I, Dominion Day, 1968 at a 50-acr site built to official Olympic specifications. ‘The Almonte Legion has sponsored a July 1 track and field meet at this Ottawa Valley town 30 miles southwest of Ottawa for the past three years; and it has grown in size and quality every year on til in 1967 more than 200 of Ontario’s top athletes took part.
Runners, pole vaulters and hop-step-and-jumpers from all over the Valley and as far away as Toronto took part. Ottawa sent the Uplands Harriers and Olympia club members. In gearing this summer’s event for national recognition by the Amateur Athletes- Little Athletic Union as…
Johnny Erskine pulls another head of celery from the basket and, without losing rhythm, pitches a browning stalk into the “o u t” pile. ‘ If I wasn’t at work I’d be dead,” he says with his trademark grin. “ I get tired o f sleeping, tired o f eating and sitting around, I like to keep busy,” And though the man works away on this day as if ii were any other back in the produce preparation room at the Almonte IGA , he’s aware of ihe interviewer, and cocks his brow higher with each passing question.
“I think you’ve got more writing there than you know what to do with,” Johnny says, looking from the celery stalk to the interviewer’s face and back. And then he flashes that grin that’s been with him for all…
Pakenham downtown thanks to Marilyn Snedden via the collection of Margie Argue and her late brother Dan Paige–read-Pakenham Community CentrePhotos
Do you ever watch a movie, set in a small town where people go into a restaurant or pass each other on the street and greet each other? You wish for instant that you lived in a town like that and Almonte is that with the Superior Restaurant and Pakenham is that sort of town with the Centennial. That is what these restaurants should be best known for. It is the place where families gather, where people go after church, where the guys gather before they go hunting. It’s where people greet one another when they walk in the door. For a moment you can feel like you belong and just take in the laid-back friendliness. Let’s keep these restaurants alive!!!!
This is my great grandmother Mary I knew this existed and my sister finally found it Thanks Deb!
Mary was a very independent woman when she left for the West. She left her 3 young daughters with their Dad When I was young a family from the west would always visit and stay at the farm It took me years to figure out the connection.
My grandmother gave my daughter Tami this basket When Mary passed this was what my grandmother received from her Mother.
Not sure if there were items in the basket My grandmother Ruby gave it to Tami to use as a bed for her baby bunny rabbit When I found out the history of the basket I confiscated from Bunny immediately Lol
As a family we have virtually nothing of our Great Grandmother so each piece of her is precious But the gift that she gave us were her three daughters and son We spent many happy hours visiting Aunt Edith and Aunt Lizzie and Uncle Johnny and their families That is the greatest gift of all.
Willard (October 9, 1917 – October 4, 1956) (son) Mary (January 23, 1886 – March 7, 1964) (mother) (Pioneers) Mary James came alone fromLanark, Ontario to the OBED area where she had a little store. At OBED she met Duncan Carmichael whom later bought a dairy in Hinton on the east side of Hardisty Creek. The Hinton Dairy was run by Mary James and her son Willard. The land was then sold to Vic Webb. The farm house on the James Ranch was the old Bliss station which was originally located near the current Brick at 566 Switzer Drive. This farm house is now located at 187 Mountain Street. Willard married Marie Woodley and lived in Hinton until his death in 1956. Mary also remained here and looked after Mr. Carmichael until his death. She also passed away in Hinton.
The Lanark County Genealogical Society is very honoured to have been sent this and to be able to publish it.
This is the history written by my deceased Mother Evelyn Gemmill and updated to present by myself for the 150thCelebration last year of The Snow Road Community Centre. Sharon Dowdall also did a wonderful presentation on Snow Road and the school.
Thank you for your wonderful page on Facebook. I really enjoy reading all the history of the area.
Sincerely,
Elaine (Gemmill) DeLisle
Elphin, ON
History of McLaren’s Depot–Written by Evelyn Gemmill and Elaine DeLisle
Lot 11 Con 11 Palmerston, Frontenac County Ontario
Property: Believed to be bought from the Crown by Gillies Lumber Co. who took McLaren on as a partner and later sold to him hence the name McLaren’s Depot. McLaren sold to Canada Lumber Co. in 1880 who sold to…
There is a tale that has been told time and time again that a local man insisted he receive a tax break because his home was full of ghosts. He argued to the town tax collector that the existence of ghosts lowered his property values. Of course the home owner didn’t sleep there, but two of his tenants agreed with his story and said the ghost downstairs did silly things like holding the door open or holding people. But one woman sits night after night in the kitchen hearing things that she does not see, and in all honesty she is quite bored of the whole ordeal. The woman is certain the ghost downstairs is an elderly woman as she has seen her outside in the summer and wears a headdress and costume of the Queen Anne period.
The house was built for a former mayor and secret passage ways…
Perth Burying Grounds, Perth, Ontario that day when my outfit ‘bled” lol
“Au Gratin” Ramblings from Linda
Linda Knight Seccaspina
This week my friend Bobby Lyons from Cincinnati posted a Facebook ad that Walmart in the United States is now selling “Funeral Potatoes”. I was gobsmacked to learn that this beloved old recipe was now being sold in the Walmart frozen aisles.
Believe it or not, “Funeral Potatoes’’ is not actually the technical name–it’s usually called Cheesy Potato Casserole in your recipe Rolodex. This casserole is often found served with ham on festive holiday dinner tables as well as luncheons following funerals which is how they got their name.
Why are funeral potatoes so delicious? I chalk it up to the heartfelt care and sympathy with which they’re prepared. In reality, you’re eating tons of carbs and fats which do make us quite happy. Though they have a sombre name; Funeral Potatoes are truly the ultimate comfort food to show your support and sympathy for a grieving family.
To make them yourself, you could follow the Pioneer Woman’s go-to funeral potatoes recipe on the internet. There are countless variations of the casserole-type side dish, but the general recipe calls for: ‘taters’, cheese, some kind of cream soup, sour cream, and a crunchy top made of breadcrumbs or potato chips. While you are at The Pioneer Woman website also hasa funeral cooking episode you might want to take a gander at.
Of course this reminds me of an elderly friend that was cremated and I went to the services to pay my respects. As I inched my way up to the Urn that held the departed ashes I heard an elderly man say as he glanced at her remains.
“You know looking at her now she seems to be a lot smaller than I remembered.”
Last summer while shopping in a store in Perth,ON. someone looked at my hands and asked if I’d been to the doctor to see about my circulation problem. I gave them a quick look. My hands were as blue as the ocean from my outfit and I knew if my hands looked like that my face probably had shades of blue dye on it too. Admittedly, it was probably because the poorly dyed black lace jacket caught in the rainstorm stained my face and hands.
Like so many afflictions, dye leaks don’t discriminate by age, location or background and it can strike anyone at any time. Parked outside of the Perth Old Burying Grounds I looked in the car rear view mirror to see if any of the blue dye was on my face. I shrieked in horror that in exactly 5 minutes I was expected to join the Mahon Family Reunion at the Old Burying Grounds as a speaker. I looked like I had died with shades of black and blue around my eyes and cheeks. Also wearing a traditional black Victorian Mourning outfit this was not a good look for a cemetery! With a very used Kleenex I attempted to get the ‘death warmed over’ look off my face.
According to the web the only cure for this situation is to wash your garment inside out, three or four times, in cold water before you wear it. Never, and I repeat never, wear something like that on a rainy day and never put your stained hands on your face.
How did black turn into navy blue? Seems that good-quality black dyes were not known until the middle of the 14th century. The black dyes produced were often more grey, brown or bluish. Also, and still done today they first dye the fabric dark blue, and then dye it black.
Anyway, it was all fine, no one thought I had climbed out of any plot in that cemetery, and that night at the buffet line some older gentleman looked at me quite intently. As he heaped huge spoonfuls of Funeral Potatoes on his plate he said, and quite seriously I may add,
“I like you, because I like my women like I like my potatoes, Cheezy and Au Gratin!”
Every member of the crew received a small version of the large poster. The large one was three to four feet in size. It was in the front window of McCann’s Billiard Hall right into the late 1960’s when, I believe, the Pool Hall closed. This was likely the most honoured location in town for it.
As the victory was national in scale and since most of the crew went to war in a year or two, the townspeople must have felt very special about the crew members.
Anyone who’s ever paddled in a good war canoe team will know about the pain and bonding which comes with the synchronicity of the strokes over a long distance. There are no heroes. Every paddler is equal and must dig deep on every stroke.
Marlene Springer When we had the parade for John Edwards I remember I brought my air horn to the parade and I think I emptied the HOLE CANISTER the town was SO PROUD (1972)
This is the first Carleton Place Canoe Club’s all woman’s war canoe crew. Darlene Page’s grandfather was the coach–Her aunt’s also in the photo too (lady girl on the right) Her grandfather, Clarence Waugh, was in the middle standing. Darlene’s Aunt’s name was Deloris Agnel, maiden name Julian. The year would be 1940s
Men’s 1/2 Mile and Mile War Canoe team, Carleton Place Canoe Club 1907. Members were: (Left Side, looking toward the front of the canoe) H. Morphy, A. McCaw, W. Hunter, A. Dunlop, J. Winthrope, M. Lamb, A, Robertson. (Right Side) C. Lamb, W. Knox, J. Hockenall, M. Ryan, F. Milliken, G. Gordon, N. McGregor, A. Keyworth (capt.). The Carleton Place Canoe Club is visible behind the canoe and to the left is a house that was torn down, and the Navy Corps building is now in that location.
Jack Shail, Jeremy Bell, Marty Laskaris, Shane Edwards, Peter McGregor, Richard Cook, Mike Roy, Logan Trafford, Roger Gardiner. Shaking hands with Jack Shail is “Bunny” Bond. Brother of Joey and a member of the Canadian Champion war canoe of 1920. He and the Sinclair brothers always came to the annual regatta.
This image from the 1920 Canadian Canoe Association Regatta shows the war canoe team reaching shore. Events took place at Lake Park on Mississippi Lake. “Carleton Place proved a genuine surprise in the CCA Regatta held here today. The Junction town humbled the haughty Parkdales in the half mile war canoe race in a magnificent finish and were second in the mile. the romped away in the Senior Fours in another stirring finish.” – Ottawa Evening Journal, August 9, 1920.
First photo Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Second photo Below–Wendy Healey–The picture you have posted with the girls war canoe has Lisa and Louise Armour, Heather Kneen, Tracey Mills, Deanna Barry, Julie Kirkpatrick, Linda Black. Probably in the back may be myself, Wendy Armstrong, Catherine Elliot, Margot Findlay, Debbie Hine, Louise Hine etc. The war canoe changed every year…
Did you know that the Canoe Club held weekly sports in front of their club house at the foot of Charles Street: tilting jousts, four man canoe racing against the war canoe crew, crab and gunwale races were some of the events staged.
This hand drawn map from 1888, shows details of the Caldwell Property, which later became Riverside Park. It’s very interesting. The building marked as “Carriage and blacksmith shops” later served as the Canoe Club headquarters.–Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum-Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
This amazing postcard was part of a recent donation. Wow! It’s a composite photo by Hammond Studios of Carleton Place, and celebrates the 1907 Carleton Place Canoe Club War Canoe CHAMPIONS OF CANADA!
The C.C.A. was held in Montreal that year, and the C.P.C.C. decisively took the half mile and the mile War Canoe events.
The town organized a “grand procession” for the boys when they returned. “Headed by the Citizen’s Band, Commodore Cram, the Mayor and council, club patrons, the victorious crew paraded from the clubhouse to town hall in a handsomely decorated and illuminated carriage, followed by a crowd of citizens and about 200 boys with torches, many in costume. The town hall was packed in every part – it was jammed inside and outside. By the time the procession arrived pandemonium reigned. ” Carleton Place Herald, Aug. 20, 1907
1977..Dartmouth…Canadian Championships…Ivan and I were going up to the Start….Frank Mills was on the balcony of the MicMac Club as we passed…he heard people laughing and guffawing about us as we passed by……we won Sr. Men’s C2 1000m by open water…. John Edwards
lindaseccaspina 