Your Wilma Stevens post this morning brought back a “flood” of memories. This time of year my brother Tedd and I would be spending most of the summer at Tom and Wilma’s cottage-at Longview Island on Mississippi Lake, opposite Squaw Point on the 9th line of Beckwith. The original cottage was built in 1938 I believe and included a wood shed, an ice house, and an outhouse with a boathouse on the mainland accessed from the 9th line. The Nichols owned half the island and later built a cottage on a point facing the mainland which they made available to relatives. It was recently listed for sale as “170 Longview Island” although, it has been substantially renovated and updated from what I remember as a boy! Read So Who was Wilma Stevens of Carleton Place? Nichols Family History
Following Uncle Tom’s death, the cottages and land were sold to Harry Probert who had plans for sub dividing the property and selling lots. I don’t know the circumstances surrounding subsequent events but the cottage and a portion of the land became the property of Tom’s son, Bill. He owned it for a number of years and subsequently sold the main cottage and what property remained to the current owner. Mr. Probert Was able to sell a lot to Mike and Irene Papworth (nee Chamney) and I believe the cottage on the point to the Sample family from Richmond. You must remember that I was not in Carleton Place during these later years, so my recollections are second hand and therefore probably not accurate.
In later years, Aunt Wilma lived her final years in the seniors residence at 126 Sussex Street.
By the way my mother’s name was Viola not Violet..
I grew up, ages 7 to 12 years old, living in the apartments in the former hotel that is prominent in the first photo (Snedden Hotel). During our youth, we spent a lot of time at the station and not on rare occasions earning the wrath of Mr. Mitchell for climbing the Norway Maples that lined Miguel Street.Mr. Dunphy was in charge of the Express/Baggage as assisted by Mr. Simpson in Express and Joe Hawkins in Baggage. *Mr. Raeburn was the Station Master (he lived on Lake Avenue east in your current home (Springside Hall). Ted Lemaistre worked the telegraph and assisted Mr. Raeburn.Trains ran through Carleton Place beginning at about 2:30 a.m. with the Trans Continental from the West ending the day about 9:30 p.m. with the final Toronto Pool train.The Ottawa newspapers arrived in Carleton Place aboard the 4:30 Toronto Pool Train and all the carrier boys congregated in the express area to get their papers for distribution throughout the town. Later Mr. Paul won the contract from the newspaper and delivered the papers to the back of Ernie Foote’s Photography that was on Bridge Street about three doors south of the Queens Hotel.
The Words of Gord Cross
I, too, lived in this building for a year or so. When we moved to CP in 1944 we rented the house at 16 Rochester St. Dad was the salesman for Canada Packers in the area. In ‘48 the owners of the Rochester house decided to move back so we had to get out in May. There being no rentals available we rented a cottage at Lake Park and my sister Gwen and I rode our bikes to school each day. I was in Central and she was at CPHS. That fall we moved into this building then later into the Pye house on the other side of the tracks almost opposite to the station. While in the apartment I played with a new bunch of kids, often being chased away from the station where we enjoyed the luggage wagons. One of the group was Deanne Buffam who years later came to Renfrew as Deanne Dunlop (her daughter was actually our doctor’s nurse, and moved into the home adjacent to mine. Small world.
Snedden Hotel on Moore Street (Franktown Road)– the building across the street used to house a rag business and was The Grand Central Hotel.. Photo-Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museumcomment symbol icon
Bill RussellTammy Marion Mike and Kit. Played slot cars in the huge front room on many occasions with Kit.
Ruth SawdonYvonne Robillard That would be them, I babysat the boys when they lived on Moore St. in the long row house beside the dairy. Their dad, Johnny Morgan was a brick layer. Really nice people.
Sarah PhillipsMy parents lived here when they got married and always refer to the building as ‘Morgans’
Anne CramptonRemember when Rick Rick Heather Deschamps lived in that house, long ago.
Tom MontreuilMorgan sold it years ago .miss Morgan passed a couple years back and sadly Chris had a heart attack and left us a short time ago spent a lot of time in that house as a young lad with Chris miss him was a great freind
Dale CostelloLived in this home as A very young lad. Also delivered the Toronto Star and The Star Weekly. Not sure if I made a profit or not as street hockey was number one nightly.
As a follow up to Ray’s comments on the side door – prior to my grandparents moving to Down Street, they may have occupied the same lower apartment. My mother shown here, is off to nursing school in Connecticut circa 1925 sitting on the same side door steps.
Andrew Elliott
Did you know that this building still has the original painted sign on its side, but only when the sun shines in a certain angle? We have a photo of this that shows up in one of the photo collections at Library and Archives Canada. This place deserves some recognition and some tender loving care! 🙂
Photo Janice Tennant Campbell– McNaughton Farm in Beckwith-
Photo- Janice Tennant Campbell Campbell–7th Line of Beckwith near Tennyson. McNaughton family
Ray Paquette ––One summer I was spending the evening at the Old Cheese Factory in Tennyson that the late Len Coleman had turned into a place for teenagers from the cottages and others to hang out and dance to a juke box. Len called me over (he knew me through my mother) and introduced me to Murray McNaughton who was looking for some help during thrashing that was about to begin. We came to an agreement and I went home with him to spend the night.
The next morning I began by stooking sheaves in the field that can be seen at the left of the house. It was a fascinating experience for me particularly when Mr. McNaughton showed me the remains of my mother’s family homestead which was cross the 7th Line road. The McNaughton farm was probably close to being the last farm that harvested their grain crops using a reaper and a thrashing machine. I have often looked back on those few days with fondness because of the traditional methods that were used which have long since been replaced by self-propelled combines..
Dale Costello—Spent many a summer evening dancing the night away at the cheese factory. Favourite dancing partner was Ann Fentiman.
Janice Tenant Campbell Photo-
Hi Linda
Here is one of the photos I told you about.
Duncan McNaughton on the back. His son, Lawrence (my maternal grandfather) standing beside the wheel.
Lawrence’s 2 oldest children my Aunt Edith and Uncle Lloyd sitting.
This would have been taken about 1928 or so. Jan Tennant Campbell
Photo from the Canadian files- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Janice Tennant CampbellThat is my Uncle LLoyd McNaughton! I think it was taken at Tennyson store and the lady was the owner. I have this clipping somewhere. I’ll see if I can find it.
The caption says : Owner Elaine Taylor chats with local resident Lloyd McNaughton outside her store, formerly a cheese factory.
Not playing a full deck these days so this morning I spent time making sure I had documented all comments on The Tales of Carleton Place so history can be preserved-keep commenting and sending me memories at sav_77@yahoo.com. Thanks again everyone!!
Memories of Ray Paquette
Thomas E. Nichols was the grandson of Abner Nichols and son of W.A. Nichols whose lumber business took up most of the south east Moore Street and Lake Avenue as well as a good portion of the Carleton Place Mews that borders Landsdowne Avenue.
There was also a lumber yard and saw dust disposal site at the location of the current Farmer’s Market. The business went into bankruptcy in the late 1950’s and the assets were scooped up by Ronnie Waugh who reopened the business as W&S Building Supplies. My Uncle Tom and Aunt Wilma lived at the north east corner of Queen and Lake Avenue East in the large frame house that has a large addition on the eastern side, created by the current owners
Ottawa Journal Ad
Roy Gilmour was the original owner of the hardware store. I was not aware that Ches Argue was in partnership with him before Mr. Argue assumed sole ownership. Mr. Gilmour moved to Ottawa and worked at the Sears Store in the appliance department in the Carlingwood Shopping Centre. Some of your readers may remember Penny and Peter Gilmour, the older children in the Gilmour family. They lived at the south-west corner of Park and Lake Avenue East, kitty corner from the hospital in the interesting brick house
Ottawa Journal ad–Where was Ullet’s?
Keith GiffinI maybe wrong but Reg Ullett garage was on the town line left hand side , between Thomas and Moffat , garage there today is a truck repair shop.
Ray PaquetteKeith is right. Ullett’s Motors was where he remembers. The Ulletts lived on Herriott Street right behind the garage. Mr. Ullett died under tragic circumstances one Saturday afternoon at the garage. If I have my facts correct he committed suicide.
Clipped from The Ottawa Journal, 06 Jan 1919, Mon, Page 8
Ray Paquette I noticed that the deceased had a son Thomas. I wonder if that was Tom New of Rochester Street who later, in my childhood, delivered the mail on R.R. #1? Linda Seccaspina Did he go off to war Ray? Ray Paquette Frankly, I don’t recall any talk of his being a veteran. I was less than ten years old during my time living on Rochester Street and WW1 would not be a subject that came up in my conversation!
Ray Paquette David spent many hours patrolling the Main Street with a pipe in his mouth and box under his arm picking up debris/litter thrown away carelessly by less civically minded citizens. I seem to recall that the Town held a small ceremony for him in recognition of his tireless effort in reducing the clutter on our streets. David was the best pin boy ever. He was able to pick up pins on two lanes while the rest of us were limited to one.
What a momentous Saturday morning in 1954 when Bob Flint arrived at our house with the 17″ RCA Victor TV and the necessary supplies to install an antenna on the roof! If memory serves me, Bruce Sadler was assisting Mr. Flint during the antenna installation.
The area to the left was Bruce McDonald’s Optometrist practice which, when Mr. McDonald took in an associate preparing to retire, became Ian Edmison’s first location. As an aside, I meet for coffee with Brian McDonald, Bruce’s son, here in Burlington, where we talk about our boyhood experiences living on Herriott Street.
This house always fascinated me. When I was a lad the Burgess home was owned by a Mr. Feltham (sic) who ran a rag business out of a former hotel on the west side of Moore Street in the area beside Interval house that was torn down in the 1950’s and replaced with a Cities Service gas station.–Ray Paquette
My memory of that lot where Sal’s Place is situated is much earlier when there was a large brick building that was owned by a Mr. Feltham (sic) who ran a “rags and cloth” business. He and his family lived in the large home east of the CPDMH which is currently an apartment block. He drove a large late ’40s or early ’50s Packard.
Behind the main building was a storage shed which we use to climb onto the roof to watch the trains on the track directly behind the lot.Ray Paquette
Dr Howard was also located in the back of that empty property near Wool Growers.
Dr. Howard, who claimed to have been descended from one of the original 13 Barons of England, was a big man, soft spoken, and used to relate to me about his turkey hunting trips in the U.S.A. He had a law suit with the Montreal Daily Star and lost. The Star published a pamphlet about him and distributed it to the householders of Carleton Place.
This house always fascinated me. When I was a lad the house was owned by a Mr. Feltham (sic) who ran a rag business out of a former hotel on the west side of Moore Street in the area beside Interval house that was torn down in the 1950’s and replaced with a Cities Service gas station.
Photo- The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
There was lots of commercial activity on Arthur Street during my boyhood years. Right at the corner of Arthur and Moore Street, the Nichol’s Lumberyard maintained a satellite office and there was a cast iron watering basin for horses with a roundabout. Further up Arthur, alongside the CPR tracks was a small stock yard where every Saturday morning local farmers brought livestock to be auctioned off by H.B. Montgomery which were then loaded into cattle cars on the siding abutting the stock yard.
The Nichols lumberyard also had coal warehouses lining Arthur Street while alongside the tracks the railway maintained a freight shed. I have a vague remembrance of Russ Mill’s Feed and Seed and as his son is in the Carleton Place area he might be able to shed some more personal reminisces of his father’s operation.
Another activity that I remember was the refrigerated cars laden with fruit and vegetables that were placed in the siding north of the Wool Growers to be unloaded by the Rubino’s and taken to there warehouse at the corner of Mill and Beckwith Streets. All this activity captured the attention of me and my contemporaries and we spent many hours roaming through this area, often ignoring our parents caution of how dangerous this area could be for us!
Thank you Ray for all you send to us and keeping history alive. We can’t do this without any of you so send those stories in!
I have posted these on the LCGS Facebook pages and do not want to lose them…
Ray Paquette’s Carleton Place Moment..-In the right corner of the advertisement for Howard McNeely’s Barber Shop, it mentions E. McNeely, Assistant. I wonder if that is Earl McNeely who later or perhaps prior to worked barbering with Howard Little and lived on Munro Street west of Rochester? As well, how many people remember Ned Root’s Shoe Repair beside the driveway for Stanzel’s Taxi?
What about the doughnut machine that could be viewed through the front window. It methodically churned out simple, unadorned fresh doughnuts that would melt in your mouth. My personal favourite though were the jam filled pastries. Woodcock’s was the last stop on my paper route and I rarely left the store empty handed!!!
Linda Gallipeau-Johnston– Ned Root – oh yes – not only did we go there for shoe repair but he was just a door away on our street – Bob and Bill Root, the sons – Bob became a Minister and I have one of Bill’s DVD’s(singer). Dale Costello-– Howard gave me many a haircut, and Ned Root performed magic on my shoes. Who remembers Mae Mulvey, Charlie Jay, Ruby McPherson at the Roxy, Kelly at the Chinese Laundry,Giffins restaurant next to the Roxy, E D Robertsons, Okilmans, Argue Hardware, and many more.
Linda Gallipeau-Johnston- Dale, I remember it all – free silverware on weekend nights at the Roxy – getting candy from Santa with the school – sitting waiting for your turn to go up onto the stage at the Roxy. I also I have a memory of a double deck bus(red) tour when I was about 4 – 1950 or 51? – it loaded at the corner of the town hall but we missed it. No one I know remembers this – Dale?? – anyone?? Allan Wing –George Eades at Eades Hardware, does anyone remember how to remember how to spell GEOGRAPHY . . . George Eades Old Goat Ran A Pig Home Yesterday Dale Costello Remember going into Allens Shoe sore. If you spent more than $10 for a pair, you were getting expensive footware. And Abe Levine place, sold him lots of old newspapers, with rocks in the bottom to raise the weight. Bad Bad.
April 26 2017– Memories of Ray Paquette
“The Mississippi Hotel was part of my paper route as well. What I remember on entering the lobby of the hotel was the number of stuffed birds and animals that adorned the walls. Frankly, as a 12 year old, I found it a bit “spooky”!”
Blaine Cornell— I also remember the birds being in glass display cabinets. These may be the same displays that ended up in the waterworks building in riverside park. Where are they now? Linda Gallipeau-Johnston-— I so remember how dark it was at the front entrance – probably not so bad for those days – had to have been 50 or 51 – just a little kid but that memory sticks with me.
Weldon was indeed a renown character in Carleton Place, even before his unfortunate accident. Every evening Weldon was brought down town in his wheelchair by George Baker, a neighbour of his and would eventually make his way to the Olympia Restaurant where he would spend the remainder of the evening.
One time (before he joined the RCMP), Weldon was hired by Alan Barker to work on the ambulance. At the scene of an auto accident, Alan gave Weldon a shovel to pick up a human brain, off the road…Weldon quit that day.
I can recall returning to Carleton Place on leave from the Navy after an extended absence and going to the Olympia before my parent’s home because I was sure that Weldon would be there and I could get caught up on what was going on in town and where all the “old gang” were. Having the franchise for the license bureau enabled him to keep current on everything that was happening in town!–Ray Paquette
Devlin store-The owners prior to the Devlins were the Shackeltons. They were an English couple that had emigrated to Canada in the 1950’s with their two boys, Leon and Frank. I believe that Leon has passed away and Frank my be in the Toronto area. After they sold the store, I believe Mr. and Mrs. Shackleton returned to England.
Since being introduced to your blog I have taken great pleasure in reliving my earlier years in Carleton Place when the population seemed to be eternally stuck at 4800. Those years must have gone a long way in shaping the person I have become and for this I will be eternally grateful–Ray Paquette
“I was reading this morning about the Smyth’s 50th. I live at 107 John Street and believe it is the original Smyth house which was built in the early 1900’s. I purchased the house from Bill Blanche whom I believe was the son of George Blanche as I am led to believe the house was kept in the family until my purchase. I cannot confirm any of this as I do not have the research skills to verify.” Bill Russell Carleton Place– read more here–107 John Street– The Smyths? Calling Out My Lifeline Please…
So if you want some clues or answers you contact the guys that know: our local community historians Blaine Cornell and Ray Paquette. You know the ‘cool guys’ from Carleton Place in the photo below.
This cool group took over the steps of the Bank of Nova Scotia in 1959!
Pictured are Blaine Cornell, Gary McLellan, Weldon Armour seated, Dave Gordon, Dale Costello, Bob Bigras, Gerald Griffith, Ray Paquette and Gordon Bassett.- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Blaine Cornell
I remember the Blance’s living there in the 50’s but have no memory of the Smyth family living at that address. Just for info: Bill went onto the Brampton area where he became a school teacher. He also played banjo in a well known blue grass group called *General Store (nominated for Juno awards). He is retired and now lives in the Allison Ont. area.
Ray Paquette
The house was owned by the Blance family in my youth. Bill and I, as well as Blaine Cornell, were in the army cadet band at the high school in the late 1950’s. During the period I was absent from Carleton Place I understand that Bill graduated from CPHS and moved on to Toronto while his family remained in the house.
The Blance Family lived in the downstairs apartment entered by the door on the left and for the life of me, I can’t remember who lived upstairs. Perhaps Blaine has more current information than me or Wayne Drummond, whose family lived on the corner of John and Frank Street at that time.
As for Tom Smyth, I seem to remember him living on Lake Avenue East in one of the three very similar homes on the south side of the street beginning at 264. Now, take what I have to say with the proverbial “grain of salt” because I was 13 at the time of his 50th wedding anniversary!
Author’s Note– Someone said the Moorheads/Muirheads? lived upstairs?
Okay, so who originally lived in that house? Bill Russell seems to think a former mayor lived in it, but it wasn’t Mayor Thomas Smyth from the 50s– so who is it? Maybe instead of Smyth I need to research the Blances. Bingo– I hit the motherlode.
The original owner of the home was Mr. and Mrs. David Smythe. (add an “e” to that Smyth) David Smythe was amerchant and harness maker and had his business on Bridge Street. Smythe was also the Mayor of Carleton Place in 1911 and again in 1917. David died in 1937 and his wife Jennie also died in the home at 107 John Street a little over 20 years later in 1953. (see obit below)
So what was the relationship between the Blances and the Smythes? Mrs. George Blance, Jean, was born a Smythe, and it seems likely that is why the family lived there as her mother was alone for many years after her husband died. That’s just what people did on those days.
Here is a pill box found in house prescribed to George and a ticket for a baking school held at the church that was supported by Mrs. Smythe! –Photo Bill Russell
Jean Smythe *married George Ronald Blance on the 4th of June 1940 in the Presbyterian Manse in Carleton Place. Seeing it was 5 years after her father died, I assume they moved right into the brick red house on John Street.
So Bill, yes your home was probably built in the early 1900’s as Mr. and Mrs David Smythe, the original owners, got *married in 1898. The bricks from your home I assume came from the brickyards down at the end of Lake Avenue East. Not only a former Carleton Place mayor built and lived in your home– but a Juno nominee musician lived there too. Now that’s star power!!
Thanks to Ray and Blaine for sending me down the river of mystery with some sort of paddle.
If anyone has any stories about this or anything else please send them to me.
sav_77@yahoo.com
David Smythe – 1871/1935
Mayor of Carleton Place – 1911-1917 – Merchant Harness maker.
David Smythe was born in 1870. He was Mayor of Carleton Place in 1911 and again in 1917. He was also a Merchant and Harness Maker and had his business on Bridge Street. David Smythe, of Ferguson and Smythe, harness makers, was elected for the first of seven yearly terms as mayor of Carleton Place. He died in 1934.
*Marriage of David Smythe and Jennie Willis in Carleton Place
8392-98 David SMYTHE, 29, harness maker, Arnprior, Carleton Place, s/o John SMYTHE & Susan MORAN, married Jennie Helena WILLIS, 22, Carleton Place, same, d/o John Henry WILLIS & Sarah Ann WRIGHT, witn: George MORRISON & Margaret E. BURROWS, both of Carleton Place, 26 Jan 1898 at Carleton Place
This glass baseball was found inside a wall of the addition on the house and the ginger ale sign was found in the eaves of the addition. Photos–Bill Russell
Bill Blance
Brian Riseborough
Helen Lewis
John Perkins
Norm Tellier
GENERAL STORE is a multi-award winning bluegrass band from Southern Ontario with a reputation for smooth 3 and 4 part vocal harmonies. The band excels at traditional as well as contemporary bluegrass music, including original material. Their repertoire is also rich with gospel music.
General Store was chosen ‘Bluegrass Gospel Band of the Year’ 5 years in a row at the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards, and now has been retired from this category. Additional awards have included ‘Most Promising Band’ in 2004, and two ‘Mandolin Player of the Year’ awards for instrumentalist Norm Tellier. And in 2007/08, the Arts Council of Brampton, Ontario (a city of 500,000) presented General Store with the prestigious Bloom Award for ‘Top Concert Performance by a Small Ensemble’.
In 2011, General Store released their 3rd CD ‘Phantom Train’, to add to their 2 previous releases ‘Open for Business’ and ‘More in Store’. All 3 CDs have received award nominations, and airplay all around the world.
As a young boy living on Rochester Street in the late 40’s, our neighbour, Tom New, provided rural mail service for RR #1, to the west of Carleton Place with the route ending at the general store in Innisville. He used a Model A two door Ford and on occasion I was invited to accompany him on his route.
We would leave the main street post office shortly after 8:00 and be at Innisville about noon, eating our lunch along the way. I sat in the back because the front passenger seat was taken by a cardboard box in which the mail was carried, sorted in order of the delivery sequence to the mail boxes at the end of the lanes. It was quite an adventure for a young boy and a pleasant summer memory of my childhood.
The Carleton Place Post Office was designed by Thomas Fuller, architect of the Parliament Hill Peace Tower and completed in 1892. It served the community until the new Canada Post building was constructed across the street in 1970.–Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Photo from the Canadian files- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
Thank you Ray for all you send to us and keeping history alive. We can’t do this without any of you so send those stories in!
lindaseccaspina 