sacred heart | lindaseccaspina

I like providing an interesting link to history. Something you never knew. Why? Some folks think history is boring, and sometimes you have to entice them to read what they are missing.

On Saturday I asked, “what was the best hot dog you ever ate?”

To which Gord Stroud said —“In school when I was a kid–Sacred Heart of Jesus in Lanark.“

Now if that isn’t a clue to get busy researching: I don’t know what is…:)

In August of 1820 Lanark was established as the second military settlement in Canada. By the spring of 1821 approximately 1500 settlers, predominantly Scottish weavers, were established in the community. The first Roman Catholics were from Ireland along with a large group of Catholics from French speaking Upper Canada. They would make the two day walk into Perth to attend services. Records show there were 239 Catholics in Lanark and another 45 in Dalhousie.

St. Patrick, Fergusons FallsIn 1823 St. Patrick’s Church was built in Ferguson’s Falls and the area faithful traveled the much shorter route to and from services. Finally, in 1903. the current Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was completed on Princess Street. The grey limestone building was quarried just outside Lanark and each family was responsible for drawing a certain quantity of stone to the building site. The church became the local church for the residents of Ferguson’s Falls and McDonald’s Corners, those churches becoming mission parishes of Sacred Heart.

The planning and building was directed by Father Michael O’Rourke, pastor of Carleton Place. A Mr. Webster from Brockville was the supervising builder, Mr. George Bradford of Almont directed the masonry work and Caspar S. Speagle of Westport the carpentry, all with assistance from parishioners. The total cost of construction was approximately $6,000. The local quarry was closed immediately after the church was built, make the stone color of this church unique throughout the region.

About Lanark …

The village was first settled in 1820 by Scottish immigrants who named it after the town of Lanark in Scotland. It soon became a major hub of the lumbering and textile industries, both of which used the Clyde River which runs through the village, as a source of power and as a transportation route to transport logs east to the Ottawa River.

The textile industry lasted for about 170 years.

Logging has continued, although in a much reduced manner. Wood is harvested chiefly for the pulp industry or for firewood. In 1959 a major fire destroyed many of the main commercial structures and a number of homes in the village’s centre. Most buildings were inadequately insured. Replacement buildings are highly functional in their design. The village has the Lanark and District Museum featuring exhibits of local history.

Until the late 1990s, the major employer in the village was the Glenayr Kitten Mill, which produced clothing and offered their products at several factory outlet stores in the village. Several of the buildings are still known by their numbers (e.g. Kitten Factory #1) to local residents. The Clyde Woolen Mills was the founder of these properties. From ABOUT SACRED HEART OF JESUS PARISH, LANARK

and the school has a Facebook page CLICK

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
11 Aug 1993, Wed • Page 38

Katie Cinkant— I had Mrs Schonauer for grade 3&4 ( long time ago 1988-89) I can still hear her voice reading us all Charlottes web ( one of my favourite book as a child 🥰)

One of my favourite memories involves my cousin Ted getting into trouble
Ted swore in class once ( “ah sh*t “, I believe was the phrase) Mrs S looks him dead in the eye and simply says ( in here serious voice) “Mr Roberts”
Ted then looks at her and blurts our “ the devil made me do it “ .
As we all sat waiting for a reaction ( and let’s be serious ,we all thought a blast of “trouble “was coming his way )–She could not hold in
her laugher and neither could the rest of the class 😆
She was one of my favourites 🥰

Irene Hall Larocque We still hand out an award in her memory every year end.

Jane Wewer What a wonderful kind person and great teacher!

Ken Potter A wonderful teacher to our oldest.