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B8 — THE MUSKOKA SUN: Thursday, July 26, 2007 Tom Thomson: the mystery lingers while the beauty continues to captivate By Robert Britnell ne July day in 1917, OTom Thomson pad- dled his canoe into a lake in Algonquin Park. Somehow he met his demise. Ninety years later on a July day in 2007, his memory lives on not only in the mystery of what transpired on that fateful “Muskoka’s Carriage Door Specialist” day but also in his art- work. Boathouse • Residential • Commercial For most of the Working with Ace Boat Lifts of Muskoka Canadian public, Tom Thomson is the foremost to co-ordinate lifts and doors. painter of Canadian art. Most makes and models of steel, insulated But he is more than that. steel or wood doors with Liftmaster openers. His life as much as his Free estimates anywhere work expresses something on the Muskoka Lakes! essential and true about We Beat Home Depot’s the national character. Installed Price Self-sufficient, if not positively a loner, Thom- BLACK SPRUCE and Maple, 1915. For quality products and reliable service son is a compelling call Jaye LaChanse enigma and his death in a When, 90 years ago, his attorney general found the and his paintbox to Phone (705) 644-1343 Fax (705) 764-1253 frigid lake a beguiling body was found in Canoe skeleton to be that of a Algonquin Park. mystery. As information Lake with a bruise on the native Canadian. Thomson only spent his and theories based on temple and a fishing line Thomson was 39 and a summers in Algonquin THURSDAY NIGHT Thomson’s life proliferate, wrapped around one leg, it bachelor at his death. Park, where his base camp the real Tom Thomson was hard to accept that he Some evidence was was at Canoe Lake. Inner-NUTT CONCERT SERIES becomes even more elusive might have tripped, hit his advanced that Thomson Although he grew up on a MUSIC FESTIVAL behind the myth. His head on a rock or a canoe had planned to marry farm, he belonged to what 2007 death remains a mystery, and drowned. The rangers Winnie Trainor whose was then an urban society. Great Canadian Music • Great Canadian Artists • Feeding the Spirit and the Soul but what is even more par- remembered that the night family’s cottage just hap- For the open lake country, All events 8:00 p.m. adoxical is the meteoric before his death, he had pened to be next door to he had a love and great July 26th — Sean Cotton Doors open nature of his career. It quarrelled with a man by the Belcher’s. Trainor’s empathy that he carried Aug. 2nd — Pat Robitaille 7:30 p.m. tends to be overlooked the name of Martin nephew evidently has let- with him during the win- ~~~~~~~ that Thomson carved out Belcher Jr., a cottager ters from Thomson to his ter months spent in his Rosseau Memorial for himself a pre-eminent alleged to have pro- aunt that provide proof of shack located in the back- Aug. 9th — David Leask Community Hall Victoria St., place in Canadian art over German sympathies. Su- this. Current theories pro- yard of the Studio Aug. 16th — Gordie Tentrees Rosseau a mere five years. Some spicions of murder were mote the possibility that Building in Rosedale Aug. 23rd — Bob Snider consider him to be the voiced. A cottager re- this young woman may Valley near Davenport and TICKETS $15.00 inspiration behind the ported the apparition of a have been carrying Yonge in Toronto. J.E.H. Aug. 30th — Dala Subject to availability per concert. seminal Group of Seven. canoeist on the lake and Thomson’s illegitimate Macdonald recalls the Sept. 6th — Evalyn Parry Inquiries at: This tall canoeist, born Lawren Harris, a theo- child. Factor in some time that Thomson ar- [email protected] in 1877 near Claremont, rived at work one morning Sept. 13th — Steeling Time or 705-641-8833 Ontario, who walked and with a canoe paddle in Ticket Sales Centres paddled into the heart of hand. He seated himself Huntsville - Cripple Creek Music • Utterson - Utterson General Store Algonquin Park and came beside the photographic Rosseau - Rosseau Bulk Food & Variety • Bracebridge - AJ’s Roadhouse out with a new image of tank and began paddling Parry Sound - Mill St. Pub & Restaurant the national soul, has cer- away with a dreamy look tainly become an icon of in his eye. It would seem Canadian art. In a series of that that the park had *COTTAGE & HOME CONSTRUCTION almost primal-like paint- become his muse. *RENOVATIONS & REPAIRS ings such as West Wind, Mark Robinson, one of The Jack Pine, Spring Ice, the park’s rangers in 1917, *INTERIOR FINISHING Northern River and was a leading exponent of Northern Lights, he caused NORTHERN LIGHTS, 1915 the murder theory and it is *DECKS & RETAINING WALLS Canadians to merge in the this man’s remembrances maple and the northern sophist and one of the romantic interest by one that became the core of *DOCKS & BOATHOUSES wilderness. original Group of Seven Martin Belcher whose cot- Judge Little’s book. *BARGE SERVICES Tom Thomson was the members, proclaimed it tage just happened to Drowned or murdered? artist as the outdoorsman. was the spirit of Tom neighbour Trainor’s cot- Martin Belcher had been Let us take care of your home or A role later emulated by Thomson. It is of no sur- tage and the plot, as they listed as a deserter by cottage construction & repairs while many now well-known prise that out of this grew say, thickens. American authorities. And Canadian artists, includ- the Tom Thomson mys- Thomson had spent it was Belcher and his sis- you relax and enjoy life in Muskoka. ing most of the members tery. Eventually a book some time working at his ter Bessie who were out on of the famous Seven. with this name was writ- brother George’s commer- Canoe Lake on July 8, Quality & Service Among the rangers of ten by William T. Little. cial art studio in Seattle, 1917, the day Thomson Algonquin Park, where he William Little was a before returning to Tor- died. It was they who Come First painted from 1914 to judge of the provincial onto and eventually get- reported seeing Thomson’s 1917, Thomson gained family court in Toronto. ting a job with the art firm canoe abandoned off respect as a canoeist, In 1956, he and three of Grip Publishing Wapomeo Island. Mark swimmer and a proficient other Thomson admirers Limited, where his co- Robinson considered it Building Contractors fisherman. Awed cottagers dug up the site of the workers included J.E.H. rather “fishy” that spoke of the way his artist’s original grave at MacDonald, Arthur Lis- Thomson set out at 1:30 Gravenhurst 687-4782 moods changed with the Canoe Lake; they found a mer, Fred Varley and p.m. and the Belchers did- or call 687-7780 weather, of his restlessness skeleton they said was Frank Carmichael . all n’t see his canoe until 3 as a storm brewed, his Thomson’s and argued to become future Group p.m., being only a half flashing eyes when the that his corpse had not members. He also worked mile down the lake. The the lightning came. All of been removed to the fam- with Thomas Maclean, suspicion was peculiarly these things as well as his ily plot at Leith, Ontario who was one of the first illogical: Thomson’s canoe muskoka sun paintings have made him, as everyone thought. A artists to paint in the should have been spotted for many people, the first panel of medical experts north country and who sooner only if Belcher Muskoka’s favourite summer newspaper authentic native son. assembled by the Ontario first introduced Thomson Cont. on page 9.

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