WPP* The Thunder Bay Historical Society Twelfth Annual Report ,^V >' Papers of 1921 t •-7A-V ELECTRONIC VERSION AVAILABLE NO. Qtytmfrr lag IjtBtflrical liwtrty (iffirrra. 1921-22 Honorary President - - Hon. Sir George E. Foster Hon. Patron and Patroness Mr. and Mrs. N. M.W.J. McKenzie President Mr. Peter McKellar Vice-President - Mr. A. L. Russell Secretary-Treasurer - - Miss M. J. L. Black Sxprutttip (UflmmtttPF Miss Stafford Mr. F. C. Perry Mr. John King Dr. E. B. Oliver Mrs. G. A. Graham Mrs. F. C. Perry THUNDER BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Annual Address, 1921 BY THE PRESIDENT Ladies and Gentlemen and Fellow - diodecahedral garnets, probably hun- Members: dreds to the cubic inch. I had only a light prospectors' pick and I failed I am pleased that we are now free to break out a sample of the solid from the direct ravages of the Great rock. I broke a slice of the oxidized World War. yet, many are suffering crust showing numerous fine garnets. from the destruction of life and prop- I believe that polished blocks of this erty during the five that took place rock would be very beautiful and valu- to six years of the dreadful carnage. able on account of the red brilliancy The League of Nations has been of the garnets. formed and seems to be doing good The pillar appeared round and work, notwithstanding the disappoint- smooth as though ground by machin- ment of many that the Americans did ery. It is two to three feet in diam- not come into the arrangement. Let eter; larger at the bottom where it us hope that the "Great Court" will forms part of the solid rock. I mark- bring blessings to the world that will ed it eighty feet high but, I think, it conspicuously advance the happiness included the rocky ridge on which it of and prosperity mankind. stood. I note by the Annual Report of 1921 Mount Garnet is about twenty-five of the Historic Landmarks Associa- miles back, near the source of the tion, that the Advisory Board on His- Current River. toric Sites and Monuments is making One thing, it was conspicuous among good progress. Five hundred and forty the trees at a distance of two to seven sites to date have been, brought three hundred yards west of our path, to the attention of the Society, of when I saw it. My friend and I were which 46 are to receive immediate at- surprised until we examined it, and tention. These relate chiefly to war, still more so after we left. I have the battlefields and personal achieve- original tract survey I made and can ments, etc. Outside of these impor- place it so that a geologist can find it tant monuments, there are others, for in a short time by the formation, if I instance, the natural sites of Thunder do not go myself. I will propose to Bay must be preserved, as I believe the Society that we will not rest until they will occupy a conspicuous place we discover Mount Garnet and have in the Dominion's Monumental Gal- it placed on record. axy. The Kakabeka and Pigeon River Falls. The Sleeping Giant, Sea Lion The Thunder Bay rock giant is a and the McKellar Pot-Holes are well stone freak. It stands in full relief on known. a flat trap rock about 12 feet high. The resemblance of the outlines of the There are two rocky sites of unique body and head of a human being is re- construction worthy of a place—the markable. It can easily be discovered Thunder Bay Stone Giant and Mount as it lies within a couple of miles of Garnet near Dog Lake. The latter I the C. P. R., 4 to 5 mles east of Cur- discovered in the later part of Decem- rent Rver. ber 1868. The snow was deep and the I at next meeting of our weather very cold, otherwise I would think the have takon measurements of the Society, we should consider what to height and size and samples of the do with the future caretaking of the Trading Tablet. rock. I expected to go back and make Fur a detailed statement. Wishing you a happy and prosper The pillar formation is granitic, ex- ous coming year. ceedingly hard and massive, free from fissures and impregnated with tine P. McKELLAR. MISS M. J. L. BLACK SECRETARY-TREASURER THUNDER BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Secretary-Treasurer's Report MISS M. J. L. BLACK To the President and Members of the of the year was that by our president, Thunder Bay Historical Society, on the "Framework of the Earth," and Sir and Fellow Members: — it was most gratifying to the society to be able to embody this in our an- I have the honor to present the fol- nual. This was given on May 27. lowing report for the year, 1920-21. We have a paid up membership of We held six regular meetings. At 22, the majority of whom attend most the first we were treated to Mrs. regularly. Sherk's interesting paper on "Fort We have received publications; from William's interest in the Smithsonian the Historic Landsmarks Association, Institute." This was embodied in our the Ottawa Women's Historical Soci- last annual. On Feb. 11 and again ety, the Lundy Lane Historical Soci- March 4 we had two readings by Mr. ety, and the Minnesota Historical So- Hamilton. The first, "An Historic ciety. Fort." by the Rev. R. J. MacBeth, from the "Canadian Magazine" for Sept. All of which is respectfully sub- 1920. and the second. "The Loyal In- mitted. dian," by E. C. Stewart, from the same Yours sincerely. magazine, of Feb. 1921. Under the L. circumstances, these are not being re- M. J. BLACK. printed. The most important address Secretary-Treasurer. THUNDER BAY HISTORICAL Air. and Mrs. Jarvis 1.50 SOCIETY Al. J. L. Black 1.00 Times-Journal donation 5.00 Financial Report Fee. J. J. O'Connor 1.00 Receipts Capt. McCannell 1.00 Miss Robin 1.00 Oct. 15^ 1920— Mr. Seaman 1.00 Bal. in Bank $ 15.07 Donation to monument (M. J. Government grant 100.00 L. Black) 11.35 Dec. 3— Fees. Mr. and Mrs. King 1.50 $150.42 Mr. and Mrs. Mackenzie.. 1.50 Expenditures Dr. Oliver 1.00 Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton.. 1.50 .Jan. S. 1921— Mr. and Mrs. Mackellar. 1.50 Plate for emblem $ 16.19 Mr. Fregeau 1.00 Alay 13— Miss Davies 1.00 Printing annuals 134.23 Mrs. Graham 1.00 Airs. Sherk 1.00 $150.42 ; THUNDER BAY HISTORIC 1 AL SOCIETY Tales Through the Ages from the Banks of the Kaministiquia BY MISS M. J. L. BLACK (Printed by permission of the to. so he shook out his pipe, and set- Musson Book Company) tled back in his chair and began: Jack and his cousin Eddie, who were "Once upon a time. long, long ago. visiting him. had been sight-seeing all there really were no human beings day, and in the evening they were re- here at all, but even so, there cer- counting their adventures to any of tainly was lots of life, for the beavers the family who would listen. They were always working busily on the had visited the elevators, and the rivers and shallow lakes, and the docks, and though Eddie had looked moose and deer would push their way with longing eyes toward the moun- through the forests, going to the tain, they had remained in town ex- waters to drink, or standing with ploring the factories instead, for Jack head up-raised they would view from was most anxious that his cousin the top of Mount Mackay (only it was should take away a good impression of not called that then) the beautiful the busy, but new city of Fort Wil- country of which they were monarch liam. Jack was very proud of its and the bears would come out of their newness, and of the fact that all this holes, bringing their little fat roly- bee-hive of industry had grown up poly cubs and go fishing, or search- since his father and mother had first ing for honey, or berry picking, while come to town as young married peo- numberless other little animals and ple. His mother had often told him birds and insects kept up a busy hunt of those early times when the bush for food as they hummed and sang had come right into where the Grain and played together. The country was Exchange now stands, and when the so beautiful with its wealth of trees village consisted of only a few and flowers and expanse of waters houses scattered along Victoria ave- with all the life that they contained nue, and Brodie and May Streets, with that, one can hardly believe that there perhaps a half a dozen more along the could be anything there to harm or river front, and being an unimagina- to destroy, but even then the bad tive little boy, it had never occurred existed as well as the good, and the to him to ask what had brought these wolves and foxes, eagles and wild cats few here, or what was here in the were often to be seen, not only kill- days long before. On the other hand, ing in order to live, but often destroy- Eddie, who had lived in the older part ing much more than they ever con- of Ontario, and who had heard of sumed. And so, even though Jack may things happening when his father and not think so, there were adventures grandfather were small boys, did occurring every minute of the day and wonder if there had ever been a time nignt, for this was Mother Nature's when nobody at all had ever lived great preserve for many varieties of here, and when nothing at all had ner animal children.