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VALLEY HISTORY AND THE WINDERMERE VALLEY MUSEUM BOX 2315, INVERMERE, V0A IK0 342-9769 FEBRUARY 2004 Land was purchased on the benches and a cottage was built there. They lived in a bunkhouse in Wilmer until their house was ready in November of 1911. The chimney wasn‘t finished so the stove pipe was stuck out a window. Water was hauled from Lake Lillian twice a week , a distance of three miles. It was stored in 2 barrels inside the kitchen door. The winter was spent cutting wood for the heater and cook -stove. Madeline loved the outdoor life and was a willing helper on the fami- ly farm and on the farm of Capt. and MADELINE TURNOR Mrs. MacCarthy who were neighbors of the Turnors. It was while working at the MacCarthys that Madeline The Dr.P.W. Turnor family sailed was introduced to her life-long love from Liverpool, England, May 19, of horses, trail rides, mountain 1911 on board the C.P.R. ship, the climbing and hunting and guiding. ―Empress of Ireland‖, disembarking Dr. Turnor found farming very at Quebec City. They came across hard work, not being accustomed to Canada on the train, arriving at it and when the local doctor left for Golden City on June 1. They came war duty, Dr. Turnor began a medi- up the valley on the riverboat, cal practice in Invermere. The ―Klahowya‖ and spent the first night Turnor farm was exchanged with the in this valley at the Windermere Ho- MacCarthys for their house and tel. property in Invermere. They moved Thus began an interesting and their possessions by team and wag- adventurous life in Canada for a 12 on in April 1916. Madeline lived in year old girl ! Madeline‘s father, Dr. the home for nearly 70 years when Philip Turnor was a retired MD. Her it was destroyed by fire. mother was an accomplished pianist From the beginning, Madeline and very artistic. Effie, her sister, loved life in Canada. She loved the was 9 years old and Gerald was mountains and the outdoor life. 4 1/2 . Beginning in 1913, the MacCarthys Premier Lake but this was the last introduced her to hiking, climbing year of the Girls‘ Camp as the ranch and trail riding. Madeline was became a Dude Ranch catering to thrilled when in 1918, Mrs. MacCar- families. Madeline worked for the thy made her a life member of the next ten years as corral boss, clean- Alpine Club of Canada. ing cabins, gardening, cutting lawns, In 1916, Madeline made her first cooking on hunting and pack trips trip by pack train up Jumbo and To- and closing the lodge for the winter. by Creeks. She went with Mrs. Mac- In 1936, Madeline was invited by Carthy to help with cooking and oth- some American friends to join them er chores. The guide was Bill Wil- on a month‘s cruise up the Alaska liams and the mountain guide was coast on a private yacht with two Conrad Kain. They climbed Mt. Nel- guides for bear hunting and fishing. son and several peaks up the north With WWII , came many changes to fork of Toby Creek. At the end of the the Valley and manpower was short. trip they stayed at the Earl Grey Madeline continued to work at the cabin which had been built a few ranch helping with chores and cook- years before. ing for the gang. During the War In 1921, Madeline began working years Madeline did gardening and for Walter Nixon leading trail rides cared for the horses , cows and from the C.P.R. camp on Lake Win- poultry. dermere. It was this year that Mrs. ― In 1943 I opened the Ranch. I MacCarthy gave Madeline her be- did the garden, milked the cows and loved horse, Raven. raised 500 baby chicks. Riding days In 1922, with Walter Nixon, and corral work were a thing of the Madeline took a pack trip to mark past. This winter was spent at the the last one over the Banff Winder- ranch feeding cattle, horses , poultry mere Highway before it opened. and my 101 cats. ‖ The summer of 1926 found ― In 1950, I took my Mother with Madeline working at Major Prusts me to the ranch from April to Octo- and it was while on hunting and ber. During these years I had be- fishing trips with this family that come chief cook and did all the meal she met Elmore Staples. planning, ordering of supplies, bot- Madeline began work at the Sta- tling of fruit, and making of jams ples‘ ―S Half Diamond Ranch‖ at and pickles . For 6 years this contin- Premier Lake. She helped trail the ued until it was not suitable for eighty head of horses to be used at Mother in any way. After 30 years, it the Girls‘ Camp. Her job was to or- all came to an end and I moved to ganize and take out daily trail rides Invermere to care for my Mother.‖ and picnic rides, as well as four day pack trips for the senior girls. They ( Turnor Files ) rode to White Swan Lake which was before roads and was a 9 hour ride from Premier Lake. In 1930, Madeline was still at nt 45th Annual of Ontario. And that he came to Fall Fair, August 24-25, Winnipeg in 1880, then to Golden 1956 City in 1883. He went on to say that he had spent some time freighting President—R. B. Harris on the Columbia River, taking pota- Vice-President– Mr. G. Rad toes by row boat from the Winder- Recording Secretary and Acting mere District where they were Treasurer– Mrs. G. Annis grown to the station at Donald on Corresponding Secretary-Mr. O.T. the main line of the C.P.Railway ( Torry ) Fuller . and taking back freight from there. Directors– added to the existing He said they could convey 2500 lbs. directors were: Miss Dorothy Bar- in a boat load. In regard to Sinclair bour, Mrs. Geo. Annis, Mrs. Hal Hot Springs, Mr. Cameron said that Bavin, and Mrs. A. Schmidt. There he together with Charlie Copeland were 22 directors. and Jim Fowler had in the fall of Stewards: Livestock– George Ren- 1888 built the first log cabin at Sin- nenkampf clair Springs. Also, that winter , he Poultry and Pets– Thomas Cameron had spent two months in the cabin Fruit– Mrs. H. Bavin with his partners. He said he had Forage Crops– K.M.Marples heard of the Hot Springs in Sinclair Seed Potatoes– F.R. Coy Pass in the year 1884. Vegetables– Joe Taylor 1888- A Swede had been confined Flowers– C.E.Osterloh in the jail at Ft. Steele. Being a pow- Hobbies, Art, Crafts– Mrs. J. erful man , he had broken jail and Blakley escaped. In order to help in the get Junior Needlework– Mrs. A.E. Port- away, he stole a horse belonging to man a man named Morton. When the Home cooking– Mrs. O.T.( Judy ) owner learned of this he gave chase Fuller and V.Hyde Baker, a son of Colonel Schoolwork– Father Agnellus James Baker, residing on Joseph‘s Prairie, ( now Cranbrook) joined **************************************** him. They caught up with the From the files of B.G. Hamilton: Swede some twenty miles across the Invermere– November 23, 1923. United States boundary. In a tussle which ensued, the owner was get- I had a conversation with Mr. Mal- ting the worst of it when Hyde colm Cameron this morning, who Baker ― tapped‖ the Swede on his for many years has lived in the dis- head with the butt of his revolver trict of East Kootenay and who is at and laid him out. This done, they present, residing on the western trussed him up and brought him bank of the Columbia River just back to the Canadian side and took near the mouth of the him before Mr. Michael Phillips, the Spillimacheen. Mr. Cameron told Justice of the Peace. me that he was born in the Province Some doubt rested in Mr. Phil- lips mind as to the manner of cap- ―The Golden Star‖ ture but this was overlooked. Mr. December 8, 1933 Phillips committed him for trial and ― St. Andrew‘s Night was fittingly ob- served in traditional style by the Scots of the man was sent to Kamloops. this District at the Invermere Hotel. The big Shortly after his arrival, Mr. Rufus dining room had been cleared and twosome Kimpton is reported to have heard of and foursome reels and Strathspeys were the case and suggested to the pris- danced with great enjoyment to the music oner that he should take some ac- of the pipes. The really big event was the ―piping in ‖ of the haggis. Graham Croll, tion over the alleged kidnapping. In- lately out from Nairn, Scotland, headed the stead, the prisoner again escaped procession with the pipes and the haggis and was not pursued and there the was marched around the room borne on the incident ended. shoulders of four stalwart Scots. Graham (Museum Files) Watt, George Watt, Alf Laird and Tommy ***************************************** Weir, with kilts swinging and pipes skirling made even the English present realize that the Thistle ― canna be sat on‖ with impuni- “In June….. 1908, I was cut- ty. ‖ ting out the trail for the Provincial ************************************************* Government leading up Vermillion Creek towards the Kootenay River In response to an article from the and on the Alberta boundary. One Nov.03 News, ―Lonely grave up Spring Creek,‖ Jim Ashworth writes: evening, while making camp at ―Mud‖ or ― Dainard Creek‖ , I came ― In 1935 or ‗36, Bud Cleland and I across a plaque on a tree on the were interested in purchasing a 1925 west bank of the creek ― John La- Model T Ford ( with Ruxtall gearing) bow 1874‖.

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