A publication of the Heritage Trust Volume 6 Issue 2 June 2008 HeritageMatters

In this issue – A renaissance LookingLooking northnorth of northern heritage . . . A season of unveilings . . . Routes through the wilderness: The development of a transportation network in

www.heritagetrust.on.ca A message from The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Chairman Feature story Guides to Northern Genealogy A renaissance of northern I was born in downtown . As a young man, I attended Earl Grey Public heritage, Page 2 Our four Northern Branches have local School, McMaster University and . When I began cemetery transcriptions, census and other my career as a lawyer and then entered politics, my travelling was largely records; local newsleers; meetings and confi ned to southern Ontario. I am embarrassed now by how little I knew about, or appreciated, the northern reaches of this province. other ways for you to research your Northern ancestry. To learn more about the Ontario It was a wonderful experience for me – as Ontario’s 26th Lieutenant-Governor Genealogical Society, to access these Branches – to tour Ontario’s north. Wherever I went, I was warmly welcomed by the and to visit our e-store, go to www.ogs.on.ca/. mayor, a red carpet and many smiling faces. During those tours, I visited r Nipissing District Branch hospitals, schools and town halls, unveiled plaques, toured museums and art Photo courtesy of Gilbert & Associates, Toronto galleries, spoke to groups large and small, and enjoyed myself immensely. I r Sault Ste. Marie and District of developed an instant admiration for these people who took such obvious pride in their accomplishments and Algoma Branch those of the generations before them. r Sudbury District Branch So, it is with pleasure that I invite you to explore this issue of Heritage Matters. As Chairman of the Ontario r under Bay District Branch Heritage Trust, I can tell you that our mandate encompasses all parts of this rich, diverse and vast province. In addition to Trust-owned properties throughout the north, we recognize people and their communities in e Ontario Genealogical Society other ways. Through the Provincial Plaque Program, we have erected plaques celebrating the people, places 102 - 40 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto ON M4R 1B9 and events that helped form northern Ontario. The Heritage Community Recognition Program also honours Cover photo: Kakebeka Falls, Thunder Bay. T 416-489-0734 r F 416-489-9803 r www.ogs.on.ca r provo [email protected] © Ontario Tourism, 2008 individuals and groups from many communities – including Englehart, Johnson Township, Kapuskasing, Schrieber, Temagami and Callandar – for their work in heritage preservation. And, most recently, the Trust’s Call: 1-800-268-2123 • Fax: 1-800-871-2397 Guides to Northern Records successful Doors Open Ontario program has taken root in communities across the north – including Red Lake, the Tri-Towns, Thunder Bay, Kenora, Dryden and Sault Ste. Marie.

Archival When I sat down to draft this message, I fi rst read the articles you will fi nd here. They reminded me of the good Heritage

NEW! 2008 times I had on my travels through the north – the spectacular natural scenery and landforms, the compelling Heritage Matters is published in English and French Museums Archives Conservation and has a combined circulationMatters of 10,500. architecture, the warm and welcoming people. I hope you will enjoy reading these stories as I did. Digital copies now available on our website at • Photo Storage & Presentation www.heritagetrust.on.ca. • Book & Paper Maintenance Advertising rates: • Display & Exibit Black and white • Tools & Supplies Business card - $100 1/4 page - $225 1/2 page - $500 Online! www.carrmclean.ca Ontario Heritage Trust -- Full page - $900 Heritage Matters ad Colour Business card - $150 Vol. 6, #2FEATURE STORY 1/4 page - $300 1/2 page - $700 A renaissance of northern heritage ...... 2 Full page - $1,200 TELLING ONTARIO’S STORIES For information, contact: Along the Arctic watershed ...... 4 Ontario Heritage Trust MAKING HERITAGE WORK 10 Adelaide Street East, Suite 302 Toronto, Ontario e Ontario Genealogical Society The Cobalt historic mining district – A community resource ...... 5 M5C 1J3 SUCCESS STORIES Telephone: 416-325-5015 102 - 40 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto ON M4R 1B9 Fax: 416-314-0744 T 416-489-0734 r F 416-489-9803 r www.ogs.on.ca r provo [email protected] Northern icons ...... 6 E-mail: [email protected] NEWS FROM THE TRUST Website: www.heritagetrust.on.ca Opening doors to the north ...... 7 © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2008 © Ontario Heritage Trust, 2008 A season of unveilings ...... 8 Photos © Ontario Heritage Trust, 2008, Ontario Heritage Trust celebrates Heritage Week 2008 ...... 10 unless otherwise indicated. Produced by the Ontario Heritage Trust KEEPSAKES (an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Culture). From the Mather-Walls collection ...... 11 Editor: Gordon Pim SPOTLIGHT ON HERITAGE Graphic Designer: Manuel Oliveira

Niagara Historical Society Museum Our francophone heritage ...... 12 This publication is printed on recycled paper using 9 vegetable oil-based inks. Help us protect our environment Preserving NiagaraǦonǦtheǦLake’s History since 1895 PRESERVING THE PAST by passing along or recycling this publication when Adventurous workers wanted for remote locations – housing provided ...... 13 you have no further need for it. Make Heritage matter TREASURES Aussi disponible en français. Routes through the wilderness: The inclusion of any advertisement or insert in this publication does not imply or constitute an endorsement The development of a transportation network in northern Ontario ...... 14 or acceptance by the Province of Ontario of any of the to your business. WHAT’S ON advertisers, products or services advertised. The Ontario Heritage Trust is not responsible for errors, omissions or … the shelf...... 16 misrepresentations contained in any advertisement or insert. 43 Castlereagh Street, PO Box 208 416-325-5015 … at the museum ...... 16 E&OE ISSN 1198-2454 (Print) NiagaraǦonǦtheǦLake, ON, L0S 1J0 [email protected] GUEST COLUMNIST ISSN 1911-446X (PDF/Online) www.niagarahistorical.museum Northern Ontario: An authentic heritage ...... 17 06/08 p: 905Ǧ468Ǧ3912 f: 905Ǧ468Ǧ1728 to oversee the project. The municipality believes that its preservation is vital in providing A renaissance a focal point for residents in the community. In turn, travellers may be encouraged to stay By Thomas Wicks of northern heritage longer and discover what the area has to offer. Heritage is fi nding new life in northwestern Ontario. From Thunder Bay to Kenora, the north is experiencing a new appreciation of its heritage resources and using them to enhance communities This renaissance of northern and celebrate the region’s unique history in the growth of the province. heritage continues to shape Ontario in unique and profound ways. These examples highlight After railway development con- importance of the railway in the the way in which heritage build- nected this once-isolated area to development of this border ings act as stimulators of civic the rest of the province at the end community. No longer used as a pride and urban redevelopment. of the 19th century, the abundant station, the building still holds value Just as these structures refl ect natural resources attracted indus- to the community as a volunteer their respective communities’ try, which turned work camps and bureau and a provincial constituency past and early prosperity, they villages into towns and cities. Over offi ce. There is a strong desire on can continue to provide a place time, the area has taken advantage the part of the community to see the for the community to gather, of its natural beauty and devel- property preserved to ensure that it while acting as generators for oped its tourism sector as well as continues to perform an important future revitalization retained its traditional resource- role in the community. based economy. In revitalizing the region’s communities, heritage The Town of Kenora had the – both natural and cultural – has foresight to retain their 1898 post Thomas Wicks is an Architectural begun to play a key role in connect- offi ce and turn it into municipal Advisor – Special Projects with the ing the area’s past to its present offi ces back in 1980. This task Ontario Heritage Trust. Kenora Post Offi ce and conveying that history to resi- was carried out with the aid of dents and tourists alike. a provincial heritage grant. The Thunder Bay’s Tourist Pagoda building was able to retain its Thunder Bay’s Tourist Pagoda, built role as a gathering place for the in 1909, is such an example. Built to the designs of local architect H. Russell Halton, community, thus keeping an important heritage building in use. For 10 years the pagoda was part of a publicity campaign launched by the town of Port Arthur previously, the building had been vacant and was threatened with demolition. The (later renamed Thunder Bay) to promote the city to tourists. At that time, Thunder fact that it was saved and put to new use emphasizes the role heritage buildings Bay was a transportation terminal of docks and stations for Canadian National and can play in defi ning their communities. the Canadian Pacifi c railways (CNR and CPR), as well as passenger ships. The “publicity Pagoda” located near the railway station was seen as a way of encourag- The Town of Sioux Lookout – three hours northwest of Thunder Bay – is using ing travellers to visit the growing community. Recalling the eclectic architectural its 1911 CNR station as a stepping-off point toward revitalizing its downtown. motifs and forms used in English gardens and parks, the mushroom-shaped The importance of this building in the community is so great that its restoration is structure has a distinct green ogee roof. The heritage value of the structure was regarded as a means of transforming the entire town. Sioux Lookout’s economic commemorated by the City of Thun- development offi cer, Florence Bailey, der Bay, who designated it under the says that the station was identifi ed Ontario Heritage Act in 1979. In in numerous studies as “the anchor 1986, the building was designated a of the downtown core.” When National Historic Site by the Govern- originally built, the station sustained ment of Canada. The Ontario Heritage the community – providing jobs, Trust has held a heritage conserva- transportation, communication and tion easement on this property since the delivery of goods. VIA Rail still 1992. Now, almost 100 years since it makes regular stops at the station; was built, the pagoda is a part of our large crowds of locals gather to greet heritage that continues to fulfi l its and welcome passengers as they pass original role in providing tourists with through. The unique history of this FEATURE STORY FEATURE information on Thunder Bay and the station has provided the impetus to surrounding area. reinstate the building as a community hub and economic catalyst; the The CNR station in the Town of Fort community has established an CNR Station, Fort Frances Frances, built in 1913, refl ects the economic development commission CNR Station, Sioux Lookout

2 3 ALONG THE ARCTIC THE COBALT HISTORIC MINING DISTRICT –

WATERSHED By Gordon Pim A COMMUNITY RESOURCE By Sean Fraser

At the turn of the 20th century, Cobalt was a small and isolated lumber camp. In August 1903, two lumbermen – James McKinley and Ernest Darragh – were seeking timber to be used on the Timiskam- ing and Northern Ontario Railway construction when they found an outcrop of silver in the surface rocks adjacent to Long Lake. This The Arctic Watershed is the natural high point where rivers and lakes fl ow in one direction towards Hudson’s Bay and in the other towards the Great Lakes. Shown here, Old Fort accidental discovery set in motion 1907 Right of Way Mine with growing community in background. William, Thunder Bay. Photo © Ontario Tourism 2008. one of the most intensive mining rushes in Ontario’s history. The Arctic Watershed follows an erratic course of A royal proclamation set forth the boundaries of the any formal defi nition left opened the stage for the and is also protected by a Trust conservation ease- the historic district. The vision of the Corporation is to some 2,240 kilometres (1,400 miles) across northern lands acquired from France that year. The continued Ontario-Manitoba boundary dispute of 1883-84. The area around the town held some of the richest ment. Begun in 1985 – with support from the Ontario operate historic Cobalt as a major, world-class heri- Ontario. It marks the point where rivers and streams existence of Rupert’s Land was confi rmed, and lands deposits of native silver the world has ever seen. In Ministry of Northern Development and Mines – a tour- tage destination, successfully attracting guests from in northern Ontario drain into Hudson’s Bay, and the were set aside for use by their aboriginal inhabitants. Eventually, after much back and forth, the question the years following the initial discovery, Cobalt silver ist route known as the Silver Trail winds its way in and around the world and operating on a self-suffi cient rivers, lakes and streams to the south drain into the of the Ontario-Manitoba border was settled. In 1883, transformed the provincial and national economies. around the town. This self-guided tour starts at the basis. By combining preservation with renewal, and Great Lakes. This unique natural phenomenon has In September 1850, the Crown entered into the Robinson the case was referred to the Judicial Committee of the This success drove exploration and development Northern Ontario Mining Museum, leading visitors past tourism with prudent community planning, Cobalt is

also been a source of contention for centuries be- Superior Treaty with the Ojibwa of Lake Superior for Privy Council in Britain. Using the Arctic Watershed of mineral deposits in northern Ontario and across a number of fascinating industrial heritage sites. fi nding new value for its historic mining legacy. MAKING HERITAGE WORK cause it determined territorial boundaries. much of the north shore of Lake Huron and Lake as its guide – its fi nal role on the stage of Canada’s Canada for decades to follow. In nearby Haileybury, Superior, identifying the Arctic Watershed as the southern political geography – the Committee established the a Millionaire’s Row sprouted on the shore of Lake In 2002, the Government of Canada designated the As early as 1670, the area was under dispute. In that boundary of the Hudson’s Bay Company lands. Ontario-Manitoba border as it remains to this day. Temiskaming where mine owners and managers built Cobalt Mining District as the fi rst National Historic District year, England’s King Charles II granted the lands to opulent mansions with their new-found wealth. But, by in Ontario. The district’s heritage value is described by the control of the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC); the In 1857, a British parliamentary committee was Gordon Pim is a Marketing and Communications the late 1920s, the had run its course. Silver as “a rare cultural landscape possessing region became known as Rupert’s Land in honour of formed to consider the advisability of renewing the Coordinator with the Ontario Heritage Trust and Editor of production slowed in the Tri-Town area (Haileybury, a large number of vestiges and buildings directly relating the King’s cousin, Prince Rupert, the HBC’s fi rst gov- Company’s trade monopoly in the vast western regions Heritage Matters. New Liskeard and Cobalt), leading to a decline in to the evolution of the hard rock mining process of the ernor. The French soon disputed the Company’s claim and Rupert’s Land. It was critical to establish this fact, prosperity. At its peak, Cobalt had 6,000 inhabitants. early 20th century in Canada.” In 2001, as national to this vast territory and nearly drove the English out given the emerging importance of communication, In August 1969, two provincial plaques were Today, the population is approximately 1,200. designation was being considered, TVOntario declared of the Bay in 1696. When the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht defence and future settlement in the West. unveiled to commemorate the Arctic watershed – Cobalt “Ontario’s Most Historic Town.” Sean Fraser is the Manager of Conservation Services with restored sovereignty of the region to Britain, it did not one beside Highway 11 near Kenogami Lake and Cobalt was quick to recognize its unique heritage. In the Ontario Heritage Trust. establish any defi nite limits between the territory of The framers of the Rupert’s Land Act of 1868 – which the other near Raith on Highway 17 in the District 1967, the Ontario Heritage Trust erected a provincial Today, the challenges facing Cobalt are many, but so France and that of the Hudson’s Bay Company. facilitated the admission of Rupert’s Land into the of Thunder Bay where the watershed again plaque to the Cobalt Mining Camp. The lakeside gate- too are its opportunities. In 2007, with support from new Dominion of Canada – again avoided the issue of crosses the roadway. To explore the Trust’s Online way to Cobalt – the former railway station – houses the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and For more information about the Historic Cobalt Fifty years later, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, precise boundaries. The land was transferred to the Plaque Guide, visit www.heritagetrust.on.ca. the Cobalt Visitor Centre and the Bunker Museum. It Fednor, the Historic Cobalt Corporation was formed to Corporation, visit www.historiccobalt.com. France abandoned mainland North America for good. Government of Canada in 1870, but the omission of has been designated a heritage property since 1979, help manage and organize a community approach to TELLING ONTARIO’S STORIES TELLING ONTARIO’S

4 5 Northern icons By Romas Bubelis Opening doors to the north By Michael Sawchuck

The towering McIntyre Mine Headframe in . The Clergue Block House and Powder Magazine in • This year’s Doors Open Greater Sudbury Sault Ste Marie. St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church event (July 18-19) features numerous sites that in Mindemoya on Manitoulin Island. The former showcase the community’s cultural diversity. Kenora Land Titles Offi ce. Thanks to the leadership Aboriginal and francophone heritage sites will of municipalities and local heritage groups – and be opened, as well as others that are central with fi nancial assistance from the Trust’s Heritage to the Finnish, Greek, Jewish and Ukrainian Challenge Fund – these and other heritage buildings of communities. Examples of such sites include: the north have been preserved for future generations Finlandia Village, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox of Ontarians. Church, Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue and Altanka Gardens. The McIntyre Headframe in Timmins was built in 1911 and belongs to one of the oldest mines of the • Doors Open Kenora (September 12-13) will Porcupine gold camp. It was built strictly for utility, but highlight several residences, many of which over the years accrued symbolic value as an example were built for the community’s most prominent of industrial heritage and one of the few remaining inhabitants. One of these residences is Mather- such structures in Timmins. Its chiselled silhouette Walls House, a Queen Anne-style home now on the horizon remains one of the community’s owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust and managed most visible landmarks, marking the entry to the by the Lake of the Woods Historical Society. McIntyre gold mine that was once the source of the community’s economic lifeblood. • Doors Open Thunder Bay (September 13) – now in its fi fth year – will incorporate several Sault Ste. Marie’s Clergue Block House is a composite of the community’s most renowned civic and log-and-stone structure incorporating the 1819 stone institutional structures. Included in this event will powder magazine of the North West Fur Company, be a library, a high school, a former police station built when Sault Ste. Marie was a small, remote fur and an 18th-century fountain. trading post. This very early stone structure is now part of the Ermatinger/Clergue National Historic Site. • Doors Open Timmins (September 13) provides an opportunity to explore the city’s mining St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church in Mindemoya on heritage through two of its historic gold mines Manitoulin Island was constructed by parishioners in – the Hollinger and McIntyre Mines. McIntyre 1932 at the height of the Great Depression. Timbers McVicar House, Doors Open Thunder Bay 2003. Lodge – a retreat for mining executives visiting were cut from local forests, with stone extracted the area – and McIntyre Arena – built for use by from a nearby quarry. This small stone church in the Northern Ontario communities continue to play a major gateway to the north for tourists wishing to explore mine employees – will also be open. NEWS FROM THE TRUST Norman style is renowned for its collection of religious role in shaping and defi ning Doors Open Ontario, this vast and picturesque area of the province. Nearly artifacts and fragments from religious structures in McIntyre Mine Headframe, Timmins. adding distinctiveness and adventure to the program. 20 Doors Open events have been held in northern Doors Open Ontario is just one of many Trust- England, including a large stone from Canterbury In return, participation in Doors Open provides a direct Ontario since the launch of the program in 2002, led initiatives aimed at growing the collective Cathedral. Assistance from the Heritage Challenge trade in settling the north, of outposts and garrisons, Romas Bubelis is an Architect with including events in each of the “big six” communities consciousness of heritage conservation across the Fund helped with the general repair and restoration of of the enduring importance of mining and resources the Ontario Heritage Trust. of Greater Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, province. Other programs – such as the Heritage stonework and the provision of barrier-free access for extraction and the critical supporting role of the Past Doors Open events in the north North Bay, Timmins and Kenora. Community Recognition Program, Young Heritage this unique place of worship. railways in binding isolated communities together. Leaders, the Provincial Plaque Program and Trails They are remnants of the earliest infrastructure that 2002 – Parry Sound, Red Lake, Tri-Towns In 2008, four northern communities – Greater Sudbury, Open Ontario – also help strengthen the futures of Kenora’s elegant 1911 Edwardian Classical-style Land supported the development of communities carved (New Liskeard, Haileybury, Cobalt) Kenora, Thunder Bay and Timmins – will open the communities throughout Ontario by investing in the Titles Offi ce, located beside the District Courthouse of out of the wilderness. They impart a sense of the 2003 – Greater Sudbury, Red Lake, Thunder Bay doors to sites of historic, architectural, natural or resources of their past. the same period, has been preserved and now serves founding period’s urgency, vigour and ambition. The $5-million Heritage Challenge Fund Community 2004 – Kenora, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay cultural signifi cance through free Doors Open events. as a community centre. Program was established in 1999 by the Government 2005 – Kenora, Thunder Bay The rich and varied histories of communities in the of Ontario. It was administered by the Ontario Heritage

SUCCESS STORIES Ottawa has the Parliament Buildings. Toronto can 2006 – Dryden, Thunder Bay north allow for Doors Open events that are distinctive These are among the often under-appreciated look toward Fort York. Kenora, Sault Ste. Marie, Trust for community capital restoration projects and 2007 – North Bay, Timmins from those in other regions of the province. While architectural icons that are a record of the founding Mindemoya and Timmins – and other northern Ontario endowment funds. Heritage organizations across the 2008 – Greater Sudbury, Kenora, Thunder Bay, each event incorporates an array of site types, each impulse of many of Ontario’s northern communities. communities that practise architectural preservation province who applied for this funding raised matching Timmins also maintains a unique identity by featuring sites that Michael Sawchuck is a Community Programs Offi cer for They speak variously of the pivotal role of the fur – also hear the echo of their beginnings. dollars. All funds were allocated by April 2001. are central to its history. the Ontario Heritage Trust.

6 7 NEWS FROM THE TRUST Historical Museum. First Councilofthe Town ofEnglehart, 1908. CourtesyoftheEnglehartand Area Theodore P. Loblaw, 1929. PhotocourtesyofStevensonFarms. A seasonofunveilings 8 of town small The • kilometres 25 approximately is Settlement Black Bush Queen’s The • • community andOntario’s culturaldiversity. Herearesomehighlights: province’sthe of spirit innovative the honouring – unveiled people, of strength the and places people,be will plaques province.summer,of the This number shaped a of have that events stories through alive of come it record helping visual history, enduring Ontario’s an provides Program Plaque Provincial Trust’s The have leftanenduringculturalimpressiononthecommunitiesof region. have who French-Canadians, many attracted railway the of construction the by importantly,area.More the in presented towns opportunities many of growth town.the through and birth CPR’sthe The to greatly contributed construction railway the of completion the after Mattawa in settled workers these of half French-Canadian.diffi were conditions working and living Though cult,almost 4,000 men were working on the railway in the area, nearly half of whom were Railway (CPR) was built through Mattawa and points west. In 1880, more Pacifithan Canadian the c when however,surge, population a experienced town industry.The booming this of result the was lumberjacks 2,000 than more of population industry.transient forestry A the for centre a became Mattawa Bay declined, Hudson’sactivity trade fur there.As the post trading fur a when established Company 1837 in settlers fi permanent its rst saw rivers, settlersremainedintheareauntil1990s. the original land,their buy equipment.farming and livestock this,Despite of descendants diffihad settlers black Many fihomesteads. culty existing to money the nding the Queen’s Bush for government-sanctioned settlement, but ignored surveys opened government the 1842, In schools. two and churches four contained eventually settlement the and the opened 1840, Church Episcopal By Methodist agriculture. African subsistence through living their made settlers the and non-existent were roads surveyed, not was land The 1830s. the in formed was settlement black a which within reserve clergy large a was Bush Queen’sAllan. The Glen of hamlet the in Waterloo present-day of northwest the town. itscentennialthisyear. Englehartcelebrates for centre transportation a become northeasternOntariobroughtandmanufacturing maintenance to and facilities to town the allowed point division The offipost the at ce Englehart.crossing,of River name White the registered which and pointdivisionrailway establisheda alsochairman. becameHe and offer theaccepted Oil,Imperialcompany. ofEnglehart, foundervice-presidentand railway the run to Englehart Jacob businessman prominent asked Whitney needing1905, someone capable In to push River).the railway farther Englehart north, the Premier Sir James (now River White the crossed Railway Ontario railway.a resultofthe formedtownwheretheTheTimiskaming Northernand as born northeast,Ontario’s in community small a is Englehart Townof The the interactiveOnline PlaqueGuide–visitwww.heritagetrust.on.ca. explore to or – Program Plaque Provincial the on information more For events. and places people, other many and Crater Brent Northwest The Passage, the for Search the and Hudson Henry Owl, Grey including – Ontario northern throughout plaques provincial 140 nearly are There at the confl uence of the Mattawa and Ottawa Ottawa and confl Mattawa the the at of Mattawa, uence on aco-opplacementfromtheUniversityof Waterloo. isaHeritagePrograms Joel Swagerman Assistant withtheOntarioHeritage Trust. Heis empire, supermarket grocery a become to was what of co-founder the As • Photographer unknown.Photographer Wellington County Archives, ph5965. Written onfrontofphoto, “The ‘Colored’ Churchon the 4thofPeel Tp. Wellington County.” Derelict churchandfence, 4thLine, Peel Township, localblackresidents, whichhadbeenusedby c. asitappeared 1945. food distributorsandretailers. food Canada’slargest of one now is Companies Loblaw result, a as and, industry Loblaws stores in Ontario. Loblaw introduced many innovations in the grocery 95 were decade,there exponentially.a grow only president,would After was Loblaw which company,of Canada.The fi in the groceterias of self-serve rst same year, the Loblaw and his new In Toronto.business partner,in Milton stores Cork, established one grocery traditional-style 19 opened had he 1919, Cork.By Milton met he where store grocery downtown a in then Eaton’sand brieflworked at he fact, y In Eaton. Timothy next the becoming of dreaming 17, of age the Toronto at to moved He grandparents. his with years two for lived and parents his both lost boy,Theodore young a still Canada.While in industry retail the on impression enduring an left Loblaw Pringle Theodore 9

By JoelSwagerman • JeanLumb– Toronto • ParoisseSacré-Coeur– Toronto • Theodore P. – Loblaw Alliston • Queen’s BushBlackSettlement–Glen Allan • FoundingofEnglehart– • JeanneLajoie–Pembroke • The constructionoftheCanadianPacifi c Railway • PembrokeCourthouse– • Dr. Anderson Ruffi n – Abbott Toronto • –Chatham The ProvincialFreemannewspaper 2008 provincial plaqueunveilings

at Mattawa – Mattawa –Mattawa Mattawa at (Wellington County) NEWS FROM THE TRUST THE FROM NEWS Ontario Heritage Trust celebrates From the Heritage Week 2008 By Liane Nowosielski - Hamilton’s century-old Scottish Mather Rite Club served as an ideal backdrop for the February 15 launch of Heritage Week 2008. This year’s theme – Engaging citizens in community conserva- Walls Guides to Northern Genealogy tion – provided an opportunity to showcase conservation success Our four Northern Branches have local stories and to demonstrate the collection resources available to those in- By Simonettecemetery Seon-Milette transcriptions, census and other volved in heritage conservation 2007 Lieutenant Governor’s records; local newsleers; meetings and in communities across Ontario. Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime other ways for you to research your Northern Achievement: The Trust, with the City of Ham- ancestry. To learn more about the Ontario ilton, kicked off the celebrations • Julia Beck, City of London Genealogical Society, to access these Branches The “pay table,” handmade by John Walls. with the unveiling of a provincial • Robert Cardwell, City of Kingston and to visit our e-store, go to www.ogs.on.ca/. plaque to commemorate the • Charles Fairbank, Lambton County Perched on a hill in the town of Keewatin (now Kenora) stands a majestic Queen- the house. Of particular interest is a simple, elegant painted pine table handmade city’s early black community. • Dr. Grant Head, City of Hamilton Anne style r house Nipissing known as District Mather-Walls Branch House. This cream-and-chocolate- by John Walls. According to written accounts, this table was referred to as the “pay The plaque was unveiled by The • Marion Holman, Regional Municipality coloured two-storey wood house, built in 1889, has a picturesque roofl ine, large table.” Mrs. Jean Roy, eldest daughter of John Walls, stated that the mill’s pay was Honourable Lincoln M. Alexan- of Niagara verandas andr numerousSault Ste.windows Marie – some and containing District brightly ofcoloured glass inserts. carried home by her father in a pail and taken up to a second-fl oor bedroom where der, Chairman of the Ontario • James Holmes, City of Mississauga The interior is builtAlgoma around a Branch central hall plan. Fine decorative trims and hardware it was placed on the pay table in front of the corner windows. She was responsible Heritage Trust, The Honourable • Alice Hughes, Village of Merrickville- enhance ther character Sudbury of the individualDistrict rooms. Branch for sealing all the pay envelopes and received 10 cents for her work. Aileen Carroll, Ontario Minister Wolford The Ontario Heritage Trust purchased Mather-Walls House and its contents Mather-Walls House and its collection are vestiges of the lives lived by two of Culture and The Honourable • J. Peter Hvidsten, Township of Scugog from Margaretr Edna under Walls in 1975.Bay SheDistrict was the thirdBranch child born to John Walls and distinct families in northern Ontario. Mather-Walls is operated by the Lake of the Michael Chan, Ontario Minister • Patricia Malicki, City of Windsor Elizabeth Link. John Walls purchased the house from the Mather family in 1906. Woods Historical Society. of Citizenship and Immigration. • Nena Marsden, Town of Georgina Walls was the foreman for the Keewatin Lumber Company. • Sally Martyn, Municipality The Walls e collection Ontario is an eclectic Genealogical blend of 19th- and 20th-century Society household Simonette Seon-Milette is the Cultural Collections Coordinator Janine Fernandes was the 2007 individual award and scholarship recipient of the 102 - 40 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto ON M4R 1B9 The week’s events continued Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement. of Central Elgin furnishings,T 416-489-0734 many of which r F 416-489-9803 are believed to ber www.ogs.on.ca from the time the r Wallsprovo [email protected] family lived in at the Ontario Heritage Trust. with the presentation of the Photo courtesy of Tessa J. Buchan • Fay McClelland, Township of Johnson Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario • Dr. W. John McIntyre, Town of Aurora Heritage Awards on February 21. Established in 2007, these special awards • Wilma Morrison, City of Niagara Falls Guides to Northern Records honour outstanding achievements by volunteers to preserve, protect and Great-West Life, London Life • Helen Poulis, Township of King promote Ontario’s heritage. They are administered through the Trust’s annual and Canada Life are proud • Alex Raeburn, Town of Caledon Young Heritage Leaders and Heritage Community Recognition programs. sponsors of the Young Heritage • Brian Winter, Town of Whitby Leaders program. Whether through demonstrating leadership in the protection of built or Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario natural heritage, fundraising or creating local history publications, the dedication and hard work of these volunteers are Heritage Award for Youth instrumental in keeping the province’s heritage alive and meaningful. Achievement: KEEPSAKES The Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Lifetime Achievement recognizes individuals for volunteer Individual award and scholarship contributions to conserving community heritage over a period of 25 years or more. One individual and three groups recipient are recipients of the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Award for Youth Achievement, for exceptional voluntary • Janine Fernandes, Town of Aurora Ontario Heritage Trust -- contributions by young people to heritage conservation. Heritage Matters ad Group awards The Trust thanks Lieutenant Governor David C. Onley for his commitment in honouring the achievements of volunteers • Cameron Street Public School Vol. 6, #2 involved in heritage preservation activities. Environment Club, Town of Collingwood • “Wall of Valour” Students, Perth and The events of Heritage Week 2008 are a clear testament to ongoing citizen involvement and dedication to community District Collegiate Institute, Town of heritage conservation in Ontario. Perth

NEWS FROM THE TRUST THE NEWS FROM • “We Remember our Fallen WWII Liane Nowosielski is a Marketing and Communications Specialist with the Ontario Heritage Trust. She joins the Trust Soldiers” Students, Port Perry High e Ontario Genealogical Society 102 - 40 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto ON M4R 1B9 as an intern with the Ontario Internship Program. School T 416-489-0734 r F 416-489-9803 r www.ogs.on.ca r provo [email protected]

10 11 ADVENTUROUS WORKERS OUR FRANCOPHONE HERITAGE WANTED FOR REMOTE LOCATIONS – By Karen Bachmann HOUSING PROVIDED By Denis Héroux

Fauquier. Moonbeam. Kapuskasing. Hearst. Val Gagné. Belle Vallée. The exploration, settlement Sudbury. Timmins. Sturgeon Falls. The history of northern Ontario and development of north- cannot be told without looking at the contributions made to the area ern Ontario were motivated by Franco-Ontarians. by the exploitation of the region’s natural resources – The French fi rst came to Ontario in 1610, when they chose to explore the primarily fur, timber, gold and Great Lakes basin. Their fi rst permanent settlement occurred in 1701 at silver. Typically, these indus- Fort Ponchartrain, near Windsor-Detroit. Eastern Ontario development tries were located in remote came next and, while many French coureurs de bois travelled regularly areas and consequently the throughout northern Ontario, a permanent francophone community did founding companies had to not come into being until the settlement of the mid-north areas (North build houses for their first Bay and Sudbury) around 1880. This development happened because employees. Moose Factory, of the construction of railway lines and the increased interest in mineral Keewatin and exploration. Once those communities had been organized, it was time all followed this pattern. to look northward again, and the settlements around Temiskaming opened up the area in the early 1900s. By 1910, anglophone and The Hudson’s Bay Company francophone communities were springing up between Matheson, (HBC) workers came to Cochrane and Hearst, thanks to the Porcupine and the Moose Factory from Britain burgeoning lumber industry. It is important to note that today, there on five-year contracts. They are more than 120,000 francophones living and working in northern lived in communal quarters Ontario and that 22 per cent of Ontarians living in the northeast claim in the fort, safe from attacks a francophone heritage. by their rival, the North West Company. In 1821, the HBC Fortunately for us, there exists a myriad of tangible sites that celebrate merged with its rival and the francophone culture in northern Ontario. While there is currently some of its men had es- no museum devoted solely to francophone history, we can see this tablished families with the living culture every day in many of our northern communities. This local Cree women. These history is notably visible in the local architecture, which includes circumstances prompted religious institutions, businesses and local shops, public buildings and the HBC to build company industrial sites. Agricultural communities like Val Gagné and Fauquier housing for its workforce, Sir Harry Oakes Chateau, Kirkland Lake are practically living history museums in themselves, devoted to both a practice that continued preserving and developing a living francophone culture. well into the 20th century. The Trust owns two of those houses: the Joseph live-in servants. It also features indoor parking for seven cars, a billiard Turner House (c.1864) and the William McLeod House (1889-90). As with room and separate men’s and women’s coat rooms with en suite lavatories. Just such an example of tangible, Franco-Ontarian history can be found other typical Moose Factory houses, they are built of squared logs covered Sir Harry Oakes Chateau is owned by the Trust and is operated by the Town in Timmins. St-Antoine-de-Padoue cathedral still graces the hill on with horizontal boards, measure 16’ x 20’ (5 m. x 6 m.) and are 2½ storeys of Kirkland Lake as the Museum of Northern History. Pine Street and continues to be an intricate part of our local heritage. high. The Trust also owns the HBC Staff House, a two-storey log house built PRESERVING THE PAST As with many institutions in this community, it was the Hollinger Mine – in 1850. It originally housed the unmarried company officers – such as All of the Trust’s northern Ontario properties can be visited during the and more importantly, Noah Timmins, owner of that mine – that saw to accounting clerks, ships’ captains and the doctor. All of Moose Factory’s summer except for the McLeod House, which is closed for restoration. the construction of the local hospital and the beginnings of this church. residents lived in company-built houses until the 1970s when the company The Sir Harry Oakes Chateau is open year-round. For more information about While Father Alexandre Pelletier was responsible for the fi rst small transferred ownership of the houses to the occupants. All have since been the Trust’s northern properties, visit www.heritagetrust.on.ca. chapel, it would be Father Charles-Eugène Thériault’s responsibility demolished except for those saved by the Trust. to grow the church and see to a new structure. The cornerstone of the new church was blessed by Bishop Latulipe in 1922; the ornate Company-built housing was also common in the lumber industry. In 1889, church would unfortunately burn to the ground in 1936. By 1937, the the Keewatin Lumbering and Manufacturing Company built three comfortable new stone structure, created in a solid Romanesque style, was ready two-storey frame houses for its company managers. The Trust now owns one for the community. of them – Mather-Walls House in Kenora – which is operated as a house mu- seum by the Lake-of-the-Woods Historical Society. The company also built The church in Timmins is only one example of francophone culture in 12 semi-detached houses and a boarding house for its workforce. St-Antoine-de-Padoue Cathedral, Timmins. northern Ontario. Consider this an open invitation to explore this rich Photos from the collection of the Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre

SPOTLIGHT ON HERITAGE culture in this part of the province! In 1930, mining magnate Sir Harry Oakes built a 12,000-square-foot (1,100-square-meter) home in Kirkland Lake to accommodate the Lake Shore For more information on the Timmins Museum: NEC, visit www.museumsnorth.org/timmins. Karen Bachmann is the Director/Curator of the Timmins Museum: National Company directors and his family when attending company business. The Exhibition Centre. house is really a company-built mansion. It has 12 bedrooms, including four for Denis Héroux is a Project Manager, Property Restoration for the Ontario Heritage Trust. 12 13 ROUTES THROUGH THE WILDERNESS: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IN NORTHERN ONTARIO By Beth Anne Mendes Beth Anne Mendes is the Plaque Program Coordinator with the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Isolation, great distances, demanding terrain and Bay. Work progressed rapidly despite many diffi cult be found near the Aviation Monument at Science North diffi cult weather conditions challenged the fortitude sections of terrain. By 1908, the main line had reached in Sudbury. 1873-74 primarily to provide for the delivery of mail and perseverance of the people who forged water Cochrane and branch lines were built to other new between Duluth and Thunder Bay during the winter routes, roads, railways and air services through mining areas. By 1932, this provincially owned railway One of the earliest canoe routes through the north months when navigation was closed on Lake Superior. northern Ontario’s majestic expanse. Of the nearly was extended to Moosonee. In 1946, it was renamed closely follows Highway 17. The Route of the The road was used by mail carriers until the completion 140 provincial plaques in northern Ontario, over 50 the Ontario Northland Railway. The plaque that Voyageurs followed the Ottawa River to its junction of the Canadian Pacifi c Railway in 1882. With the arrival commemorate subjects that relate specifi cally to early commemorates this railway is located at the Tourist with the , went along the Mattawa of the automobile, a new road to the American border northern exploration and the evolution of transportation Information Centre in North Bay. to Trout Lake, over the arduous La Vase Portage was required. Highway 61 – or Scott Highway – was through Lake Nipissing, down the and completed in 1917 and became one of the region’s across Georgian Bay and the North Channel to Lakes popular scenic routes. Michigan and Superior. For two centuries, this route served explorers, missionaries and fur traders intent These accounts are just a few of the countless stories Japanese-Canadian Road Camps 1942-1944 on opening the interior of North America. The plaque of courage and innovation that comprise the incredible

Ontario Northland Railway, North Bay Sunset on Lake-of-the-Woods. © Ontario Tourism, 2008

systems that enabled the development and settlement By the 1920s, much of the north remained inaccessible is located at the Swift Current Channel off Highway 6, Canadians who were evacuated from coastal British heritage of northern Ontario – a wonderful legacy left by of this region of the province. Six provincial plaques except by aircraft. Although Austin Airways was not approximately 15 kilometres north of Little Current. Columbia to assist with the construction of this highway. the people who travelled, worked and lived in this vast that pay tribute to these efforts are located along or the fi rst airline to operate in northern Ontario, it survived Although the government stated that the evacuees were and challenging region of Ontario during its early years of near Highway 17 – the Trans-Canada Highway. Along the longest and successfully made the transition from In 1962, the Trans-Canada Highway – which runs not internees, the men lived under strict restrictions development. Look for these plaques when you journey this route, from North Bay to Thunder Bay, you can bush fl ying to passenger service. Initially located in from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British and were not permitted to buy or lease property. A through the north and discover for yourself the beauty of retrace the steps of many who have gone before. Toronto, the company opened a base on Ramsay Lake Columbia – was offi cially opened. Nearly 30 per cent plaque entitled Japanese-Canadian Road Camps the landscapes that greeted these tenacious people. in Sudbury in 1935; by 1938, Sudbury became its of the 7,823-kilometre route is located within Ontario. honours their contributions. It stands in the TREASURES 1942-1944 Toward the end of the 19th century, plans for building primary base of operations. The airline hauled freight, A provincial plaque to commemorate the highway Cenotaph Square in Schreiber. a vast transportation network were proposed, which fl ew medical evacuations, helped fi ght forest fi res, stands at its halfway point at Chippewa River Park eventually included the construction of a railway trained pilots and transported tourists throughout the on Highway 17. This section of the Trans-Canada A plaque in Thunder Bay stands six kilometres west that ran directly north from Lake Nipissing to Lake north. In the 1940s, Austin Airways diversifi ed into Highway provided a much-needed corridor that of Kaministiquia River Bridge on Highway 61, which Temiskaming. In 1902, construction began on the other aerial activities. The company was absorbed into connected distant regions of the province. Special replaced the original Pigeon River Road. The plaque Timiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway at North Air Ontario in 1987. The plaque to Austin Airways can mention should also be made here of the Japanese- tells the story of the road, which was constructed in

14 15 WHAT’S ON . . . NORTHERN ONTARIO:

. . . the shelf AN AUTHENTIC HERITAGE By Nicole Guertin and Andréanne Joly

Waking Nanabijou, The community of Red Lake invites you to its first Woodland Arts Festival: A Uncovering a Secret Past, Tribute to Norval Morrisseau and the Woodland Artists, July 4-6, 2008. by Jim Poling Sr. The Festival will take you on a special journey as you discover the untold story Dundurn Press. A woman of the artist’s life – from 1959 when he arrived here to work as a gold miner, to from northern Ontario is buried; when he left the area around 1973, an artist of international calibre. her earthly papers reveal a mystery. Veteran Canadian journalist Jim Through special exhibitions, story-telling, guided walking tours, plays, dance Poling took on the most important performances and art workshops, the Festival will tell the story of the birth assignment of his career: Just who and evolution of the Woodland Art movement in the Red Lake community. was his mother? Why did she take Also planned is an art fair, art exhibition, audio-visual presentations and panel a lifelong secret to her grave? discussions.

In his search for clues throughout For more information, visit http://redlakemuseum.com. his childhood years in northern Ontario, the author goes to Chapleau, the railway town where The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre: the people he believed were his Bushplane Days 2008 ancestors played out their roles in building the railway. It ends in the Prairie village of Innisfree, Alberta, home to Joe The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie is dedicated to LaRose, convicted horse thief and father of a girl destined for trouble. preserving the history of bush flying and forest protection in Canada.

A search that began in anger at his mother’s secrecy concludes with an understanding of her actions. In the process, he explores the place of families within Canadian Near Thunder Bay, on the Kaministiquia River, the North West Company is immortalized by the Fort William Historical Park. Photo © Ontario Tourism 2008 society and reveals the shameful ongoing discrimination against Native Peoples and the abusive treatment of illegitimacy. Throughout, glimpses of working life in Heritage is often associated with the distant past and, for many, a dusty museum. Historical Park. And along the lakes, notably Missinaibi, we fi nd remnants of the newsrooms add insider perspectives on the “handling” of our daily news. distant past. Early sites where the voyageurs and merchants slept under the stars Northern Ontario, however, is proposing a rejuvenation of its heritage by pairing remain exposed, and we still see evidence of their stay. A former Indian Affairs reporter, Poling shares insights into the ongoing plight of it with industrialization and the great outdoors: northern Ontario heritage is not Canada’s First Nations people. He observes that Canada will never realize its true limited to the colonization that occurred at the end of the 19th century and start of The heritage that is held with the most esteem in northern Ontario, however, is a potential until positive steps are taken to resolve longstanding issues. the 20th century. more recent one – that of industrialization. Moose Factory shows its most historic form, with the remains of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Also, the railroads that travel Some treasures remain well hidden, lost in the vastness of Ontario’s north. For from north to south – from Sudbury to Manitoba and Sault Ste. Marie to Hearst – . . . at the museum example, the petroglyphs of the Missinaibi Lake, Agawa Rock and Eagle-Dogtooth journey through landscapes that not only attest to a heritage of industrialization in Provincial Park east of Kenora are witness to thousands of years of presence of the form of pulp and paper mills and mines, but also inspired the Group of Seven.

the people who shaped our culture. Many of us remember that this vast territory Still, along the routes where agriculture and forestry meet we see abandoned barns, GUEST COLUMNIST Red Lake Woodland Arts Festival: A Tribute to Norval – which accounts for 89 per cent of our province – was populated by more than treasures that are left vacant by a lack of regard to our heritage. Morrisseau and the Woodland Artists the European pioneers that settled along the developing transcontinental railway. A quick look at a map is proof. While many Aboriginal communities are no longer In short, northern Ontario’s heritage is the image of its land: rugged and diverse. here, the names of the rivers have kept their memories alive – Abitibi, Missinaibi, Nevertheless, the heritage is still alive and waiting to fi ll you with wonder. There is Attawapiskat and Winisk. still much to discover on our northern frontier. Bushplane Days 2008 – named one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario – will be held on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21, 2008 from French explorers also left their mark. As early as 1611, Étienne Brûlé became the Nicole Guertin is the Directrice générale for Direction Ontario, an association that 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre waterfront hangar fi rst European to admire the freshwater seas, while crossing the Mattawa River, offers high-quality tourism services for francophones. Andréanne Joly is a writer in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Lake Nippising, the La Vase Portage and the French River, searching for the great with Direction Ontario. North Sea. Champlain followed in 1615, and discovered a land of infi nite beauty. Activities include chartered flights and more. The main attraction of this festival is a CL-415 (waterbombing aircraft) aerial demonstration by the It was only the beginning of a long saga. In fact, the travels of these intrepid explorers For more information about Direction Ontario, visit www.directionontario. Ministry of Natural Resources. have been commemorated in sites such as the Sturgeon River House Museum, ca. Discover a variety of adventures and tours offered by Direction a former trading post for the Hudson’s Bay Company. On Lake Temiskaming, Untitled (thunderbird), c. 1960s, acrylic on kraft paper, Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre Ontario, such as the Circuit Champlain and the Circuits des fourrures, or For more information, visit www.bushplane.com. a fort reminds us of the long history of the fur trade. Near Thunder Bay, on the Collection. © Norval Morrisseau/Gabe Vadas. Courtesy of Kinsman Robinson Galleries, Toronto. the Lake Temiskaming tour.. Kaministiquia River, the North West Company is immortalized by the Fort William 16 17 BarnumBarnum HouseHouse EnochEnoch TurnerTurner aa NationalNational HistoricHistoric SiteSite SchoolhouseSchoolhouse

When Eliakim Barnum emigrated from the Visit the oldest school still standing in Toronto and United States in 1807, he settled in Grafton, east of experience what education was like in the Victorian Cobourg. By 1819, Barnum owned over 900 acres era. Established in 1848 by Enoch Turner, a wealthy (364 hectares) of land, a thriving milling business, a brewer, this was the first free school in the city. tavern and distillery. He had a stylish house built that Today, this remarkable schoolhouse is a venue for stands today as one of Ontario’s finest examples of educational programs, meetings, weddings neoclassical architecture. and receptions. Visit Barnum House this summer and experience the Open year-round for tours and school visits, and a grandeur of this historic site with guided tours through unique venue for special events. period rooms. Open from early June to Labour Day. For more information, call 416-863-0010. For more information, call 416-325-5000. Enoch Turner Schoolhouse Barnum House, Highway 2, Grafton 106 Trinity Street, Toronto

UncleUncle Tom’sTom’s CabinCabin VisitVisit FulfordFulford PlacePlace andand HistoricHistoric SiteSite thethe HomewoodHomewood MuseumMuseum Visit this fascinating site and learn more about Tours of these National Historic Sites are available Ontario’s black heritage. The museum – built on the throughout the summer. site of the black settlement that fugitive slave and Fulford Place: This 20,000-square-foot, 35-room mansion abolitionist Rev. Josiah Henson helped found in 1841 showcases period rooms and special exhibits. Enjoy this – preserves the settlement where Henson lived. rare glimpse of a gracious lifestyle from another era. This five-acre site includes an interpretive centre, Be sure to visit the gift shop. three historic buildings (including Henson’s house), Fulford Place, 287 King Street East, Brockville two cemeteries, extensive artifacts and a gift shop. Open from May 17 to October 31. Special Homewood Museum: Take an informative guided tour of Emancipation Day celebrations Saturday, August 2. one of Ontario’s oldest houses and explore period rooms with original furnishings – from textiles and photographs Join us in 2008 as we mark the 125th anniversary to porcelain and furniture. of Josiah Henson’s death (1883-2008). For more information, call 519-683-2978 Homewood Museum, Highway 2 or visit www.uncletomscabin.org. between Maitland and Prescott Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site For more information on touring both sites, 29251 Uncle Tom’s Road, Dresden call 613-498-3003 or e-mail [email protected].