2013
In 2013 it was most gratifying to see a marked increase in the number of new members who joined the North Grenville Historical Society. This increase impacted significantly on attendance at public meetings.
9 Jan 2013
The year began with the Annual General Meeting on January 9, 2013, followed by the Annual Heritage Awards Night which was held on February 18, 2013 at the Branch Restaurant. Harold Tompkins received the 1812 Bicentennial Award at this event. The Holy Cross Historical Committee and St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Kemptville were recognized for publications on the history of their respective congregations. Owen Fitz’Gerald received a Heritage Award for the “work that he has done in establishing and maintaining Veteran’s Way, at the Ferguson Forest Centre”. The Heritage Committee Award was presented to Phil Gerrard, a member of the municipal staff, who, for many years, has spent much of his time “working to record and preserve the many heritage buildings in North Grenville”.
13 March 2013
On March 13, Aleta Karstad and Dr. Fred Schueler, an artist/biologist team enlightened guests about the natural history of the region, focusing on the species that they have studied in detail: from the interbreeding of mussels after the Champlain Sea retreated around 8000 BC; the mystery of the monomorphic leadback Redbacks; the Buckthorn that took over Oxford-on Rideau fencerows in the 1980s; the disappearance of Chorus Frogs in the early 1990s, Zebra Mussels in the mid-1990s, and contemporary alien crayfish and Chinese Mystery snails.
10 April 2013
On April 10, Dr. David Shanahan spoke about the history of First Nations in North Grenville pre-1784 and provided a report on the draft treaty agreement on the draft Algonquin Land Claims Transfer which may apply directly to some land on the north side of the Rideau River, just west of Burritt’s Rapids.
8 May 2013
On May 8 Dr. Paul Thibaudeau, Intermesh Enterprises, gave a presentation entitled “Truck Stops and Mystery Houses; Archaeology in Eastern Ontario” which was about his recent excavations – a pre-contact site in Casselman and an historic site at Richmond.
Read more about this dig in the Carleton Now February 2011 issue.
9 Jan 2013
The year began with the Annual General Meeting on January 9, 2013, followed by the Annual Heritage Awards Night which was held on February 18, 2013 at the Branch Restaurant. Harold Tompkins received the 1812 Bicentennial Award at this event. The Holy Cross Historical Committee and St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Kemptville were recognized for publications on the history of their respective congregations. Owen Fitz’Gerald received a Heritage Award for the “work that he has done in establishing and maintaining Veteran’s Way, at the Ferguson Forest Centre”. The Heritage Committee Award was presented to Phil Gerrard, a member of the municipal staff, who, for many years, has spent much of his time “working to record and preserve the many heritage buildings in North Grenville”.
13 March 2013
On March 13, Aleta Karstad and Dr. Fred Schueler, an artist/biologist team enlightened guests about the natural history of the region, focusing on the species that they have studied in detail: from the interbreeding of mussels after the Champlain Sea retreated around 8000 BC; the mystery of the monomorphic leadback Redbacks; the Buckthorn that took over Oxford-on Rideau fencerows in the 1980s; the disappearance of Chorus Frogs in the early 1990s, Zebra Mussels in the mid-1990s, and contemporary alien crayfish and Chinese Mystery snails.
10 April 2013
On April 10, Dr. David Shanahan spoke about the history of First Nations in North Grenville pre-1784 and provided a report on the draft treaty agreement on the draft Algonquin Land Claims Transfer which may apply directly to some land on the north side of the Rideau River, just west of Burritt’s Rapids.
8 May 2013
On May 8 Dr. Paul Thibaudeau, Intermesh Enterprises, gave a presentation entitled “Truck Stops and Mystery Houses; Archaeology in Eastern Ontario” which was about his recent excavations – a pre-contact site in Casselman and an historic site at Richmond.
Read more about this dig in the Carleton Now February 2011 issue.
25 May 2013
On May 25 the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society, which included Dr. Paul Thibaudeau, and the North Grenville Historical Society jointly hosted The Archaeological Road Show/Show and Tell – our contribution to the Dandelion Festival. It has been estimated that at least 100 people from our community took time to examine the artifacts, documents and panels that were on display. On a lighter note, many of our guests (young and old alike) requested that they be photographed in the jail cell at the Courthouse and on the 1914 re-furbished Fire Engine, which Chief Paul Hutt of the North Grenville Fire Department had graciously loaned to the NGHS for that occasion.
This event was such a success that in addition to articles in the NG Times, the Road Show/Show and Tell was featured in the June Newsletter of the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society and in a U.S. publication The Spinning Wheel Sleuth: a Newsletter about Spinning Wheels and Related Tools, July 2013, issue #81, pages 2-7. The article, entitled “Horton Row, Ontario Wheel Maker”, was written by Gordon Moat, who had appeared at the Road Show as Horton Row, and entertained those present with a demonstration of spinning on the NGHS great wheel which was made by Horton Row, an early craftsman and business man from Kemptville. (click on GALLERY to see more photographs of this event)
On May 25 the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society, which included Dr. Paul Thibaudeau, and the North Grenville Historical Society jointly hosted The Archaeological Road Show/Show and Tell – our contribution to the Dandelion Festival. It has been estimated that at least 100 people from our community took time to examine the artifacts, documents and panels that were on display. On a lighter note, many of our guests (young and old alike) requested that they be photographed in the jail cell at the Courthouse and on the 1914 re-furbished Fire Engine, which Chief Paul Hutt of the North Grenville Fire Department had graciously loaned to the NGHS for that occasion.
This event was such a success that in addition to articles in the NG Times, the Road Show/Show and Tell was featured in the June Newsletter of the Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society and in a U.S. publication The Spinning Wheel Sleuth: a Newsletter about Spinning Wheels and Related Tools, July 2013, issue #81, pages 2-7. The article, entitled “Horton Row, Ontario Wheel Maker”, was written by Gordon Moat, who had appeared at the Road Show as Horton Row, and entertained those present with a demonstration of spinning on the NGHS great wheel which was made by Horton Row, an early craftsman and business man from Kemptville. (click on GALLERY to see more photographs of this event)
11 September 2013
Public meetings were not held in June, July and August but they resumed on September 11, 2013 with a slide presentation entitled “Stewardship and the Diefenbunker”, by Brendan Goodfellow, Facilities and Digitization Coordinator, Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum, Carp, Ontario and Ian MacLean, RPA, FMA, Consultant, integrated Heritage Management, Almonte, Ontario.
Public meetings were not held in June, July and August but they resumed on September 11, 2013 with a slide presentation entitled “Stewardship and the Diefenbunker”, by Brendan Goodfellow, Facilities and Digitization Coordinator, Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum, Carp, Ontario and Ian MacLean, RPA, FMA, Consultant, integrated Heritage Management, Almonte, Ontario.
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9 October 2013
On October 9, Anne Raina read and discussed excerpts from Clara’s Rib: a True Story about a Young Girl Growing up in a Tuberculosis Hospital. That young girl, with whom Anne co-wrote this book, was Anne’s sister, Clara Raina Flannigan. Clara entered the Royal Ottawa Sanatorium in 1939 and was discharged for the final time in 1952 at age 26. Seven of the ten children in Anne’s family suffered from this disease. Her father and oldest and youngest brothers died from it. During her presentation Anne also spoke about how she came to an understanding of the disease that had ravaged her family, and noted that it continues to be a world-wide pandemic and is on the rise in northern Canada. |
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13 November 2013
On November 13, Lorraine Reoch, UE, who is on the executive of the Ontario East British Home Child Family organization, did a presentation entitled “From Scotland to Canada” which was based on a true story about four family members who were left orphans after the death of both parents within a two-week period. These children were eventually sent to Canada. Ms. Reoch discussed their experiences and that of other children who found themselves in similar situations. At the end of the evening, Lorraine stated that she was very impressed with the number of people who had attended the public meeting. She was also surprised that so many of the attendees were directly or indirectly related to British Home Children. There are plans to publish another book about Home Children and those attending our event were asked to submit stories about relevant experiences of their family members. |
23 November 2013
On November 23 the NGHS, in collaboration with the North Grenville Photography Club, hosted a wine and cheese reception at Geronimo’s coffee shop to launch an exhibition of photographs and documents showing the history of the one-room school house in North Grenville from the 1820s until 1965. Doug MacDonald (NGHS) and Larry Loke (NGPC) were instrumental in ensuring that this vernissage was a huge success. One of the sponsors of this event was the CIBC Kemptville Branch, and Amanda Guerin, Branch manager, attended the launch with her family. The exhibit remained on display until December 27, 2013 and comments received by Heather Childs from patrons of Geronimo’s were very positive.
Read more about this event in the November 27th 2013 Back Issue of the NG Times.
On November 23 the NGHS, in collaboration with the North Grenville Photography Club, hosted a wine and cheese reception at Geronimo’s coffee shop to launch an exhibition of photographs and documents showing the history of the one-room school house in North Grenville from the 1820s until 1965. Doug MacDonald (NGHS) and Larry Loke (NGPC) were instrumental in ensuring that this vernissage was a huge success. One of the sponsors of this event was the CIBC Kemptville Branch, and Amanda Guerin, Branch manager, attended the launch with her family. The exhibit remained on display until December 27, 2013 and comments received by Heather Childs from patrons of Geronimo’s were very positive.
Read more about this event in the November 27th 2013 Back Issue of the NG Times.