On Travel: Jasper, Alberta, Canada

I needed a getaway, a short escape to clear my head and refocus, when just by happenstance, my friend Jacques called and told me he was just about to complete his 3-month stint working at the Fairmount Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) in Jasper, Alberta.

You don’t get what you don’t ask for, so I made a request of Jacques that he host me at his JPL staff accommodation for a few days. Now, Jacques and I have stayed together before, if you’re a regular to my blog, you’ll know that for a few months I lived on Big White Mountain in BC in 2020, shortly after COVID-19 hit Canada and I wasn’t able to depart on my year long adventure traveling all over South East Asia … who knew COVID would become a 24+ month pandemic?

You can read about my BC adventures in these blogs:

To read more about the time I explored an abandoned copper smelter you can read this blog here …

To check out my search of the Ogopogo Monster you can click here …

If you’re interested in driving from Big White (or Kelowna, BC) to Greenwood BC, you can read about that drive here …

Being the great friend that he is, Jacques accepted my request, and I immediately hopped online looking for a good flight. I wasn’t sure I’d find one given we were fast approaching March Break in Ontario, and I ended up finding an amazing deal of $135.00 return! Yes, you heard me correctly, $135.00 return – BOOM! With the current price of petrol, I couldn’t drive to see my family up north for that.

I’ve been to the Rockies before. I’ve been to Banff, and Lake Louise and driven from Calgary, AB to Invermere, BC following the Trans-Canada Hwy/AB-1 W to AB-93 S the views are nothing short of spectacular! Even flying over them as I headed to BC to visit my daughter and her boyfriend in 2018 was incredibly beautiful. Hiway 93 is also known as the Icefields Parkway is one of the most beautiful journeys on the planet. It’s rated as one of the top drives in the world by Condé Nast Traveller. The Icefield is a 232 km stretch of double-lane highway winding along the Continental Divide through soaring rocky mountain peaks, ice fields, and vast sweeping valleys.

Getting a bit ‘technical’ the Canadian Rockies comprise both the Alberta Rockies and the B.C. Rockies. They are the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. The Canadian Rockies are the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, the collective name for the mountains of Western Canada. They form part of the American Cordillera, a continuous sequence of mountain ranges that runs all the way from Alaska to the very tip of South America. Ok, enough about that geological stuff … (although I find it super interesting).

Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho. They were declared a single UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. And, Jasper … is located smack dab in the middle of Jasper National Park. It extends over 11,000 square km and is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies.

I only have a few days in Jasper. When I went to Japan and Vietnam I wrote my blogs more journal style, but when I went on other trips like to Vancouver or Churchill for instance, I documented by things I did and my thoughts on them. I’m feeling this is more of a ‘things I did type’ blog, you don’t need to know the depths of my soul searching – ha!

I booked my flight via Flight Hub; I always seem to get the best deals through them, and this trip was no exception at a whopping $135.00 return! I flew out of Pearson International Airport in Toronto and flew back into my hometown of Kitchener – bonus!

I flew into Edmonton rather than Calgary as it was still ‘wintery’ and I didn’t know what condition the Icefields Parkway would be in, and the flight deal was better, so that was a bonus. I arrived at Edmonton International Airport at 12:55 AM. I was tired and ready to call it a night … there’s a 2-hour time difference from eastern standard time (EST) to central standard time (CST). My shuttle bus to Jasper didn’t leave until the next day at 3:00 PM, so I opted to stay at a nearby hotel on the cheap since I was just using it for sleeping purposes … and it had a super cool, retro vibe so I am going to add it to my things I did list …. here we go!

Crystal Star Inn Edmonton Airport

Crystal Star Inn is located close to the Edmonton Airport

The Crystal Star Inn is situated in Leduc. Lowest price near the airport by far. Since I paid $54.99 for the night; I had no expectations whatsoever. When I looked at the reviews, they were decent, so I went with it, it was just for 1 night to tide me over until my shuttle to Jasper the next day. The Crystal Star Inn has a 3.9/5 overall rating on Expedia.ca.

The hotel is dated and clean. My room had a retro Austin Powers kind of feel to it with the red/orange plasticky leather chairs nestled up to a black tiled outdated fireplace. The room was clean and functional.

Room was clean and functional. Dated with an Austin Powers kind of feel.

Check-in was easy and quick. Available shuttle from/to airport.

Due to COVID (still?) breakfast was brown-bagged and consisted of yogurt, a clementine, a muffin, and a juice box. Coffee was served in my room in the in-room coffee maker (my fault, I missed the breakfast pick-up time).

Wi-Fi is included, although that’s basic nowadays.

The staff was meh – the night front desk staff was helpful. The morning staffer was less helpful and deflected when our shuttle wasn’t booked as it should have been. Also, he kept talking to the gentleman that was waiting with me, as if I wasn’t even part of the conversation. Other than that, it was decent for the price.

Overall: Decent and a good price for a night before flight or shuttle elsewhere.

Sun Dog Tours

To get to Jasper from Edmonton I booked the Edmonton to Jasper Bus via Sun Dog Connector.

The Edmonton to Jasper Bus offers daily transportation between Edmonton, Edson, Hinton, and Jasper. Service is available from West Edmonton Mall and Edmonton International Airport 7 days a week. The bus cost from/to the airport to Jasper Park Lodge was $89.00 (each way).I pre-booked online via the website. They pick up at Gate 10, arrivals if you’re picking it up at the airport.

Stops from there are West Edmonton Mall, Edson, and Hinton. Bus was comfortable.

Overall: Recommend, especially if you’re not looking to make the drive and just want to enjoy the view.

Alberta Highway 16 (Edmonton to Jasper)

Commonly referred to as Highway 16, it is a major east–west highway connecting Jasper and Edmonton. It forms a portion of the Yellowhead Highway, a major interprovincial route of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1). Highway 16 spans approximately 634 kms from Alberta’s border with British Columbia in the west to its border with Saskatchewan in the east.
In good conditions, it will take just under four hours to travel the 365 kms from Edmonton to Jasper on the Yellowhead highway (AB-16). It’s a pretty dull ride until you hit Hinton, AB which is located in Yellowhead County, 81 kms NE of Jasper, that’s when the mountains come into good view. The sides of the roads are sometimes frequented by wildlife, so keep your eyes peeled and your camera/phone ready. There is a lot to see along the way as you get closer to Jasper National Park.

Edmonton to Jasper takes under 4 hours (in good conditions)

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is a luxury hotel on an exemplary property with amenities for days. With impressive lakefront views of Lac Beauvert, on-site restaurants, a spa, health club and a heated outdoor pool . This spectacular lodge is located in Jasper National Park. The 700-acre year-round luxury mountain resort wraps around the shores of the pristine spring fed Lac Beauvert and Canada’s #1 Golf Resort Course.

This resort is very worth the splurge, and I did not have to splurge to take advantage of the amazing views and amenities that this luxury resort lodge has to offer. I stayed with my friend Jacques in staff quarters.

Great Hall Gastropub & Emerald Lounge

They boast that you can “enjoy a classic lodge setting with modern Canadian gastropub fare at the heart of Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge”. However, one of the best things about this restaurant is the stunning views of Lac Beauvert and Whistlers Mountain.

Food I Ate:

Chicken Wings | $17 – Maple Whiskey BBQ. These were good, they were full wings (i.e. wingette and the drumette). I loved the Maple Whiskey BBQ flavouring. I could have eaten another serving of these.

Crispy Mushrooms | $13 – They are served with a chipotle aïoli, it was mediocre, mediocre is being kind, they were horrible. They had no taste, the chipotle aioli that came with them also had no taste, it was bland, to the point I had to ask for hot sauce just add some flavour, they brought me a side of Frank’s Red Hot.

JPL Burger | $26 – Cheddar cheese, shaved red onion, tomato, butter leaf lettuce, 1000 Island dressing, bread & butter pickles, brioche bun. Served with your choice of side. For $26 I’m expecting something yummy and juicy and big, that you can’t wait to bite into … this burger was dry, the Caesar salad had no taste, and the onion rings were hard. Disappointing.

Spicy Pork Noodle Bowl | $25 -Other than the wings, this was the only other good thing I enjoyed – it’s made with Roasted Pork Belly, Charred Scallions, Potato Glass Noodles, Pork Broth, Napa Cabbage, Miso Fermented Daikon. Would recommend.

Cocktails I Enjoyed

Jasper Park Lodge Lager 18oz Draught | $11 – Loved this, a light lager enjoyable any time of day or night.

Maple old fashion | $18 (2 oz) – Loved this very much. Made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Maple Syrup, Angostura & Orange Bitters.

Em to Go

I’m not a big breakfast eater and when I do eat breaky, I’m not one for a big sit down meal. This day I wanted to head out on a hike around Lac Beauvert so I opted for a bite to go at Em to Go, which is conveniently situated in the Great Hall.

At the suggestion of my barista, I opted for the Mountain Morning Sandwich | $10.00, which is Turkey and Saskatoon Berry Sausage, Apple, Smoked Cheddar, Egg, Chipotle Aioli on a Brioche Bun. Sounds delectable doesn’t it? It wasn’t! It was cold, mushy and didn’t really have a taste to it …

First bite of my Mountain Morning Sandwich

I don’t know what it is about the food in this place and why it was so hit and miss while I visited. I’m a huge foodie. I LOVE FOOD, which is why I was so disappointed about the overall food vibe here. To be perfectly honest, the staff has better meals down at The Bean … where I enjoyed some Butter Chicken and Aloo Gobi (and Tomato Soup).

Heated Pool & Sauna

I arrived in Jasper midweek, away from the rush of the prior weekend and just before the Devour! The Canadian Rockies Food Film Festival taking place over the coming weekend. Because of the timing of my arrival, I was fortunate enough to have the heated pool to myself for a full 2-hours … the pool sits against the backdrop of Canada’s Rocky Mountain paradise, and is heated to a wonderful 90º.

The pool area has a bar with a few select alcoholic beverage on offer. I chose a Grizzly Paw Gin Squeeze since we don’t have these in Ontario, they are yum!

This is a MUST DO, even if you’re not staying at the JPL, day passes are available. Didn’t bring your bathing suit? Not a problem, the hotel has ‘disposable’ bathing suits for purchase for $20, I’m wearing one in the photo below. You can wear them up to 8-9 times. This is excellent otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of this spectacular opportunity.

Jasper

As a mountain town, Jasper is relaxed and unpretentious with good food and drink, as well as endless outdoor wilderness at your doorstep. Jasper is also the world’s largest dark sky preserve making for stunning star gazing. There’s an observatory at the JPL. I would describe Jasper as the far-less-touristy cousin of Banff – it attracts a different kind of traveler and has fewer amenities to offer, but is none the less massively inviting and way more my vibe!

Olive Bistro & Lounge

At the recommendation of the concierge at the JPL we enjoyed dinner at the Olive Bistro and Lounge in Jasper. The Bistro features a tasty selection of plates. Inspired by the Mediterranean, there were contemporary and classic cuisine with flavors from France, Greece, Spain, and Italy … combining a Canadian Flare.

It boasts the ‘Best Happy Hour in Town’ from 4pm-5pm every Saturday & Sunday offering $6 Cocktails, Craft Beers & Wine as well as $4 Domestic Bottles!’ Wasn’t able to take advantage of that as our reservation seating was for 6:00 PM.

To start we enjoyed the Kefalotiri Saganaki (Oregano, Brandy, Lemon) served with naan bread which of course came flambéed table side. If you’re not familiar with saganaki it’s cast-iron fried cheese and it is salty and oh so good!

For dinner, I chose the Crispy Chicken & Brie Burger (Crispy Fried Chicken, Brie, Tomato, Pickles, Honey Dill Aioli on a Brioche Bun) served with Shoestring Fries. This would be the Canadian flare part of their menu. I loved the burger, especially because I love honey dill sauce, however, the shoestring fries did not appear to be homemade and were hard and too well done for liking.

Overall: Recommended.

Patricia Street Deli

Jacques recommended this little hidden gem of a deli while we were in Jasper. In short, I was thrilled with my wrap from Patricia Street Deli. It was absolutely delicious, and the service was top notch. The owner was a delight, and the sandwich was healthy. Good variety of wraps and sandwiches made with freshly baked bread.

Located at: 610 Patricia St, Jasper AB

Overall: Recommended. Excellent sandwiches made by friendly, helpful staff! A bit pricey for the size of the sandwich at $13.75/ea.

Maligne Canyon

This is one of Jasper’s most popular and impressive winter adventures. I booked through Sundog Tours (same company that has the Jasper/Edmonton Shuttle service). Our guide assisted us in getting to the bottom of the Maligne Canyon, the deepest accessible canyon in Jasper National Park, where we had the opportunity to explore frozen waterfalls, ice caves, and incredible ice formations.

The Icewalk covers approximately 3.5 kms and is mostly downhill. We started at the Fifth Bridge, which offers fairly easy access to Maligne Canyon. In the winter the thundering waterfalls are transformed into sculptures of ice. The hike along Maligne Canyon’s upper rim, crosses bridges that allow access to many spectacular view points. The views of ice sculptures and frozen waterfalls cascading deep into the Canyon.

The waterfall that runs through the canyon only flows from May to December. Come winter, most water in the canyon drains away and/or freezes. And that means the canyon boasts some terrific natural ice sculptures in winter. Its steep walls of giant frozen waterfalls create terrific sights!

The water that courses through Maligne Canyon isn’t just beautiful — it also has a secret. Our guide explained that before arriving through the canyon’s many springs, much of the water has travelled via an underground cave system all the way from Medicine Lake, located 14 km away. By using red dye, scientists discovered that the journey took 12 to 24 hours in the summer and 5 to 9 days in the winter.

And with that my 3 days in Jasper came to a quick end … I really loved Jasper and the JPL, the only thing I was not fussy on was the food. Maybe it was the Chef working? Maybe if I went back again my food experience would be different? Who knows. Either way, I’m already planning my return Jasper, this time in the Summer – lots of hiking I want to do and things I want to be able to experience in the warmer months.

Have you ever been to Jasper? If so, let me know what your top things to do are.

On Genealogy: Great Scott! Descendants of Andrew McKenzie & Agnes Leckie of Lanark Co

I assumed I had some Scottish in me given my 2x great-grandparents last names are McKenzie and Leckie.

I just recently received my updated DNA estimates via Ancestry.ca and this lit a little fire under me to finally document my proud Scottish pedigree.

With its center in the northern third of the island of Great Britain but stretching down to Brittany in France, my Scotland ethnicity region is known for its geographical beauty, medieval architecture, and folklore. Gaelic and Scots have influenced regional English dialects and are both still spoken in some areas. National symbols, including the Lion Rampant, clan tartans, and bagpipes, are often recognized internationally alongside symbols of traditional cuisine, like whisky and haggis. I’m proud to document my Scottish roots and as always, am grateful to my ancestors for all they went through so that I am where I have the privilege of being today.

ORIGINATING SCOTTS

There are 2 originating sides to my Scottish family – the LECKIE’s and the MCKENZIE’s. I was able to get a generation further back on the Leckie’s side.

THE LECKIE’S

WILLIAM LECKIE married MARGARET BUCHAN

I’ve been able to trace the Leckie line as far back as William Leckie (1762-1799) and Margaret Buchan (1752-????), my 5x great-grandparents, who appear to be from Govan, Lanark, Scotland. Thus far I have nothing else on them, yet.

Interesting though, that the Leckie’s originate from Lanark, Scotland and my immigrating ancestors will land in Ontario and be founding member of Lanark County, Ontario.

They had a son named …

ROBERT LECKIE married MARY XXXXXX

**Immigrating Ancestor**

Together William and Margaret had a son named ROBERT LECKIE, who, based on my research is my immigrating ancestor. I am not certain if the record I found is for “my” Robert Leckie, the Canada, Passenger, and Immigration Lists Index simply state the arrival place of Ontario. Census films are available from the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa. I will have to request these if I would like to confirm with 100% certainty. Source Publication Code: 1823.18.

Robert Leckie was born in about 1789 in Scotland (exact location unknown) and immigrated to Canada in 1871 at the elder age of 82.

He had a wife, MARY (last name unknown) who was born in 1787 in Kincardine, Scotland. She passed away on 24 Jan 1888 in Lanark County, Ontario. She would have been 84 at the time of passage.

Why would they emigrate so late in life?

THE MCKENZIE’S

ANDREW MCKENZIE I married ELIZABETH (SCOUGALL)

I don’t have a date or an exact place of birth for Andrew other than Scotland. He married ELIZABETH, all I am to locate for her was that she was born in/about 1811 in Scotland.

I am still confirming Elizabeth’s maiden name, her last name in the documents is McKenzie. I saw somewhere that someone located the last name of Scougall – I am going to use it for my searches now. If it changes, I’ll update.

Scougall is an unusual name and is of early medieval Scottish origin, and is a locational surname derived from the place called Scoughall in the old parish of Tyninghame, on the coast near North Berwick. Also spelled Scougal.

I am unable to confirm who the immigrant family was for this line. Was it Andrew and Elizabeth who brought over their son Andrew? Or did Andrew II leave his family behind in Scotland for Canada?

THE LECKIES’ and MCKENZIES’ MERGE

ANDREW MCKENZIE II married AGNES LECKIE (3x grand-parents)

Andrew McKenzie I and Elizabeth had a son named ANDREW MCKENZIE II who was born about 1810-1811 in Scotland. We know this because his Marriage Certificate to his second wife states that he was 66 years old on Jan 8, 1877. The 1891 census has him at 71 years old, making a year of birth of 1810. At this point it’s negligible, it could be a matter of a difference between the month the census was taken and the month he was married. We do not have a location as to where he was born in Scotland, yet.

We know he immigrated to Canada before 1836 since he was married in Canada, that same year. We know that he was one of the original settlers in Lanark County, Ontario based on his obit in the Perth Courier which wrote “another old settler had gone to rest”.

Andrew married (1) AGNES LECKIE on 21 Oct 1836 in Ramsay Township, Ontario. He was 26 years old, and Agnes was 23. She was born in/about 1813, in Scotland. She died on 27 Feb 1875 in Pembroke, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada.

Andrew and Agnes had the following children:

Robert (1837-1875)
Andrew (1845-???)
William (1847-1920)
Alexander (1850-1910)
Agnes (1850-1921)
Georgina (1850-????)
Cecelia (1852-1921) *
Mary-Anne (1854-????)

Below is a land record for Andrew McKenzie (and wife) in the Township of Ramsay. Date of Registry, Sept 9, 1859. They owned all of Lot 27, Seventh Concession.

Land Registry – they owned all of Lot 27, Seventh Concession. Line 3 on the record

From the Library and Archives, I know that the 1861 census started on 14 Jan 1861, for Canada East and for Canada West. I locate them on the 1861 census. They’re living in Admaston, Renfrew County, Ontario. They are noted as being from the Free Church. He is a farmer, and they reside in a log house.

I locate them both again in the next 10-year census, it is 1871. They are noted as being Presbyterian this time. He is again documented as being a farmer. Andrew is 60 and Agnes is 57. Living with them are Andrew III 22, Agnes 20, Cecelia 19, Mary Anne 17, and Mary 4 (1 of the children’s daughters?). They’re living in the same region, Admaston Township, which is still in Renfrew County.

After Agnes passed on 27 Feb 1875, Andrew then married (2) JANET GREVILLE TOSHACK on 08 Jan 1877 in Almonte, Ontario. She was the daughter of William and Margaret. She was born about 1821. She died on 15 Nov 1893 in Ottawa, Ontario. Andrew was 66 and Janet was 50. Janet was from Ramsay, Ontario. The witnesses were Alexander Gray Almonte and James Snedden Ramsay. I query if the witnesses were kin of Almonte/Ramsay who founded the local towns nearby? I’m not ruling out that their ancestors founded Almonte and Ramsay. Andrew is listed as being a *Colporteur. We know from his obituary that Andrew was a *Colporteur for 20 years visiting shanties in the Ottawa Valley. I cannot determine which years he did this. I will write a separate blog on the Toshack’s, they too have a rich history in Lanark County.

*A colporteur is a peddler of devotional literature.

From the Perth Courier, Jan. 19, 1877 – McKenzie – Toshack – Married, on the 8th inst., by Rev. Robert Knowles, Mr. Andrew McKenzie of Renfrew to Mrs. Grenville Toshack of Ramsay.

From 1881 census, Ontario, Lanark North, Almonte:

McKenzie, Andrew male 71 Scotland C. Presbyterian – Retired Farmer – married

McKenzie, Janet female 57 Scotland C. Presbyterian – married

Later that same year, on 16 Oct 1881, Andrew passed away at the age of 72. His death registration states that he died of lung congestion (likely pneumonia) and suffered from it for at least 10 weeks. His death was reported by R. McKenzie assuming his son, Robert (who was a Farmer). Robert reported that his father was a “Bookseller” i.e., Colporteur. Presbyterian.

Andrew died of lung congestion on 16 Oct 1881

Almonte Gazette, Friday, 28 Oct 1881:

OBITUARY: Another old settler has gone to his last rest. Mr. Andrew McKenzie died of congestion of the lungs at his residence in Almonte on the 17th Oct. 1881, aged 72 years. Mr. McKenzie was for over twenty years a colporteur in the service of the Ottawa Valley Branch Bible Society. In the wintertime he visited the shanties in the Ottawa Valley, selling bibles to the shanty men, and speaking to them of Him who came to seek and save the lost. Dreary and long were the journeys he often took, and many were the hardships he endured, and the dangers he escaped as he passed from shanty to shanty. But his work is done, and we doubt not but he has received his Master’s approval, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth; yea, saith the Lord, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.”

From The Renfrew Mercury, Friday, October 21, 1881:

DEAD – The corpse of Mr. A. Mackenzie, the colporteur, a former resident of Renfrew, was taken through the village on Tuesday, from Almonte, for interment in Admaston.

Andrew is also mentioned in the blog Up and Down the Shantymen Used to Roam, posted on 6 Feb 6, 2017, by lindaseccaspina.

CECILIA MCKENZIE married GEORGE RICHARDS (2x grand-parents)

Andrew and Agnes had a daughter named CECILIA MCKENZIE who was born on 09 Dec 1851. She died on 12 Sep 1921 in Mattawa, Ontario. She married GEORGE RICHARDS in 1886 in Mattawa, Ontario, who was the son of Ambrose Abraham Richards and Olive Moore. He was born on 26 Jul 1859 in Eardley Township, Quebec. He died on 25 Apr 1942.

A review of the 1881 census shows GEORGE HOWARD RICHARDS as 23 years old and married but not to Agnes, he was married to ROSY (maiden name unknown) who is 19 years old from Ireland but born in Ontario. She is Presbyterian. George reports he was born in Ontario and is Scottish (I will have to look further into this). He is a farmer and is also Presbyterian.

Estimate this photo was taken in/abt 1914 – hard to make out the date on the top. Pearl was born in 1913 and she looks to be 1 y/o or less

The very next entry on this census is the family of Donald and Agnes Fraser. We find CECELIA MCKENZIE living there, with her sister Agnes. It is likely that she and George knew one another and married after the death of his first wife, Rosy. In this census, Cecelia is employed as a Seamstress.

George and Cecelia marry on April 11, 1888, in Mattawa, Ontario. Their son, Ambrose Richards was born in 1887 (according to his baptismal certificate).

In the 1901 census, I can locate them at the township of Papineau is a municipal township in northeastern Ontario, Canada, in Nipissing District. The township is located on the south side of the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers along Highway 17.

Cecelia died on 12 Sept 1921 of “general paralysis”. Unable to locate a Death Certificate for her.

George died on 26 Apr 1942.

Death Certificate Summary: Scottish. Widower. Farmer. Retired in 1929, was a farmer for 50 years. Died of a cerebral hemorrhage (was hemiplegic) at 82 years, 9 months and 1 day. No autopsy. It’s interesting to see the lack of knowledge his daughter, Mrs. Roy McOrmand had when she was asked to give the basics – she wasn’t aware of who his parents were – ? Richards (born in France) and ? Moore (born in Canada). She is not entirely incorrect though, her grandmother, Olive Moore was in fact born in Canada, and that entire line is from America and is quite rich with history, some rooting back to the founding colonies and famous kin.

To see more on this line and these interesting finds, check out these blogs:

On Genealogy: My Connection to President Lincoln

On Genealogy: My Salem Witch Trial Connection

On Genealogy: Whipped for Baptist Beliefs - My Connection to Rev. Obadiah Holmes

On Genealogy: Say What? I'm Connected to Amelia Earhart!

On Genealogy: MY Relation to Ezra CORNELL - Founder of Cornell University

In respect of her grandfather, Pierre Antoine, I haven’t been able to find out that much (yet).

AMBROSE RICHARDS married BRIDGET ANGELINA MULLEN (great-grandparents)

AMBROSE RICHARDS (B: Dec 12, 1887 – Mattawa Ontario, D: 1957 – Mattawa Ontario) m. BRIDGET ANGELINA MULLEN (B: Jan 3, 1887 – Vinton, Québec, D: April 10, 1976 – Témiscaming, Québec) on 20 Nov 1912 in Sacré Coeur Parish, Sturgeon Falls, Nipissing, Ontario.

Ambrose converted to Roman Catholicism from Presbyterianism, apparently to marry Lina as he was baptized only 10 days before they were married, His Godparents were Denis Leaghy & Mary Brown. He was baptized Catholic on 10 Nov 1912 in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, Canada.

In 1921, they are living at 253 Cache Bay, Sturgeon Falls, Ontario. At which point did they sell the farm? Did they own the farm or farm the land?

BENJAMIN GEORGE RICHARDS married SARAH ANN LEE (grand-parents)

BENJAMIN GEORGE RICHARDS (B: Feb 10, 1916 – Sturgeon Falls Ontario, D: June 17, 1977 –Montréal, Québec) m. SARAH ANN LEE (B: Dec 7, 1922 – Meltham Mills, Yorkshire England, D: March 1993 – Verdun, Quebec)

For more info you can refer to my blogs on my LEE family from England or read more about my great Uncle Private George Lee who was killed in action in Flanders in WWII.

You can also read more about my grandpa WWII, Private Benjamin Richards for details about his life in WWII and their life in Témiscaming, Québec.

PATRICK JAMES RICHARDS married MONA ROSE XXXXX (parents)

PATRICK JAMES RICHARDS (B: Jan 15, 1954 – Témiscaming Québec, D: Nov 18, 2014 – Témiscaming, Québec) m. MONA ROSE XXXXX (B: Jan 20, 1956 – Bonfield Ontario, D: —)

MOI

Owning a Piece of Land in Scotland

Getting more familiar with my Scottish roots really got me wanting to take a trip to Scotland, to visit the land of my ancestors.

Knowing that, for Christmas, I purchased ONE square foot of dedicated land on a private estate in Ardallie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland for my eldest and me (we each own a square foot). My intention in purchasing the plots was to own a piece of my ancestral land and to preserve and protect woodland in Scotland.

We have unique plot numbers, and we are the title holders and have a title certificate to prove it. The plots of land themselves are recognized as ‘souvenir plots’. Though souvenir plots are typically too small to be registered with the Scottish Land Registry directly, the site that I purchased the plots through maintain their own private records and take the arrangements with their Lords and Ladies very seriously.

The title packs are based on a historic Scottish land ownership custom where landowners have been long referred to as “Lairds”, the Scottish term for “Lord”, with the female equivalent being “Lady”. Most jurisdictions will allow you to update your title when you choose to do so. I have not done this yet; I may start with my Costco card and see 😉

Where’s my Plot?

**Coordinates:** 57.441751778894, -1.95569932342

On Genealogy: My Irish ‘Patrick James Mullen’ Eyes are Smiling

I’m Researching my Irish Roots via PJ Mullen

My updated DNA origins have provided me some further insight to my Irish roots. The recent update has really narrowed the percentage of Irish I have in my DNA, my current ethnicity estimate is 6%, but it can range from 0-14%, the range comes from making multiple comparisons of my DNA to to Ancestry reference panel.

I have this incessant need to find out as about my Irish side of the family … and no matter how much I dig I came up empty.

I have connected with distant relatives who have nothing more to offer than the same tidbits of family lore. I have spent countless hours researching and emailing and my problem may well be the one that nearly all people tracing their Irish ancestry eventually face.

I just don’t know enough about my Mullens to make any real dent. Add that to the fact that the Mullen name O’Mullen, with its many variants, is among the seventy most numerous names in Ireland, among the first forty in Ulster, one of the first ten names in County Derry, and one of the first five in County Tyrone, yeah, I’m already set up behind the eight ball.

Inconsistency in spelling of surnames is well known to those who have conducted research into their Irish family history. I find that in the context of Irish historical records there are many spelling variations of the same name. Anglicization of Gaelic names, together with illiteracy, resulted in numerous spelling variations of the same name and, in some cases, the adoption of inappropriate surnames. Many surnames in historic documents are based on a phonetic spelling of what the record compiler heard. And on top of this many records were made by officials with no knowledge of Gaelic speech. Hence, the surname Mullen can be variously recorded as O’Mullen, Mullan, Mullen, Mullin etc. in record sources in Ireland.

The other thing is that there are very few surviving Roman Catholic baptismal or marriage registers of any parish in County Derry predating 1825 (the exceptions being Long Tower RC, Derry city with baptism records from 1823; Lissan RC with baptism registers from 1822 and Dungiven RC with baptism registers from 1825). Hence, it is quite possible that a birth record of Patrick James Mullen or any of his ancestor has survived in a County Derry church baptismal register. But I am not done going down this road yet. I will press on.

I NEED HELP, so, I set out to put together all the information I know on my 2x great-grandfather, my dad’s namesake, and see if this lands in the hands of someone who can offer any other nugget of information to Patrick James Mullen’s life story. If you know anything about this line, are a distant relative, know where I can direct my search and move it forward, I’d love to hear from you.

Patrick James Mullen’s Timeline

* I am accepting all the information prima facie and will change it as it is clarified or dispelled.

** In the records, the name Mullen is also spelled Mullin and Mullan interchangeably throughout, even by PJ himself.

22 Dec 1825 • Birth: County Londonderry, Ireland

WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH HIS DOB
- IT VARIES BETWEEN 2 YEARS: 1825 and 1836 – see discrepancies below. THIS DOB cannot be entirely relied upon.
- In the 1881 and 1891 census’ PJ was the enumerator and entered his own age. I would assume he knows his own age and entered them as he knew them to be.
- 1825 comes into play on his death certificate, this cannot be relied upon as it was not entered by him (clearly) and his last census of 1901 when he was of advanced age and was NOT the enumerator and maybe the Lees’ whom he was living with gave the info and it was incorrect?
He was born to Nancy McGanis (actual spelling on their marriage certificate, it could also be McGinnis or McGuinness) and Michael Mullen. We know his parents’ names as they are listed on their marriage certificate.
His date of birth is as per his death certificate – again not entirely certain if this is accurate as it does not appear to have been a family member who gave the death details.
His death certificate states that he is from County Londonderry, Ireland – again this is coming second hand and not from him.
At this point, I’m not even sure that we can rely on County Londonderry since it was noted on his death certificate – who provided this information?
- Derry is an anglicization of the old Irish Daire meaning “oak-grove” or “oak-wood”.
- Unlike with the city however, there has never been a County Derry. County Londonderry was formed mostly from the old County ColerainBritish authorities use the name “Londonderry”, while “Derry” is used by the Republic of Ireland.
The only thing we can rely on with some degree of accuracy is that he is from Ireland.

I need to look into this tree, it does not appear accurate à Michael “Mickey” Mullin – Facts (ancestry.ca)

1840-1850 • 3 Waves of Irish immigration to Calumet Island

For historical relevance – circa 1836, former employees of the Hudson’s Bay Company started to settle on the island, followed by three waves of Irish immigration between 1840 and 1850.

1847-1852 • The Great Potato Famine and Irish Immigration

For historical relevance – by far, the largest immigration of the Irish to Canada occurred during the mid-19th century. The Great Irish Potato Famine of 1847 was the cause of death, mainly from starvation, of over a million Irish. It was also the motivation behind the mass exodus of hundreds of thousands of Irish to North America.
Because passage to Canada was less expensive than a passage to the United States, Canada was the recipient of some of the most destitute and bereft Irish. The passage was difficult for those making the 4,828 km voyage from Ireland.
Crammed into steerage for over six weeks, these “coffin ships” were a breeding ground for many diseases.
The primary destination for most of these ships was the port of Québec and the mandatory stop at the quarantine island of Grosse Île.
By June of 1847, the port of Québec became so overwhelmed, that dozens of ships carrying over 14,000 Irish queued for days to make landing.
It is estimated that almost 5,000 Irish died on Grosse Île, and it is known to be the largest Irish burial ground exclusive of Ireland.

1851 • Poor Law Union of Ballycastle, Ballintoy, Antrim, Ireland

THIS IS NOT CONFIRMED – I NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER. I HAVE RUN UP AGAINST A BRICK WALL with nowhere else to go. I’m using this temporarily as it was only about 1.15 hours from Londonderry. I’ve found a note that in 1851 there was a Patrick James Mullen was at the Ballycastle Poor Law Union, in Antrim, Northern Ireland. So, he MAY HAVE BEEN in a workhouse. Each Poor Law Union in Ireland contained at least one workhouse.
Maybe he didn’t leave Ireland because he didn’t want to be a Priest, maybe he was a criminal and wanted to get out of Ireland? I’m grasping at straws here.
Mullen is a common last name as I am sure Patrick and James are just as common. This may not be my PJ, but I will keep looking and remove once confirmed.

Workhouse registers 1843-1948 à Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) | nidirect

1860 • Ireland – Seminary: Family Lore OR Fact?

The year 1860 is being used as a date stamp to document the possibility that he was in the Seminary.
It is alleged that PJ was in the Seminary studying to become a Priest before coming to Canada or at least this is the lore passed to me via Mary Rowlands, who is my 2^nd cousin who heard it from his daughter, Gramma (Ange)lina Mullen. Gramma lived with Mary and her family.
Paul Podstawka is a distant cousin who has also been trying to help figure out more on PJ.
In an email to me Paul says: “in the meantime … family lore was PJ was in the seminary (maybe in Ireland, maybe in Québec) he left the seminary eventually. So the lore is consistent at least.

Paul then emailed me the following … On Mar 1, 2021, at 7:11 PM, pods wrote:

“Hi Tina, Life is full of coincidences. Today a local historian referenced a near-drowning in 1955 and I’m quite sure I was involved (my friends were the culprits) so I went to look for the news story, but was enjoying looking through the numerous photo albums. I found a note from my mother which I’ve never seen before giving her genealogy”.

Genealogical Note from Paul Podstawka’s Mother

Here’s what I take away from this little note, even though Paul said in his email to me that it offered ‘nothing new’, there are a few new takeaways here:

• She referred to him as James Mullen – is that what she heard people called him … not Patrick, Pat or PJ? Did they called him James? However, on the census’ when he was the enumerator he wrote his name as PJ?
• A few sentences ago I was debating if he was in the seminary in Ireland or possibly Quebec based on differing info. This version closely aligns with what Mary Rowlands said that Lina told her about her father (PJ) leaving Ireland for Canada to teach and leave the seminary. However, it can still be considered as lore – a big lore, but lore nonetheless.
• She says that Olive was quite young when they met, and he had her placed in a convent “till she was older”. This was also passed down via Lina to Mary Rowlands as well. However, this too can still be considered as lore.

In specific reference to family lore OR fact about him being in the seminary in Ireland prior to coming to Canada, I’m still not sure. However, it is the same story coming from two different lines of the family and from different generations. I will leave the year as 1860 for now … I have chosen 1860 as it was the year immediately preceding his immigration to Canada and since it is said he left the seminary for life in Canada.

*Feb 21, 2022 – I have emailed the Special Collections and Archives at Maynooth as Students for the Priesthood did not train within local Parishes, they attended a central seminary at Maynooth. Maynooth College archives are the administrative records of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, which was founded in 1795 as the National Catholic Seminary in Ireland. Surviving sources of information for each student provide the diocese, date of matriculation and date of ordination.

*March 1, 2022 – Response from Anna Porter, Archivist at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

“I searched the website and Hamell’s book for Patrick Mullen/Mullins, etc. and found a few slim possibilities:

Patrick Mullen, Dublin diocese, matriculated into the Rhetoric class in 1854, no ordination date given. If this were your Patrick he would have been twenty-nine upon entering the college; usually students started at around eighteen years of age.
Patrick Mullen, Armagh diocese, matriculated into Rhetoric on 20 Dec 1843 and was ordained in the college on 25 May 1850. This man would be the right age for your Patrick but I gather your grandfather was not ordained? Your grandfather’s place of birth, Londonderry, is situated within the Derry diocese which borders Armagh diocese, so the location would be plausible for this man to be your Patrick.
Patrick Mullen or Mullins, Clonfert diocese, matriculated on 27 August, 1857 and was ordained externally in 1865/66

From the probable ages (usually ca. 18 years old at matriculation) of the above listed men, the most likely candidate would be the middle one, the problem being that he was ordained. If you would like to pursue this line of enquiry perhaps the Armagh Diocesan archives might be able to tell you if he left the priesthood sometime before he emigrated. I also checked the database of seminarians who studied at All Hallows College in Dublin but did not find anyone who matched your grandfather’s details.“

1861 • Immigration to Canada

He immigrated to Canada in 1861 as per the 1901 census.
At this time of immigration to Canada he would have been 36 years old or 25 years old depending on the YOB we go with.
The year that PJ immigrated to Canada, Olive would have been 14 years old.
According to the 1861 census info for Olive, she is living in a log house. There are no other Rancourt’s with her in the census. From what I can make out it appears as if she is living with the Laporte family of 3:
- Baptiste Laporte – age 57
- Victoria Laporte – age 52
- Victorina Laporte – age 5
The 1861 census officially began on 14 Jan 1861, for Canada East and for Canada West.
I don’t understand why she is living with the Laporte family.
- PJ died the same year she was born, but her mom was still alive.
- Her mother Emelie Terre/Thare died in 1867 when Olive was 20.
- Was Olive living with the Laporte’s because she was working for them in some way to help support the family?
- Did PJ meet her very shortly upon arrival to Canada and then place her with the Laporte’s until she was old enough to legally marry? That can’t be because the census started in Jan 1861, and I suspect there was no ‘winter crossing’ from Ireland in January. However, I could be incorrect.
- And this family does not appear to be a family of nuns (convent) either – hmmm.

Since the census is taken every 10 years, we know the next census is not until 1871.

Can I see what was going on locally to get some idea? Are there local records? Need to make a trek up that way – need to get in touch with the town historian prior.

Since we know PJ became a Teacher, I suspect I should be able to locate teaching records somewhere? Get some more details … where would I go for this? Maybe start with the genealogical society of the region? Where did he teach? Which school? Is this where he maybe met Olive? Was he her teacher?

1867 • Residence • Frankstown, Beckwith Township, Ontario

PJ and Lina’s Marriage Certificate indicates that PJ was of ‘St Elizabeth of Frankstown’.
The Hamlet of Franktown is about 64 km south of Ottawa. It began as a halfway stagecoach stop between the military settlements of Perth and Richmond.
Franktown was established in 1818-19.
I assumed St. Elizabeth was a church in Frankstown, I looked for such a church within Frankstown hamlet and Beckwith Township – nothing located.
The township in 1819 had 229 people. Today it has 6,986.

March 5, 1867 • Marriage • Ile-du-Grand-Calumet, Pontiac, Québec

Patrick James Mullen and Olive Rancourt were married at St. Anne Parish.
Marriage Certificate (Translated to English) “On the 5th of March, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, the exemption from three banns having been amended in favor of special permission from the Bishop of Ottawa between Patrick James Mullen of St Elizabeth of Frankstown, adult son of Michael Mullen and Nancy McGanis and Olive Rancour, eldest daughter of the late Louis Rancour and the late Emèlie Terre of this parish. Having encountered no impediment, I, the undersigned priest, solemnly blessed their union after having had their mutual consent of marriage in the presence of Michel McLean [?] And F [?] Legault [?] Who were unable to sign”.
Why did they ask the bishop to waive the banns?
In an email received from Paul, he stated “He met his future bride (Rancourt) but she was too young to marry, so she was raised by the nuns (in a convent, or school?) …” However, as of the date of marriage, Olive would have been 20 years old – so not ‘too young’. PJ could have in fact have married her much earlier than age 20.

**L’église Sainte-Anne est** située au centre du village est un témoignage historique et culturel de la vie des gens habitants l’île. Fier bastion francophone du Pontiac cette église catholique réunissait les Irlandais et les francophones comme lieux de prière.

1869 – Their daughter Mary Anne was born on February 27, 1869, in Vinton, Québec.

CANNOT LOCATE THE 1871 CENSUS FOR THEM

1872 – Their son Patrick James was born on January 18, 1872, in Vinton, Québec.

1879 – Their son William Henry was born on January 17, 1879, in Vinton, Québec.

1881 – Their daughter Catherine Anne was born on March 25, 1881, in Vinton, Québec.

1881 • Residence – Bryson Village and Litchfield Upper Pontiac, Québec

Census

Birthplace: Ireland
Nationality: Irish
Religion: Catholic
Occupation: School Teacher
Census spells the name MULLAN. PJ IS the census enumerator as his name is on the top of each of the 68 pages in handwriting. So, HE spelled HIS OWN name MULLAN.
In the census in which HE IS THE ENUMERATOR, he says he is 45 years old – meaning his DOB would be 1836, not 1825! I would suspect he would know his own DOB (wouldn’t he?). The YOB on the death certificate that we have been using for his DOB could be incorrect given it does not appear to be given my himself (clearly) or a family member – even that could be incorrect info however. Let’s see what the 1891 census says – he should be 56 in that census.
He is living with Olive (he spells her name Olieve – he is a Teacher, and her husband, wouldn’t he know how to spell her name correctly?) who is 34 years old which would make her YOB as 1847. Mary Ann, Patrick James, William Henry and Catherine Ann.

1885 – Their son John F was born in 1885 in Pontiac, Québec.

1887 – Their daughter Bridget Angelina was born on January 3, 1887, in Vinton, Québec.

1889 – Their daughter Christine was born on December 9, 1889, in Pontiac, Québec.

1890’s – Education in Canada

For historical relevance, as PJ was a Teacher:

• By this point, children were expected to attend free compulsory education throughout most of Canada.
• Although still taught in one room school houses, children were taught at different grade or “book” levels, the standard eight levels of education became the norm.
• Physical education and health, manual training, nature and agricultural study, and household science are introduced to Canadian curriculums.
• Electricity was introduced to classrooms.
• The first Kindergarten education is introduced.

1891 • Residence – Bryson Village and Litchfield Upper, Pontiac, Québec

Census

Census has him listed as PJ Mullin *NAME SPELLING CHANGE FROM MULLAN* in the 1881 census – odd given he is the enumerator of BOTH census’.
- So he went from Mullin to Mullan and we ended up with my GGM Lina as Mullen.
Occupation: Elementary School Teacher.
Religion: Roman Catholic
Age: 57 – this is what we would expect based on his YOB in the 1881 census age of 46. Perhaps his YOB was wrong on the death certificate, but by 11 years?
He again spells Olive’s name Olieve and living with them are: Mary Ann, Patrick J(ames), Katie Ann, William H(enry), John F, Angelina and Christine.

Their daughter Minnie was born in 1892 in Ontario (need to double check this).

Their daughter Mary was born on June 6, 1893, in Pontiac, Québec.

September 12, 1895 • Death of Wife Olive

Olive passed away in Fort-Coulonge, Québec, at the age of 48.
They had been married 28 years.
Unable to locate a Death Certificate for her.

Photo Received With Thanks From Kim James Yarwood (distant cousin) on Feb. 28, 2022

1901 • Residence – Fort-Coulonge, Pontiac, Québec

PJ ‘Mullan’ was living in Fort-Coulonge, Québec
- Fort Coulonge is a village in the Pontiac Regional County Municipality in western Quebec, at the mouth of the Coulonge River. By the mid 1860’s, the town had a population of about 500. Fort-Coulonge became a municipality in 1888 when it separated from the Township Municipality of Mansfield.
He is 76 years old — which means a YOB is again back to 1825!
Census
- Widowed
- He is noted as being a Lodger in this household
- He is staying with the family of Albert & Marguerite Lee – why was he not staying with any of his children? Who are the Lees to him?
- Retired Teacher
- Census indicates that he immigrated in 1861

Since we know he lived in Fort-Coulonge in 1901 and he died in 1909 in Sturgeon Falls – when did he leave Fort-Coulonge? Where did he go? Who was he living with during that time? Where/who was he residing with as of his date of death? Some of his kids were still young, where were they? The youngest Mary would be 16.

1906 • Occupation Labourer?

On Minnie Mullen and John Sloan’s marriage certificate, for occupation of father Minnie put ‘laborer’. Is it reasonable to assume that she would not have known what he did for a living?

Did he formally ‘retire’ from teaching, but work as a labourer to earn some extra cash or to keep busy? Was she incorrect?

Minnie and John’s Marriage Certificate states that PJ was a Laborer

Death • 25 May 1909 • Sturgeon Falls, Ontario

Patrick James ‘Mullin’
Died on May 25, 1909, in Sturgeon Falls, District of Nipissing, Ontario.
Age: 84 years, 5 mos and 3 days (this gives us the year 1825, again!)
Teacher
Widowed
Dr. Dales was the name of the physician who attended to him.
Doctor last saw him alive on May 21, 1909
Primary cause of death: chronic nephritis
Immediate cause of death: cardiac failure and dropsy x 1 month
Who gave this information to the doctor?

Burial • 27 May 1909 • Sacré Coeur Parish, Sturgeon Falls

Patrick James Mullin – Le 27 mai a été inhumé dans le cimetière de cette paroisse le corps de Patrick James Mullin ép. d’Olive Rancourt, décédé le 25 mai âgé de 84 ans et cinq mois.

1912 • Occupation Farmer?

On Angelina and Ambrose’s marriage certificate for occupation of father, Lina put ‘farmer’. Lina was about 20 when her dad died, it is reasonable to assume that she would not have known what he did for a living?

Did he formally ‘retire’ from teaching, but work on a farm to earn some extra cash or to keep busy? Was she incorrect?

Angelina and Ambrose’s marriage certificate where Lina mentions her father, PJ was a ‘farmer’

We Hired a Genealogist in Ireland

At our wit’s end, 3 of us decided to hire a genealogist at Ulster Ancestry in an attempt to locate more info on PJ or his parents Michael or Nancy. He was unable to locate anything after 20 hours of exhaustive searching of the nearby church registries and Tithe Applotment Books. So, this means that Michael and Nancy DID NOT own property or land.

The information we have is too broad – just County Londonderry holds 52 parishes for catholic records. It’s like trying to find a needle in 52 haystacks.

Summary of email exchange with Robert @ Ulster Ancestry – Genealogy, family history and legal probate research in Northern Ireland

Searched the Parish registers for those Co Londonderry RC Parishes where I found a Michael Mullan or Mullen living between 1848 and 1864. I searched for both the baptismal records of Michael born c 1825 and Patrick Joseph born c 1861. I covered year spans allowing 3 years on either side. i.e., for Patrick Joseph 1858-1864. I did this in every case. It was the only feasible way to do it as there are 52 Parishes in County Derry and to search every one would have taken me 20-30 mins per Parish amounting to maybe 20-24 hours. We had 12 hours in our budget, so I had to find a way to reduce the search to manageable proportions.

There is only one way {for me} and that is to search EVERY County Londonderry Parish for Patrick Joseph’s baptism but as I say that would take me about 24 hours. It’s a lot of research time. I don’t know if you want to go to that expense. I know that you understand, this was not an easy nor straightforward search, Tina. Without knowing where exactly PJ was born in a County where so many Mullan and Mullens were to be found {it’s possibly the most popular name}.

I NEED TO LOOK AT THE MAILED REPORT HE SENT – THE DATES ABOVE ARE INCORRECT – he says he searched Michael born 1825, but it was Patrick who was born in 1825. He states that Patrick Joseph – not even his name it’s Patrick James and that he was born in 1861, I told him that was the year he immigrated to Canada!

MISC – STILL INVESTIGATING:

Mullen’s in Derry 1858-9 –> Mullen households in Derry (johngrenham.com)

Variants in Derry with total households:

McMullan: 11
McMullen: 72
McMullin: 7
Mullan: 51
Mullen: 220
Mullin: 27
Mullins: 38
O’Mullen: 3

Derry – Surnames – Roots Ireland

On Genealogy: His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, Duke of York & Me

Ok, ok, so I’m related to the Royal Family, no need to get all excited … so is pretty much everyone with any amount of Anglo-Saxon blood.

If you’re new to my blog, I write a lot on my genealogy and, in light of Prince Andrew’s latest Royal scandal, I thought I’d blog about that.

** To read more about my connection to King John I, click this blog here.

According to my ancestry and DNA, His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, Duke of York is my 11th cousin. I’m not bragging … don’t worry. Oh wait, Prince Andrew, was stripped of all royal and military titles following his recent legal trouble, and is no longer allowed to use ‘His Royal Highness’ in any official capacity.

Below is my lineage to the Royal Family through my paternal grand-father’s line … that line is full of amazing genealogical significance. If you’re interested, check out my other blogs.

So, What Does 11th Cousin Mean Exactly?

Well, say the average person has three children – higher than today’s average number of children for a British family of 1.7, but a rather conservative assumption historically.

Then, you have 2 siblings.

You have 4 aunts/uncles, therefore 12 first cousins.

You have 8 great aunts/uncles therefore 24 first cousins once removed, therefore 72-second cousins.

You have 16 great-great aunts/uncles, therefore 48 first cousins twice removed, therefore 144-second cousins once removed, therefore 432 third cousins.

So, for the number of nth cousins, it is 2^(n+1) *3^n. (To change the average number of children, just change the 3 in this formula.)

So, for 6th cousins, that is 93,312.

For 11th cousins, that is 725,594,112 (and remember that going back 11 generations, 3 children per couple would be a small family, so it’s probably a lot higher than that.)

You also have about 1/160000000th of your genes in common as a result of that relation. (Although you would actually have far more than that, obviously.)

In other words, that degree of relatedness is meaningless. You and I are probably 11th cousins many times over.

As for the probability of each, that would be a lot more complicated to figure out and have to take into account the size of populations, degree of interbreeding, etc. All you can really say about the probability is that it’s “a lot higher than you would expect.”

Since all humans can breed with all other humans it’s fair to say that we are all related in some way, shape or form.

Since we are, therefore, all nth cousins many times removed, the question is how big a value of ‘n’ and ‘m’ are you prepared to put up with?

In cases where that person is the person I am writing about, I’m willing to put up with a lot less.

What Now for Prince Andrew?

The British royal family will try to put one of the most vexing scandals it faces behind it, with the announcement that Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, had settled a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of raping her when she was a teenager. Virginia claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York three times back in 2001. Not to mention his long ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

While Andrew did not admit guilt in a statement announcing the settlement, he said he

“regrets his association with Epstein and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others.”

~ NYTimes, Mark Landler Feb. 15, 2022

*** To read more about my English war bride of a gramma who immigrated to French Québec, 
Canada after marrying my grampa during WWII click --> here.

Urbex: Kitchener’s Cold War Bunker

You wouldn’t know it was a cold war fallout bunker, especially when on the front of the building there’s a sign that reads Kitchener-Waterloo Rowing on the front of it. I’ve lived here all but a few years, and had I not known of its existence from stories, I’d be none the wiser. All that can be seen from the street are two radio towers and some pipes sticking out of the ground, near a concrete entrance.

But an underground bunker known as MEGHQ-FREEPORT sits along the Grand River in Kitchener’s Schneider Park.

Rear, southern elevation of the MEGHQ bunker

In the 1960’s, the threat of a nuclear holocaust was hanging over the heads of North Americans. In Southwestern Ontario, Hamilton was a prime target for enemy strike with its steel mills and harbour. Prevailing winds would blow fallout to the north, into the Golden Triangle, affecting Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph.

Thus, the fall out shelter was built in 1966 at the height of the Cold War and was conceived and crafted to serve as a fallout shelter to protect 40 key officials for several weeks following a nuclear attack. This ensured continuity of government and the aim was to keep the essential functions of government operating during a nuclear attack, restore order and the rebuilding of the country after the emergency had subsided. Of the 40 local key officials these included 10 elected officials, fire, police, and public utility officials, as well as more practical positions such as eight radio operators, four typists and a cook.

The architect? Webb Zerafa Menkes and Matthews, the same firm who years later would build the iconic CN Tower.

The now abandoned shelter was intentionally situated on an acre and a half along the banks of the Grand River because they wanted the nuclear fallout bunker to have access to water. The bunker was built to be self sustaining and was equipped with its own generator and septic system.

It was originally designed to be all underground; however, the idea was then that it would be built all out of concrete and then it would be covered up with dirt. The building is partially underground and has 25-centimetre-thick doors and walls. That process gave it a fallout factor of 500 – which means the radiation is 1/500 of what it is outside.

The building was decommissioned in 1992 and leased out. However, since 2017 it was deemed to be unfit for use with a leaking roof and a part of the ceiling collapsed. It is contaminated with water, mold, asbestos, lead, and other hazards.

chimney and rooftop infrastructure looking towards King Street East and Guard House of the Freeport Hospital

Remnant rooftop infrastructure – fan

rooftop infrastructure – concrete roof covered by snow- was once covered by mounded earth

The 5720 sq ft bunker is one of the few that are still within municipal ownership. There is another close by in Aurora, which is a designated heritage site, however it is no longer owned by the municipality.

The fact officials chose to build the bunker

“demonstrates this region’s ingenuity and its desire to have good governance, even in a nuclear disaster”

said Bridget Coady, Principal Planner at Region of Waterloo

A Heritage Impact Assessment found the building is worthy of designation under the Ontario Heritage Act. In November 2021 Regional councilors voted to spend $687,000 on emergency repairs to its crumbling Cold War bunker. It will undergo repairs in 2022. Staff say fixing up the former fallout shelter could cost $4 million to $4.5 million. Yearly operating costs would be around $200,000, depending on its eventual use.

The windowless bunker was meant to be an operational headquarters, administration building and training centre. It included decontamination showers near the entrance and 14 rooms, including a large operations room, message centre, radio room, several offices, a kitchen, and separate dormitories and washrooms for men and women.

I’m glad they have decided to restore the bunker. It’s a part of history – of an era and for the Region. The historic shelter remains one of the Canada’s largest standing municipal Cold War-era bunkers. Preservation of history is important.

I walk my dog along the Grand quite often in the summer months, I walk by the bunker regularly. I will revisit the site this summer and post some updated photos … where the grounds are not snow covered.

On Genealogy: The Life of WWI Pte. Emile Lamothe

This is an update to genealogy story #4 which featured my Great Grand Father, Émile Lamothe, whom I called Grand-Pépère Lamothe (the original blog has been deleted). It was originally posted on June 3, 2017 and I’ve since come across some new photos and information that I want to document and update his story.

Cleophas Émile Lamothe was born on June 10, 1897, in Bonfield, Ontario to Marie Louise Charron, age 38, and Joseph Magloire Lamothe, age 42. For those of you who don’t know where Bonfield is (and I don’t blame you, I’d be more surprised if you actually knew where it was), it is a small township in Northeastern Ontario, located on the north shore of Lake Nosbonsing in Nipissing District.

There were some initial family questions as to whether he volunteered or whether he was drafted. So, I did some research, turns out volunteers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) were questioned at the place of enlistment to complete the two-sided Attestation papers which included the recruit’s name and address, next-of-kin, date and place of birth, occupation, previous military service, and distinguishing physical characteristics. Recruits were asked to sign their Attestation papers, indicating their willingness to serve overseas. By contrast, men who were drafted into the CEF under the provisions of the Military Service Act (1917) completed a far simpler one-sided form which included their name, date of recruitment, and compliance with requirements for registration. Having reviewed his Attestation Papers/Particulars of Recruit – I was able to deduct that Grand-Pépère was drafted. This is congruent with the General Orders for Battalion Depots.

Émile was drafted on May 13, 1918 to the 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment. Regimental #3037591 to the rank of Private.

Émile was short in stature, only 5’2.5″ and was 20 years and 11 months old when he was drafted. His CEF documents state that he was a single Farmer. He was listed as a Class One, Category A2.

Assessments were made by medical officers as to the suitability of men to perform military duties. A system of lettering and numbering was devised to enable a man’s abilities to be quickly noted. Class One meant he was single, and Category A meant that he was able to march, see to shoot, hear well, and stand active service conditions. The 2 meant that he was fit for dispatching overseas as regards to physical and mental health but required training.

Émile was initially part of the 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Central Ontario Regiment. What I have been able to find out so far is that it was authorized by General Order 89 of September 1 1917 (see below) amongst the first Depot Battalions being authorized was the M.D. 4 1st Depot Battalion 1st Quebec Regiment and by General Order 57 of 15 April 1918. They were to reinforce the 4th, 19th, 123rd and 208th Battalions through the 3rd Canadian Reserve Battalion. They were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel B. H. Belson.

His military records are quite scant to be honest and contain only about 15 pages in total. So, I’m not able to get a really good idea of what he did in The Great War. All I know thus far is that on August 20, 1918 he TOS (took on strength) at Bramshott Military Camp.

I don’t have his regiment’s war diaries or mobilization accounts; I will have to request them. I see from his personnel file that he’s noted under 3 separate regiments – 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Central Regiment, the 1st Depot Battalion, 2nd Quebec Regiment and finally before demobilization, the 1st Depot Battalion 10th Canadian Reserve Battalion. But, from the records I have on hand, am unable to decipher when he was SOS (struck of strength) from one and TOS (took on strength) with the other.

On June 20, 2017 I spent the day at the National Archives of Canada in Ottawa. The assistant working at the genealogy desk provided me with some information which makes sense. She said that as part of a depot battalion and because we can only find him in England – that he likely did not see “action”. He would have been training and keeping in shape over his time in one of the military camps, in the event that he was called up to infantry for one of the battalions they were supporting. She further added that there are not likely war diaries for depot battalions, but if there was, they would not be very interesting, and that I could check the records anyway. Which I fully intend on doing. They may not be interesting or important to her, but they are ample important to me, it’s part of my heritage.

All WWI military records are available online, so I was able to access his WWI CEF Personnel File via Ancestry.ca (the site I am doing my family tree on). You can also access them through the archive’s website.

Military Records Summary

June 28, 1914: The spark that set off World War I came when a young Serbian patriot shot and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire (Austria), in the city of Sarajevo. The assassin was a supporter of the Kingdom of Serbia, and within a month the Austrian army invaded Serbia. As a result of the military alliances that had formed throughout Europe, the entire continent was soon engulfed in war. Because European nations had numerous colonies around the world, the war soon became a global conflict.

August 10, 1914: The government established the strength of the First Canadian Contingent for overseas service at 25,000.

1917-1918: When it was no longer possible to recruit enough men for infantry battalions, depot battalions were organized in Canada to obtain personnel who would then be sent to the Canadian Reserve Battalions in England.

May 13, 1918: Attested at North Bay, Ontario

Valcartier, Quebec was the primary training base for the First Canadian Contingent in 1914.

This post card was part of Grand-Pépère’s collection. The Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Le Chez-nous du soldat at Valcartier, Québec. It was founded in April 1918, as a way French Catholic soldiers to feel less alone while away from home training. The site at 33 d’Auteuil offered reading and writing rooms, game rooms, entertainment, concerts and church services.

Saint Vincent de Paul, Le Chez nous du soldat (post card, Emile had in his possession)

I found this from the book Le Chez-nous du soldat: oeuvre de la Société de Saint-Vincent de Paul, fondée à Québec en avril 1918:

July 21, 1918: Embarked at Québec

August 8, 1918: Arrived London, England via the H.M.S. Somali – she was built in 1901 by Caird & Company Greenock and served as a troop carrier in WWI.

This photo is from my Grand-Pépère’s personal collection of his WWI memorabilia.

From the research I’ve done, this appears to be the HMS Somali

August 20, 1918: TOS at Bramshott a.k.a. Bramshott Military Camp, which was a temporary army camp set up on Bramshott Common, Hampshire, England during WWI Bramshott was one of three facilities in the Aldershot Command area established by the Canadian Army. The permanent facility on both occasions was at the British Army’s Bordon Military Camp. Bramshott was one of two temporary camps set-up for additional accommodation in the lead-up to D-Day, along with Witley Camp.

Real photo postcards are postcards with genuine photographic images on the front. They are actual photographs on photo paper but designed to be mailed and have letters written on the back. This was one such real photo post card. None of these seem to be addressed or mailed home. The backs of all of his “post cards” are blank.

Emile Lamothe, first row, first soldier to the left (sitting)

Stamp boxes are the small rectangular boxes printed on the back of some postcards where the stamp is to be stuck. One of the popular photographic papers used for printing postcards was Kodak Professional AZO Paper. This was suitable for making contact prints, rather than enlargements for which the source of light would be much weaker.

The photos below appears to be a stock photos/post cards from my Grand-Pépère’s personal collection – I’m not certain if this is Bramshott, Aldershot or Borden (need to do some research).

November 11, 1918: WWI ends on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the incessant boom of artillery abruptly went silent along the Western Front in France. This became known as Armistice Day – the day Germany signed an armistice (an agreement for peace) which caused the fighting to stop.

Feb 19, 1919: In Ripon Emile was admonished and condemned to pay 1/9.5 (1 pound, 9 schillings, 5 pence) for losing 1 scrubber. What kind of post did he after the war ended that he would have that would have lost a scrubber? On June 20, 2017, the Genealogy Assistant at The National Archives in Ottawa advised that he literally lost a “scrubber” for cleaning. The reason she believes this is that he was there well after the war ended and was likely involved in clean up tasks. Given the price he was penalized to pay, she thinks it was likely a long-handled scrubber.

EMILE’S BADGE COLLAR, 2ND QUEBEC REGIMENT, 1ST DEPOT BATTALION

Description: Brass, a maple leaf on which a King’s crown surmounting an oval strap, buckle to bottom right, clasp to bottom left, round the top part of which 2EME REGT DE QUEBEC, in the centre a pair of fleur de lys above an heraldic lion above three maple leaves, across the centre of the strap a scroll, the centre of which goes behind the segment holding the lion, the left portion of the scroll bears PREMIER, the right BATTALION, at the bottom of the strap an upward scroll passes behind the clasp and the buckle, the visible left portion bearing JE ME, the right SOUVIENS (I Remember), across the bottom of the strap above the leaf stalk an upward scroll bearing CANADA.

EMILE’S COLLAR BADGE – CANADIAN, 2ND QUEBEC REGIMENT, 1ST DEPOT BATTALION

May 19, 1919: Dental Exam for demobilization in Ripon

May 24, 1919: Emile had this custom medallion made while he was in Ripon. The front of the medallion is reflective of the front of an British florin which if a real coin was worth 24 pence (two shillings, or one-tenth of a pound). The back of the medallion is inscribed with what I thought were his initials – but the first letter does not appear to be an E (Emile) or a C (Cleophas), so I’m confused.

June 14, 1919: SOS (struck off strength) at Ripon – he was now a part of the 10th Canadian Reserve Battalion (Québec). He was likely transferred to this Battalion as the other battalions he was part of demobilized and returned home. A little information about the 10th Canadian Reserves – they were organized at Shoreham on 4 January 1917 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel H. DesRosiers. They were formed by absorbing 69th and 163rd Battalions. They absorbed 178th Battalion on 15 March 1917 and 258th Battalion on 17 October 1917. They reinforced 22nd and 150th Battalions; the latter was absorbed in February 1918 after the disbandment of the 5th Division. They were absorbed by 20th Canadian Reserve Battalion on 28 March 1918 but re-constituted at Bramshott on 8 April 1918. They moved to Ripon on 9 February 1919 and returned to Canada 24 June 1919; they disbanded on 2 July 1919.

Sports Day, 10th Canadian Reserve Battlion – Ripon 1919

June 23, 1919: Embarked at Liverpool on the SS Belgic. The White Star Line vessel was to be named Ceric & intended to replace Titanic in 1914. The outbreak of WWI changed all of that. During construction, White Star decided to go with the name of Belgic IV. She was launched in January 1914 but was not yet completed when WWI began later that year and the work was stopped. Belgic IV was eventually completed in 1917, but as a troop transport and freighter rather than the passenger liner she was designed to be.

July 1, 1919: Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia

July 3, 1919: Discharged due to demobilization

July 26, 1919: The British War Medal was authorized. The medal was awarded to all ranks of Canadian overseas military forces who came from Canada between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, or who had served in a theatre of war. There were 427,993 issued to Canadians in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF).

DESCRIPTION:

A circular, silver medal, 1.42 inches in diameter.

The obverse shows the King George V, bareheaded coinage effigy, facing left, with the legend: GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP :

On the reverse, there is a horseman, St. George, armed with a short sword (an allegory of the physical and mental strength which achieves victory over Prussianism). The horse tramples on the Prussian shield and the skull and crossbones. Off-centre, near the right upper rim, is the sun of Victory. The dates 1914 and 1918 appear in the left and right fields respectively.

Here’s a map of where I’ve been able to locate Émile while in the UK (pinned are Ripon, London, Liverpool and Bramshott).

Locations where I was able through military records able to locate Emile

I wondered why he stayed over in England so long after armistice, the Genealogy Assistant at The National Archives informed me that some of the troops had to stay overseas longer to clean and pack up. Not everyone was able to go home right after Armistice, and there was only a limited supply of troop ships, so everyone had to take turns to return. The sick, injured, infirmed were sent home first. The abled bodied men were left to clean.

Below are some of his Discharge Papers:

After being discharged from the military he returned to Bonfield. He married Marcella Houle on September 25, 1927.

Marriage Certificate – September 25, 1927

They had four children (Clifford, Thelma, Edward, and Mary) during their marriage.

Clifford (1928-2014), Thelma (1930 – present), Edward (1932 – 1978), Mary (1943-1943, lived 2h10mins)

When I was young, we’d drive up to visit them from Kitchener, it was about a 4-5 hour drive. They lived at 217 Yonge Street. The house has long been sold. It was a white and light green house, with a large white wrap around veranda. I always thought the house was cool and creepy at the same time, because it was so old. It was Grand-Mémère Lamothe’s parents place – she was born there. When you walked in, you’d immediately walk into the living room (to the left) and the staircase to go upstairs was straight ahead, it had a white railing. I have such vivid memories of Grand-Mémère rocking away in her chrome glider, by the window, watching her shows.

The room immediately to the right when you walked in the front door used to be a in-house funeral parlour and as a child that totally creeped me when out they told me what it had been used for, that was in the days well before the funeral parlours of today. Nonetheless, I could always envision dead people in there. They’d put their Christmas tree up in there and that’s where the whole lot of us would open gifts before/after midnight mass at St. Bernadette’s Parish.

When you walked toward the back of the house from the entrance, I recall there being a long dining table before you stepped through a single door on the right to the kitchen. Just before you entered the kitchen, on the right-hand side, there was a cabinet, where Grand-Mémère would hide all the goodies and where I may or may not have snuck a few extra pieces of licorice. The kitchen was an addition, it was big (or at least it seemed big in the eyes of a little kid) and filled with white cabinets, with silver handles. There was a kitchen table in there with a back bench, and on the back wall was a large picture hanging of The Last Supper.

The house had a small half bathroom on the main floor, a clear later thought. The house never had a bathtub or shower, as children we’d bathe in the kitchen sink. I remember we weren’t allowed to flush the toilet, Grand-Mémère or Grand-Pépère would use a bucket of rain water to flush it.

Grand-Mémère would get up very early in the mornings and when we’d come down, she’d make us peach or maple soupan/supan (French slang for porridge) and the best Map-O-Spread toasts.

There were two doors in the kitchen – one exiting to the veranda which lead toward the front of the house and the other side door going out to the old step-up laundry washing area/ line. They never owned a dryer. Grand-Mémère did all the laundry and hung it out back on the line to dry. They owned an old-fashioned washing machine where you would wash it and then you had to take the piece of clothes and put it in a wringer and it would fall in a big bucket of clean cool water to rinse, then she would take it out of the rinse water and wring it again.

Left – “The cousins” (Mona, Darlene and Doreen) and their children (Mona: Tina & Darryl), (Darlene: Lisa, Francine & Stephanie), (Doreen: Sylvie, Ginette and Danielle). Note the green colour of the house and the laundry station.
Top Right – “June 1984” – Mom Mona, Me, Darryl, Grand-Pépère and Grand-Mémère and Pépère. Note the white cabinets!
Bottom Right – “Grand-Pépère’s 87th Birthday” at Ma Tante Thelma and Uncle Rene’s in Bonfield.

Coming from a generation that they did, and the house sourcing from a well, I was told that they were afraid of the well running dry. So, at nighttime we had a large marmite (French for pot) at the top of the stairs to pee in, if we had to go. Grand-Mémère would then empty it when she got up in the morning. I also remember that the bedrooms did not have doors, they had curtains. The bedrooms also did not have closets, they had hooks – there were 3 bedrooms plus theirs, which was at the front of the house.

At Grand-Pépère & Grand-Mémère Lamothe’s in Bonfield, 1981

I remember Grand-Pépère fiddling around in the back tool shed. I remember going in there as a child and thinking “wow this place is filled with really cool old junk”.

They had a garden out back and had a rain barrel that they’d collect water in to water it.

I recall the house not being too far from the train tracks because I would hear it whistling at nighttime.

It’s when I sit here and reminisce on my life that I wish I had the thirst for knowledge then like I do now. The things I would love to have asked Grand-Pépère; from 1897 to 1992 he must have seen soooo many crazy things! He went from a seeing the first Ford Model T to a Lamborghini. He went from coal and wood fires to electricity, telephones and tv’s all during HIS LIFETIME. He saw two World Wars and was at one of them. Oh, the stories Grand-Pépère would have told me as he puffed on his pipe and sat on the front veranda.

Émile Lamothe died on April 17, 1992, in his hometown at the age of 94. Grand-Mémère died the following year at the age of 87. They are buried together at Ste. Bernadette Cemetery in Bonfield. They were married 65 years.

When I was up in Bonfield last Summer, I popped by the house at 217 Yonge Street – sooo disappointing and heartbreaking it hardly looks at all like the house in my memories. It looks run down, dilapidated and totally unkempt. Nothing like the memories we shared here as a large extended family when we were all younger. The large white wrap around veranda has been torn down, the house no longer has the large added on kitchen …

217 Younge Street, Bonfield in 2020 – it looks nothing like it did when I was a child

SUV Camping – Manitoba to South Western Ontario

I’ve driven this stretch of road a couple times now and in all honesty, it’s a long haul and I wasn’t much looking forward to it. Driving straight it is about 26 hours, give or take, especially that due to COVID-19 travel restrictions we cannot cross the US border. That way would shave off about 3-4 hours.

Instead of driving straight through, I decided to make an adventure of it. I decided to SUV camp along the way, may as well break up the long and monotonous drive and turn it into a vacation adventure. I’d watched weeks worth of YouTube videos on SUV camping, bought some additional gear and I was ready to hit the road.

Click here to see why I am making the trip back to Kitchener.

Instead of dividing the trip up into the typical two day blocks, I was going to divide it up into 5 days:

Dauphin, MB to Kenora, ON
Kenora ON to Wawa, ON
Wawa, ON to Manitoulin Island, ON
Manitoulin Island, ON to somewhere in South Western Ontario
Somewhere in South Western Ontario to Kitchener, ON

Also, this time home I wanted to take the ferry from Manitoulin Island to Tobermory to shave off some driving time and to see my friend on Manitoulin Island

I’m going to break up this blog into the above driving sections. I’ll also point out some interesting stop points and some of the beautiful must sees along the way. I’ll also share my experiences along the way.

Ready? Let’s go!

Day 1: Dauphin, MB to Kenora, ON

I departed Dauphin and decided to make a pit stop in Gimli, MB. I really wanted to see the Gimli Glider Museum – I wrote a blog specifically about that — you can see that blog HERE.

Gimli, Manitoba

The town of Gimli is located on the west side of Lake Winnipeg. The community’s first European settlers were Icelanders who were part of the New Iceland settlement in Manitoba, Icelandic immigrants began settling the area in 1875. Volcanic eruptions in Iceland spurred additional immigration to the Gimli and New Iceland area. Three hundred people left Iceland, arrived in Ontario and took a ship to Duluth, Minnesota, from there they made their way to Grand Forks, North Dakota, and took a steamer up to the mouth of the Assiniboine. To this day, Gimli maintains a strong connection to their Icelandic culture and hold an annual Icelandic Festival. With the amalgamated with the Regional Municipality of Gimli, it now has a population of 2,246 as of the 2016 census.

Things I did while in Gimli:

a) The Viking Statue

I stopped in to take a selfie with The Viking Statue, and, it was pouring down rain. Regardless, I got out and got soaked to take a few photos (no selfies). The five metre tall statue stands in the centre of the small Viking Park. Around the base of the viking statue you’ll notice more hints at the Icelandic influence.

b) The Harbour Wall

Had it been nicer out, I would have taken a stroll along the harbour to discover the outdoor seawall gallery. The Gimli Art Club created 72 small murals that show Gimli’s history, landmarks from around Manitoba and important events, including the landing of the Gimli Glider. I did get up as close as I could down First and Centre Streets to take a quick peek. As you can see the weather was not cooperating at all.

c) The Gimli Glider Museum

On July 23, 1983, a full passenger plane ran out of fuel due to miscalculations and had to make an emergency landing at the defunct air force base in Gimli which was and is used as a racetrack in the summer months. No one on board the flight was injured despite the very dangerous landing. The Gimli Glider Exhibit tells the remarkable story in depth through video, personal recollections of the 1983 event and important artifacts. I got into the pilot’s seat and tried to land the airplane myself in their mock-cockpit simulator —> see that blog here.

Afterward I grabbed some Thai food at one of the local restaurants and hit the road … onward to Kenora

Some photos I snapped along the way.

To see video of day 1, click here.

Rushing River Provincial Park

Much later than anticipated, we arrived at Rushing River Provincial Park, our home for the night. Having arrived late, we missed “check-in” and the park office was closed – firewood and kindling are sold at the park office, so we were SOL for any firewood and it still had not stopped raining!

Rushing River is located just outside of Kenora. It is a perfect spot for SUV camping. I didn’t need electrical connection as I had my MotoMaster Eliminator PowerBox, but the site does offer a variety of electrical and non-electrical sites well suited to any equipment ranging from a single tent to a large motorhome. As I pre-booked online, I was able to select my site and in my opinion I scored one of the best lots in the park – lot 65, a superb waterfront site that offers unforgettable views of Dogtooth Lake. My campsite came equipped with a picnic table and fire pit with grill.

With our 5:15 PM arrival, it was still light enough to get in a quick tour of the campground and set up the SUV for the night. Thankfully I had thought enough to bring along 3 starter logs and I had that to use as a source of fire/light. Two kind gentlemen who were camping in tents at the lot next to ours, were thoughtful and brought me over 3 logs to add onto my mini fire. About 10 minutes after I got a nice fire going, it started pissing down rain (again!), and into the SUV we went … for the night.

To see those videos – click here and here.

Day 2: Kenora ON to Kakabeka Falls, ON

Morning had broken, and I wish I could say the sun came out and it was going to be a “bright, bright sunshiny day” and it did not. By the time my body naturally told me it was time to get up, it was still pouring cats and dogs. I made the decision to hightail it out of there and trek on. It was too bad, I would have loved to have stayed longer, made breakfast and taken a short hike along the Lower Rapids Trail or Beaver Pond Trail before hitting the road.

I rejigged the SUV to hit the road … but first things first, time to get me a coffee, so we headed into Kenora.

First Stop of the day….

90° Longitudinal West

As I approached the village of Argon, Ontario, it was time for me to change my watch ahead, back to Eastern Standard Time. You’ll know you arrive here when you see a large marker indicating the line between the Eastern and Central Time Zones. The time zone delineation marker is located in a small roadside rest area on Trans Canada Hwy 17.

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The two-sided marker in that direction reads:

YOU ARE CROSSING
90 LONGITUDE WEST
and are entering
EASTERN STANDARD
TIME ZONE

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While most of Ontario is officially in the Eastern Time Zone, the areas of west of 90° west longitude, are in the Central Time zone. The Canadian government officially introduced Daylight Savings Time in 1918, but the towns of Port Arthur and Fort William (now Thunder Bay) had implemented seasonal time shifting a full decade earlier. In 1908 John Hewitson (a Port Arthur business man), had a desire to enjoy an extra hour of summer sun, so he petitioned the councils of both towns, both of which observed Central Time, to adjust the clocks to Eastern Time in the summer months and switch back in the fall. Both towns agreed, and on May 1, 1908 they “sprung ahead”.

Here is where you will also find a bronze placard dedicated to Sir Sanford Fleming who is considered to be the author of standardized world time.

There is also signage depicting the forest Trans-Canada Route, long before there were the modern roadways we enjoy, all travel was done on lakes and rivers.

Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park

The Kaministiquia River has cut deep into the rocks to reveal 1.6 million year old fossils at the bottom of the falls. The 40 metre high Kakabeka Falls is the second highest waterfall in Ontario and it has year round access. The Boardwalk Trail is an easily accessible boardwalk and pedestrian bridge which provide SPECTACULAR views of the falls from viewing platforms on both sides. It is easily accessible from the parking lot.

To see my visit to Kakabeka Falls, click here.

Before setting up the campsite, Ellie (my dog) and I decided to hike the Little Falls Trail. It’s a 3.1 km, loop, rated as being moderate to difficult. The trail begins and ends from a point along the Mountain Portage Trail. It features a steep descent into the river valley, the picturesque Little Falls and a 30 metre ascent, I was totally out of breath. This was tough, but well worth it … check out these pics!

To see my hike to Little Falls, you can click the link here.

Kakabeka Falls Provncial Park offers tent and car camping in three campgrounds – Whispering Hills, Riverside and Fern’s Edge. I believe two of them are seasonal sites, so I opted for lot 37 at Whispering Hills. The Whispering Hills Campground has a barrier-free comfort station, which I didn’t take advantage of, and should have, I could have used a nice hot shower.

I set up the SUV for the night, started a nice fire, made myself some dinner and sat out and enjoyed the beautiful evening staring at the stars, reminiscing of when I used to go up to my dad’s camp in Québec where we’d all sit by the fire and star gaze. I was feeling really grateful this night and was thinking about my dad a lot.

Eventually, it began to rain, so Ellie and I hopped into the SUV to watch the fire from the dryness of the truck and eventually fell asleep.

The next morning we got up early and decided to take one last peek at the falls while no one was around … before I started out looking for a spot to grab some much needed coffee.

You can see our evening and campsite here.

Day 3: Kakabeka Falls, ON to Wawa, ON

After grabbing my morning cup of joe, we headed out to find an adventure around Thunder Bay and found it at ….

Mount McKay Lookout Point

Even though I’d traveled through Thunder Bay a few times prior, I had never considered stopping at Mount McKay. This time, since my goal was to “experience” the drive, I spontaneously decided to locate the lookout and see if I could summit it.

Mount McKay is a on Fort William First Nation. It is the highest, most northern and best known of the Nor’Wester Mountains. It formed during a period of magmatic activity associated with the large Midcontinent Rift System about 1,100 million years ago.

Mount McKay is traditionally known as the “Thunder Mountain”, Animikii-wajiw in the Ojibwe language. The mountain is used by the Ojibwe for sacred ceremonies. The English name “Mount McKay” comes from William Mackay, a Scottish free trader who resided in the Fort William area sometime between 1821 and 1857.

On the way up the mountain road, to the left, you will find a memorial to the Ojibway elders.

The lookout on the lower eastern plateau has an elevation of 980 feet, providing a view of Thunder Bay and its harbour.

A small memorial commemorates indigenous people who fought in wars.

The mountain chapel is situated at the site. It was erected on September 10, 1888 by Rev. Father Joseph Hébert and restored and dedicated in his memory in September 1939.

Hiking Mount McKay

Mount McKay is 981 feet above Lake Superior 1,585 feet above sea level. It is a flat-topped hill flanked by steep cliffs on three sides.

There is a path on the eastern face of the mountain that can be used for hiking. Drive toward the lookout parking lot – a gravel parking lot to the left, a few mins past the toll booth … you’ll see a sign that says “Welcome to Mount Mckay Lookout”, the trailhead is to the left of the parking lot. The hike is VERY steep and took about 35 mins to summit. It is ALL straight uphill with some narrow sections and loose rocks, and the views are worth it! Would definitely recommend, especially in autumn.

Had I had more time, I would have started at the bottom of the mountain and hiked from the base to summit. Next time …

You can check out our hike to the summit of Mount McKay here.

Terry Fox Monument

Next we moved onto the Terry Fox Monument which is situated on the outskirts of Thunder Bay. The statue was created by sculptor Manfred Pervich to mark the place where Fox was forced to stop his run on August 31, 1980. It is approximately four kilometres west of the exact spot where Fox ended his run, which is noted only by a private marker not readily visible from the road. The monument was dedicated on June 26, 1982, just days before the first anniversary of Terry Fox’s death.

The monument offers a panoramic view of Thunder Bay and its surroundings.

You can see the Terry Fox monument and views here.

Nipigon

Nipigon is a township in Thunder Bay District, along the west side of the Nipigon River. The Nipigon River Bridge is a two-lane cable-stayed bridges, the first of their kind in Ontario, replacing the 1937 bridge. On January 10, 2016, the first bridge heaved apart but did not collapse, resulting in traffic having to reroute through the United States. However, one lane was re-opened to traffic 17 hours later.

You can see the Nipigon Bridge in this video.

Aguasabon Falls and Gorge

Aguasabon Falls is in Terrace Bay, right off of Hwy 17. The main viewing deck faces the side of the falls and down the gorge. It is an impressive sight and sound! Combined with the Fall colours, it was stunning, I could have stayed so much longer and hiked the nature trail to the bottom of the gorge.

You can see the stunning falls and gorge in his video.

Little Pic River Bridge

West of the town of Marathon, the Little Pic River empties into Lake Superior. Just before it reaches the lake, the river is crossed by the Hwy 17 (Trans-Canada), which provides a vital road link with the town of Marathon.

According to the book Pic, Pulp and People: A History of the Marathon District, Marathon had no road connection to the outside world until 1953, when a Bailey bridge was swung over the river. The crossing of the Little Pic River was considered especially dangerous.

In 1958 a permanent bridge was completed, 740 feet long and 180 feet above the water, making it the highest bridge on the Trans-Canada and the largest truss bridge in the province’s Northwest Region.

Wawa RV Park

In Wawa, I stayed at a great little family owned and operated RV park, located on the Magpie River (at the back of the campground). This was the perfect place to stop for me along the beautiful northeastern shores of Lake Superior because it was easily accessible off Hwy 17 and only about five minutes north of Wawa. The sign for the campground is easily visible for the hwy.

We arrived at the campground without a reservation, but they weren’t full and were very helpful in getting me a lot to stay at for the night. The park is on a beautifully wooded campground. They have full hook-ups, pull throughs and tenting (SUV camping is considered tenting). The washrooms and showers were clean. They have free Wifi (which I didn’t know, and could have used, I went way over on my data with the traveling). I bought some firewood and went to my lot to set up for the night. I was at lot 16.

Surprising or not so surprising, it continued to rain on and off. We weren’t able to start a fire or sit out. So, I listened to some podcasts and posted some TikToks with the back hatch open and enjoyed the sound of the falling rain.

If you want to see how perturbed I was that it was still raining, you can see that here.

Day 4: Wawa, ON to Manitoulin Island, ON

With morning arriving, we packed up the SUV and headed into Wawa to get some Tim Horton’s for the road. Today we need to make it as far as Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island, where we’ll be staying at my friend’s property.

Before getting out of Wawa, I wanted to hit up the Scenic (Magpie) Falls. I’m all about chasing the waterfalls this trip and some bridges as well.

Scenic High Falls of the Magpie River

High Falls (aka Scenic High Falls or Magpie Falls) is just south of Wawa, off of Hwy17. There are signs, which say “Scenic High Falls”. You’ll drive about 2.4 kms down a gravel road which leads to the base of the falls.

The falls are wide. You can get right down to the base of the falls. There is also a path to the right up to the top of the falls. Standing 75 feet and 124 feet wide it’s definitely worth the visit. Just a few steps from the parking area you’ll find the main lookout with picnic area. There is also a short trail to the right of the falls that allows for different vantage points.

Had I had more time, I would have hiked to the Silver Falls which is about a two hour hike away down the Voyageur Trail.

You can see the video of the magpie falls here.

Old Woman Bay

Old Woman Bay is only 26 kms south of Wawa, so I didn’t have far to travel … this is the sight you’ll see as you descend down into Lake Superior’s Old Woman Bay. It was an overcast day (still) while I was driving, but this view still gets me …

The last 2 times I’ve been here, the weather hadn’t cooperated much, so these photos will not do it justice in the least. This is a true beauty in the heart of Algoma. The 3 km long sandy beach is populated with driftwood. Looking toward the horizon, the face of the Old Woman can be seen with 200-metre standing cliffs to the left. The bay horseshoes out to the main body of Superior to the north, leading you to Entrance Island.

Had we had more time, I would have wanted to hike the Nokomis trail –> next time.

The video accompaniment to Old Woman Bay is here for your viewing pleasure.

Kathrine Cove

No too much further down the hwy we came to Katherine Cove. This beautiful sandy beach is on the shore of Lake Superior. Picnic tables, benches and a restroom are available for visitors to utilize. A short yet demanding Coastal Trail from the beach will lead you to the natural wonder, Bathtub Island. Which as you’ve heard me say a few times now … if I had more time, I would have loved to hike it.

At the cove, you’ll find viewscapes that inspired the Group of Seven to paint throughout this region. From Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa, from White River, Pukaskwa National Park and along the top of the Superior. Located along this route are interpretive panels, each telling a different story about the artists and landscapes they painted here. On the journey you’ll discover breathtaking scenery and peaceful sandy beaches, natural and area attractions, places to eat, stay and meet friendly people who live on the Big Lake they call Gitche Gumee, which loosely translated means “Big Sea” or “Huge Water.

Katherine Cove video accompaniment is here.

Pancake Bay

Located on the shores of Lake Superior, Pancake Bay Provincial Park (Batchawana Bay) boasts of 3 km of superb sandy beaches and interpretive trails including the Edmund Fitzgerald Lookout with views of Lake Superior. The sheltered sandy bay got its name from the fur trading era, when voyageurs would camp there on their journey from Fort William. By the time they reached the bay, their food supply would be low and would make pancakes for dinner, knowing that they would replenish their supplies in Sault Ste. Marie the next day.

From the Lookout Trail viewing platform, visitors will see across to Whitefish Point. This stretch of Lake Superior is known as the “graveyard of the Great Lakes” where the famed Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the fierce November gale of 1975.

Chippewa Falls

The 25 ft high Chippewa Falls can be seen from Hwy 17 and is a great place to stop and stretch your legs because of the roadside park right next to them.

At the roadside park, there is a plaque marks the half-way point of the Trans-Canada Highway. The plaque describes Dr. Perry E. Doolittle, who is considered “Father of the Trans-Canada Highway”. The Trans-Canada Highway runs from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia.

Blind River

The Town of Blind River is located at the mouth of the Mississagi River on the North Channel of Lake Huron, so from this point, we’re no longer traveling along Lake Superior.

I didn’t stop in Bling River very long, I stopped quickly by the Mississagi River to take a few breaths and appreciate and to listen to some Neil Young, he makes reference to Blind River in one of my favourite’s of his “Long May You Run”, a story about the demise of his 1948 Buick Roadmaster hearse.

Well, it was back in Blind River in 1962
When I last saw you alive
But we missed that shift on the long decline
Long may you run.

And on the Wikipedia page for Blind River, under “Notable People” you’ll see mentions of three notables — and in that list you will find my former father-in-law … Tom Cassidy

You can see the video from Chippewa Falls to Mindemoya here.

Next stop …

Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island

The current name of the island is the English version, coming from the Ojibwe name Manidoowaaling meaning “cave of the spirit”.

I entered the island via the one-lane Little Current Swing Bridge, which crosses the North Channel at Little Current.

The swing bridge was built in 1913 by the Algoma Eastern Railway. Originally usable only by trains, it was modified in the late 1940s to allow road vehicles also to use it. The rail service was abandoned in the 1980s, and the tracks were removed in the 1990s.

Here are some fun facts that I didn’t know about Manitoulin Island:

The island has an area of 2,766 km² making it the largest freshwater island in the world, the 174th largest island in the world and Canada’s 31st largest island.
Manitoulin Island has 108 freshwater lakes, some of which have their own islands.

I was heading down to Mindemoya to stay at friends’ of mine’s cottage. My plan was to still SUV camp, but to have a safe place to stay and then go for a hike with my friend the following day prior to catching the Chi-Cheemaun at South Baymouth the following afternoon. Oddly enough, I didn’t take still photos of my time here.

I just shot some short footage for my TikTok which you can see here.

I built a fire, sat around it and talk to my friend for a while. I was more than happy when the rain held off and I could thoroughly enjoy my evening. After finishing 2 little bottles of Freixenet (I treated myself), we were off to sleep in the SUV.

Day 5: Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island to Kitchener

My friend Barb and I did a short hike before my I had to load for the ferry ride along the Bowermans’ Public Walking Trail in South Baymouth. It was raining, the wood paths were slick, and regardless the views were beautiful as the walking trails made by Eunice and Dick Bowerman go through the beautiful forest, which is still stunning this time of year. For the most part, the trails are about a metre wide and extend in straight lines, however in several places steep rock outcroppings required the building of stairs. There are also some corduroy paths over low lying wet lands.

To view the video to that day, you can click here.

Perfect timing, as we finished our hike, we heard the horn of the Chi-cheemaun as it was entered port, so I quickly grabbed a slice of pizza and went back to my SUV to await the board.

I caught the 3:50 PM Chi-cheemaun ferry to Tobermory. The sail is about 2 hours, and given the extensive amount of driving I’ve been doing the last few days, I was thankful for the rest.

To view the video to that trek click here.

Next stop …. Tobermory for debarquement ….

My initial plan was to stay around the area … maybe Miller Lake and SUV camp before heading home to Kitchener. It’s a beautiful part of Ontario, I wanted to get to the Grotto, but, it wouldn’t stop raining! And to be completely honest, I’d had it up to here with the rain – SUV camping is made a bit more difficult when it’s constantly raining out – you can’t light fires, you’re stuck in the back of your truck. So, I decided to just head back to my hometown. Kitchener is about 3h15 mins from Tobermory, so I hauled ass to get back home.

You can check out that TikTok here.

I’d be lying if I said I was a little bit happy to sleep in an actual bed, even while in Dauphin, I was sleeping on the couch or air mattress.

All in all that was an amazing drive from Dauphin back to Kitchener. I will have to travel back at some point over the next little bit, by that time I’m hoping that the US border is open and that I can drive that way, to shave off some travel time and to experience a whole new adventure.

Have any of you traveled this route or been to some of these places?

Amazing Feat of Flying: Visiting the Gimli Glider!

Gimli is the cultural heartland of Icelanders in Manitoba and the country as a whole. Gimli’s first European settlers were Icelanders who were part of the New Iceland settlement in Manitoba. In Norse mythology Gimli is known as the most beautiful place in the after life, where only the worthy will be transported after death.

Other than being a lakeside community, Gimli is known primarily for two things:

its annual Icelandic festival and;
the Gimli Glider

I love avionics. I’ve been obsessed since I was in my early twenties, mainly out of fear on account of heights and watching way too many episodes of Mayday/Air Disaster. I was obsessed with flights gone wrong, not out of morbidity, but out of wanting to learn everything I could about planes and flying so I could be more “aware” for when I flew. A bit neurotic, but instead of freaking me out more, it actually calmed me, the more I understood, the more in control I felt. I eventually tackled my fear of flying by jumping out of a perfectly good airplane and then 2 years later registering to get my PPL (personal pilots license).

I love the show Mayday, I’ve pretty much watched every episode, twice. Season 5 Episode 2 is the one about the “Gimli Glider”: Air Canada 143. Which is why I am sooooo excited to visit the Gimli Glider Museum in Gimli, Manitoba.

It’s July 23, 1983, I’m 9 years old, it’s a calm Summer evening and Air Canada flight 143 is on its way to Edmonton from Montreal (with a stop in Ottawa). Captain Bob Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal are both veteran pilots, and they’re flying a newly automated Boeing 767.

*Captain Bob Pearson’s uniform of the day*

Up in the cockpit in the observers chair (jump seat) is Air Canada Maintenance Control Supervisor, Rick Dion. Dion is not a member of the crew on this flight, but rather he’s on the flight as a passenger with his wife and young son. Dion is up in the flight deck to observe and discuss the brand new airliner with electronic flight equipment.

The chair above is the original chair, and was reupholstered to a 1983 appearance, but, the arms, belts and base are as they were on flight 143, and upon recovery from the airplane graveyard.

Midway through the flight, things begin to go horribly wrong. The system alerts the pilots to a problem. The plane is in danger of running out of fuel. Cpt Pearson decides to land as soon as possible and heads for Winnipeg. As he descends he loses one engine, then another. As First Officer Maurice Quintal performs crucial calculations, Captain Bob Pearson, an experienced glider pilot, takes manual control of the 767. Working with minimal instruments and hydraulics, and without flaps and spoilers, the crew nurse their crippled plane, the huge Boeing is falling from the sky. They won’t make it to Winnipeg. First Officer Quintal had been at Gimli during his military service, so he knew the nearby air base at Gimli and it was likely the closest landing strip … but … they don’t know that it’s been decommissioned.

Meanwhile on the ground along the shores of Lake Winnipeg the day’s events at a race car strip alongside the Gimli airport were winding down. Families sitting alongside their campers and trailers after the final race was held. Barbecues had finished, cottagers were on their decks relaxing when one by one groups of people spotted a very large, very silent aircraft coming in. It did not take long to realize something was terribly wrong.

The only way for Cpt Pearson to get his plane safely down is to try a manoeuvre that only glider pilots would know about. Thankfully, Cpt Pearson knows a lot about aerodynamics, in the 1960’s he was a glider pilot and instructed and knows how to force the plane into a sideslip.

As he comes in for landing, Cpt Pearson notices three boys on the runway, they pedal and try to outrun the plane, but Kerry Seabrook, 11 years old, was frozen. The jetliner slid to a stop just a couple of hundred feet in front of him.

As Cpt Pearson touches down, his front landing gear collapsed, his rear tires blow. It is the first-ever 767 to land without engines does so without so much as a single serious injury.

*Air Canada Flight 143, a Boeing 767-200, C-GAUN, after emergency landing at Gimli, Manitoba, 23 July 1983. (Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg Free Press)*

What caused this plane to have a twin engine flame out? The accident is blamed on a mistake in manually converting pounds to kilograms, which resulted in the aircraft carrying only 45% of its required fuel load. Because there was a problem with the flight management computer, and it was intermittently inoperable, it meant that fuel for the flight would have to be measured and calculated manually. The crew needed to enter the fuel quantity into the flight computer in kilograms, but they mistakenly did the calculation with the density of jet fuel in pounds/litre.

The Board of Inquiry found Air Canada at fault for the near disaster and commended Cpt Pearson and his crew for how they handled the potentially deadly situation. In 1985, Pearson and Quintal were awarded the first ever Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Diploma for Outstanding Airmanship.

Several attempts by other crews who were given the same circumstances in a simulator at Vancouver resulted in crashes.

Cpt Pearson’s amazing feat of flying changed airline flying around the world! It is said that those new procedures also saved the lives of those on board the 2001Air Transat flight that ran out of fuel and glided safely to the Azores. And that even Captain Sully (of the Miracle on the Hudson) called Captain Pearson to thank him. This feat of flying was so well revered back on the day that it forever changed the training pilots received, no doubt that Captain Sully wouldn’t have landed that plane safely in the Hudson, had flight training not been altered to learn gliding procedures.

The Boeing flew passengers for another 25 years before ending her service with Air Canada, without incident. She was retired from the Air Canada fleet in 2008 and is now located in the Mojave (California) desert airplane boneyard. As you can see from a recent satellite photo, it is being pieced off for parts.

Air Canada 143 at her resting place in the Mojave desert, being parted out

The little museum has also been able to obtain other parts of flight 143 …

The last thing I was able to do while at the museum was fly a flight simulator of the same air path that the Gimli Glider would have come in on. Had I had passengers aboard, they would definitely have needed to make use of the paper barf bags, but, I was able to land at Gimli, after sliding off the runway, making my way back on and losing my nose gear (it’s set up to do that, but not slide of the runway lmao). The museum has also been able to obtain other parts of flight 143 …

Urbex: The Little Ghost Town of Insinger, Saskatchewan

I was driving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (say that 10 times fast) to visit some friends. As I traveled down Highway 16, about 55 km on the other side of Yorkton (from Manitoba) when a domed roof of an old Ukrainian Orthodox church peek out on the right side just over the horizon. It was fairly noticeable because as I’ve come to see, the prairie landscape is pretty flat.

Being an urbexer and not having done as much as I would have liked of it, I decided to pull over quickly and explore. As I turned, the rest of the little town Insinger appeared.

Insinger now has a population of just 20.

This church is called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Ghost, a fitting name for a now ghost town church.

Surprisingly it’s not brick … it’s rectangles of asphalt shingles designed to look like brick.

It’s not that old either, it was built in 1942 when Insigner was still a town.

Some of the square blue ceiling tiles have fallen, revealing squares of brown lathe behind them.

The robins egg ceiling dome is beautiful and the ceiling is covered in gold stars

There were plenty of other abandoned buildings to explore in this town, but, because I had a destination to get to, I wasn’t able to explore the whole town, which I would have loved to.

I have plans to go back next month as I’m traveling through again to head out on a road trip to British Columbia.

20 Years Later. Where Were You on 9/11?

It is the JFK assassination of my generation. It’s like asking where were you when Elvis died. An event so big that it defines a generation. So significant and relevant that no matter what else you may forget in your lifetime, this event is forever etched in your brain.

September 11, 2001 was the day that shook the world! I was 27 years old, when 19 cowardly men armed with box cutters hijacked 4 fully fueled passenger jets and attacked freedom. By the end of that horrific day, nearly 3000 people were dead.

It was about 9:15 a.m. I had an interview with an employment agency for a job I was interested in, downtown, about 10 minutes from home. All neatly dressed, I slid into my Honda Accord ready to rock the interview and land the job. I turned on the radio to find some pump my self up tunes, however, the radio wasn’t playing any music. The broadcast on my local station appeared to be describing something that was too unbelievable to be true. I wasn’t even sure that it wasn’t some sort of hoax because it seemed all too impossible …

Being a documentary nerd, I was all too familiar with the time a B-25 bomber flew into the Empire State Building during heavy fog in 1945. I automatically assumed this too was a tragic accident. But how? It was a beautiful sunny, cloudless morning in Southwestern Ontario, which is only an 8-hour drive to New York City. When I arrived for the interview, the happenings in NYC were the talk of the office. Then something happened that made it clear that the first plane was not an accident, United 175 had crashed into the South Tower. The interview was short, only about 15 minutes (it was a pre-screen). In any event, I felt as if we were both more interested in the events unfolding not too far from us. Once the meeting was completed, I rushed back home. As I hit a red light, at what I now know to be 9:37 A.M., I gasped as my ears could not believe that I was hearing that another plane filled with passengers had crashed into The Pentagon.

Just a block away from home when I heard about the attack on the Pentagon, I was even more anxious to get home and turn on CNN. I needed to see with my own two eyes what on earth was happening. This was all too unbelievable to be true. And, to this point, my only reference was what I had created in my mind, a picture based on radio reported events.

My friend Miranda and her children were staying with me for a bit, at the time. I ran into the house eager to get to the TV. Miranda and I sat downstairs on the couch, in the basement and watched in awe as the events of that day unfolded on my 55” big screen.

Smoke was billowing from two of the world’s tallest towers. I felt helpless watching people who piled four and five deep into the windows, some 1,500 feet in the air. I screamed in horror as they emerged one or two at a time from a blanket of smoke and fire and jumped. Some held hands, others went alone. I remember thinking that the conditions must have been absolutely horrific if they felt jumping from ¼ mile up was the better option. Many blessed themselves before their leap of faith. Some tried to make parachutes out of curtains or tablecloths. One man hopelessly tried to climb down the building – this one scars me to this day. I have intrusive nightmares or the odd flashback of that specific fall from time to time, even 20 years later. I don’t know what it is about that one specific incident, but it’s irreparably scarred into my psyche. They were the only visible fatalities on a day that claimed thousands.

9:50 A.M. Devastation. Together, we watched in horror as the South Tower of the WTC collapsed, a mere 56 minutes after the impact of Flight 175. As I write this, I can still remember that absolute jaw dropping moment vividly. What on God’s green earth was happening? Within a span of just 30 minutes, WTC1 and WTC2 would implode in heaps of ash and dust as thousands ran for their lives. The Pentagon would be struck and Flight 93 would be crashed by its hijackers in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, assumedly on its way to the US Capitol Building or the White House. I was completely disturbed by what I was witnessing. This was a catalyst to something big. Was this the start of WWIII? Rumblings started to flow across the news media that this was an orchestrated terrorist attack.

My then husband was sleeping, he’d finished working night shift 7 hours prior. In 30 seconds flat, I ran up 2 flights of stairs to wake him from his slumber, yelling “OMG! OMG! WWIII is starting, you need to get up!? We rushed back down to the basement and for hours upon hours watched the fallout of the deadliest terrorist attacks in world history. My eldest was at school, I felt the need to go get her, but my husband talked me into letting her finish out her day. My youngest was only 3 years old and completely oblivious to how her world was about to change forever.

“Those who came through the windows of the towers provided the starkest, most harrowing evidence of the desperate conditions inside”

~ New York Times, Sept. 10, 2004

2008 Visit to NYC

Years later, in 2008, I took my eldest daughter to NYC. I had it that I wanted to take both my girls to NYC to experience the magnificence of all the city has to offer with all its glitz and glamour. And, I wanted them to understand the origins of 9/11, its implications and remember the legacies of those who lost their lives of that tragic day as well as the other lives impacted.

By the time we went to NYC in October 2008, Ground Zero, as it came to be known immediately after the September 11th attacks, 7 years had passed. Ground Zero was still a hole in the ground, and construction continued on the Freedom Tower foundations at the World Trade Center site.

2014 Visit to NYC

The next time I visited NYC it was the Canadian Thanksgiving of October 2014. I went with my youngest, it was her birthday. Freedom Tower was up and ready to open the following month as One World Trade Center (it opened on November 3, 2014). The super tall structure has the same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center. The new skyscraper stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre World Trade Center site, on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center.

At St. Paul’s Church

One World Trade

The 9/11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance, honoring the 2,977 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001

We visited 9/11 MEMORIAL PLAZA as a tribute to the past and of hope for the future. The twin pools are set within the footprints of the original Twin Towers, each pool is approximately 1-acre in size. The names of every person who perished in the terror attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001 are honoured in bronze around the twin Memorial pools.

Kitchener Connection to 9/11

Did you know that here in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada where I live, we have a 9/11 WTC memorial near Centre in the Square at the Firefighters Memorial Park forever linking our 2 cities together?

A rusted metal beam from the WTC stands at Firefighters Memorial Park. It’s 3.43 metres long and the very specific size is no accident.

“There was 343 firefighters killed on that day so we asked for something that was 3.43 metres”

~ Kevin Schmalz, former chair of the Kitchener Fire Memorial Committee.

On Travel: Churchill Good Eats

There were few staples in Churchill that I stuck to in addition to eating in, mainly because they were conveniently located close to my B&B … and they were open. It’s a small town, things close early also capacity and hours vary due to the current COVID-19 state.

So without further ado, let’s check out the Churchill eats.

1 – Tundra Inn

As seen on the Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here with John Catucci, The Tundra Inn Dining Room & Pub is a favourite local and tourist hangout.

They serve up home-cooked meals with a regional arctic twist. It is also home to the famous Beyond The Borealis Veggie Burger made with a Quinoa and Black Bean Patty, Havarti Cheese, Lemon & Coriander Mayonnaise, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Toasted Brioche Bun, House Cut Fries – which I ordered for take out. It was good, and in my (not that it matters) opinion, it was nothing to write home about – although I did see that it was ordered quite often while I was eating in or taking out.

The other meal I had from the Tundra Inn was the Spinach Dip. The appetizer plate comes with Spinach & Artichoke Dip Topped with Mozzarella Cheese Served with Toasted Flatbreads & Vegetable Sticks I also added some hummus. Yum!

Beer deals are to be had, check the board behind the bar for beer specials. The deal while was there was a bottle of Labatt Light for $4.00. Yes please!

The vibe is good, laid back, just as you’d expect in a small town. It’s the perfect place to enjoy an evening after a full day of exploring Churchill’s wonders.

Dining room on one side, pub on the other.

2 – Seaport Hotel

Whether you’ve come to Churchill as part of a tour group or you are here by yourself, like me, the Seaport Restaurant and Coffee Shop has you covered. The restaurant is fully licensed, the dining room has a seating capacity of 72 while the coffee shop can accommodate another 36.

The food was decent. I ate there three times during my stay. I had the crispy chicken burger which was good but salty, as was the chipotle type sauce for my yam fries – which were good. The second and third times I visited, I had the club sandwich. It was actually really good. Definite recommend! I had yam fries again the 2nd time and then I had a poutine the third time.

Overall the food is decent pub style food. I wanted to try the Jack Daniels ribs but they weren’t served until after 5:00 pm, I went for a late lunch.

The bonus to the Seaport, and the reason it’s my fave, is that they have a patio – perfect for enjoying a burger and a beer on a gorgeous, sunny Churchill day.

While I visited, it was patio dining only due to COVID (not sure why since The Tundra Inn had dine-in eating) and I was 100% ok with that …. the weather was stellar the whole week I was there!

Note: The patio only had 4-5 tables available, so you may have to wait for a table or go elsewhere (due to COVID).

“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.”
– Giada De Laurentiis

Churchill Chinese Food

New to town as of August 2021, Churchill Chinese Food are using the kitchen at the Dancing Bear to offer delicious, authentic Chinese food to locals and tourists alike.

They currently only offer take out, there is no dine in option.

I ordered from here once during my visit. I had pre-arranged a pick-up for 7:00 pm after my beluga whale kayak. It’s not your Canadianized Chinese food, so expect more authentic dishes. It was really good. Definite recommend!

Caribou Café

Dining out can get expensive, especially if you’re visiting for more than 3-4 days. If you’re into saving money and less into ambience then, the café at the Churchill Health Centre in the Town Centre provides a budget friendly option.

I had breakfast there, and for $5.25 I got 2 eggs, 2 toasts and 3 meats (choice of bacon or sausage). Other options such as bagels or muffins are available, as are a selection of juices and coffee.

Prices are very reasonable! A friend went for lunch and got a steak, homemade mashed potato and corn on the cob for $12.95!

Related Blogs to Help Plan Your Trip to Churchill

How to Get to Churchill

Where I Stayed, Is a Must Stay

Exploring the Wonders of Churchill

Lazy Bear Café

I wasn’t able to enjoy this café, the 2 days that I went they were closed. However from what I heard from others staying at my B&B … if you’re looking for the restaurant with the best ambiance in town, look no further than the Lazy Bear Cafe. The log-cabin style interior looks beautiful, and I’m sure the central stone fireplace makes you feel right at home. The restaurant serves Indigenous foods such as Braised Peppered Elk, Arctic Char and Manitoba Bison grace. They are also farm to table – they have their own local greenhouse.

Screen Shot 2021-09-06 at 10.05.30 PM — Photo courtesy of the Lazy Bear Café website

* Note: the Café does not serve alcohol.

** Note: It is the only place in town to get espresso.

Alternate Options

If you’re staying at a B&B or some place that has some basic amenities for you to make use of, you may want to consider buying a few things for your room or to make at your B&B.

Set your expectations … this is a northern town, on the edge of the arctic with no road access – items are brought in my train or plane. Prices are not going to be what you’re accustomed to. I found that some things were wayyyyyyyy more expensive and others were more in line with what I was accustomed to paying. For example a 24 case of Nestle water was $24.95!

– The Northern Store

The Northern Sore is the town’s all purpose store. Fresh/Frozen Food. General Merchandise. Clothing. Electronics. Housewares and Liquor. You get it all here.

Screen Shot 2021-09-06 at 10.09.24 PM — Northern Store on Kelsey Rd.

While I was there, I stocked up on a loaf of rye bread $3.09, a package of lunch meat $5.49 and a Pho Instant Noodles $3.49. I made a few sandwiches for lunch and for dinner one eve when I wasn’t feeling as hungry I had my Pho bowl.

– Tamarack Foods

Tamarack is a smaller local store further down on Kelsey Blvd beside Tamarack Car Rentals. They are usually open daily from 11:30 am – 6:00 pm. Prices are similar to The Northern, a few items had better prices.

So there you have it folks, the places I ate while visiting Churchill. Overall dining prices weren’t extraordinarily more than I would pay where I live in South Western Ontario, given the cost of shipping goods up. The portion sizes were large, wear your leggings ladies. Alcoholic beverages also within reason to what I would pay where I live.

On Travel: Exploring The Marvels of Churchill, Manitoba!

Are you ever in for REAL treat! There are so many adventures to be had in this little town of less than 1,000 …. take in as many as you POSSIBLY CAN … you don’t wanna miss a thing. I stayed for 5 nights and I still had things I wasn’t able to do that I wanted to … I guess that means I’ll just have to go back 😉

This is a list of the things I did while in Churchill – in no particular order. This is my list of suggestions of places to visit, and it’s definitely not inclusive. As I said, there were many more things I wanted to do. It’s amazing how much there is to do in this culture rich town.

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Northern Lights

Welcome to earth’s most spectacular light show! Churchill is one of the most popular Northern Lights destinations in Canada. Along with Whitehorse, Yukon and Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Churchill’s northern lights expeditions have become incredibly popular with tourists from around the world. And while the rocky coast of Churchill means that there are plenty of amazing foregrounds for the auroras, one of the best places to catch the view is by the Inukshuk on the beach in Churchill or on the Beluga. I personally preferred aboard the Beluga for its height and for its safety – lest there be any wandering polar bears. The Inukshuk provides a great spot to take some of the best aurora photos or time lapses.

The auroras can be seen in Churchill up to 300 nights a year. They were really strong 3/5 nights I was there and was in awe each time. Frankly, I was in constant wonder of what I was seeing and how beautiful they were. Every night put on a different show. I have about 100 photos taken over 3 nights of watching the lights dance in the sky. For now, I’ll post a few.

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Photo Hunt for Polar Bears

If you’re going to Churchill with the specific intent of seeing the bears, you’re best to go during polar bear season which runs from October through mid November (total of about 6 weeks). Polar bears come onto land every July when the Hudson Bay ice breaks up. In autumn, scores of these great white bears gather along the shores of the bay, waiting for the ice to form so they can venture back out to hunt their favourite food – ring seal. Pregnant females go inland into dens to have cubs in late November and re-emerge in mid-February, when they return to the sea ice.

That’s not to say that you will not see bears if you’re visiting during the Summer months. Tundra buggy tours still operate and some of the people I met said they saw 2-3 bears as well as other wildlife on their excursions.

I was quite fortunate. My main goal was not for the bears, but rather the belugas. I figured if I saw a bear that was a “bonus” and boy did I get lucky. On my tour days with my B&B host, Angela Mak, we saw a 3 separate bears. I saw a momma and her cub on 2 separate days and a single bear walking solo (at different locations).

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SS Ithaca

Off the coast of Churchill, you will find the remains of the SS Ithaca cargo ship, a small freighter, originally built as the Frank A. Augsbury for the Canadian George Hall Coal & Shipping Corporation in 1922.

She was chartered by the Clarke Steamship Company to deliver nickel concentrate from the works at Rankin Inlet. She sailed from Churchill on 10 September 1960 to collect her cargo and carried supplies to the settlement. She had delivered her first shipment of 2,700 tons of ore to Churchill and had loaded a small amount of mining equipment and building supplies for the return trip, when she encountered a storm with 130 km/h gale forced winds.

The Captain turned back toward the safety of the port, however, the weather was so bad he decided to drop anchor. The anchor chain broke, and her rudder was beaten off. Completely out of control, on 14 September, 1960, the vessel was driven into Bird Cove, a shallow gravel-bank 750 meters offshore.

The Ithaca was driven into Bird Cove, a shallow gravel bank about 750 meters offshore

Her bottom was completely ripped out when the storm pounded her on the gravel bank. The insurer, Lloyd’s of London, wrote the vessel off as a complete loss, and viewed the grounding as suspicious, therefore refusing to pay the insurance claim. All 37 crew members were rescued by the Canadian Coast Guard‘s CCGS Sir William Alexander and were taken to Winnipeg on 18 September 1960. The shallow water she grounded on meant that walking to the wreck at low tide was possible allowing for much of her navigational instruments, and cargo, consisting of two generators and some plywood panels, as well as mission supplies, were able to be salvaged.

Today, the rusted wreck attracts curious travelers and photographers. The ship is too dangerous to enter. Because of its position in the shallows of the Hudson, a low-tide hike to the Ithaca is possible. However, beware, polar bears are known to hang out in the wreck. If you want to attempt this hike, it’s best to hire a local guide who is experienced with both the bears and is familiar with the area.

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Itsanitaq Museum

The Itsanitaq Museum, formerly known as the Churchill Eskimo Museum is a must-visit for those who travel to town. The museum has a collection of over 1,100 Inuit carvings and artifacts which are amongst the finest and oldest in the world dating from Pre-Dorset (1700 B.C.) through Dorset, Thule, and modern Inuit times.

The Itsanitaq Museum also houses arctic wildlife including muskox, polar bear, and walrus as well and relics of some northern explorations.

There is no fee to visit the museum, however, donations are appreciated.

1500 lbs walrus captured at Coral Harbour NWT on Nov 1, 1969 and donated to the “Eskimo” museum by someone from Calgary for the museums 25th anniversary.

The gift shop specializes in northern books, Canadian Inuit art, unique postcards, art cards, stationery, and local wild berry preserves.

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Churchill Rocket Research Range

The Churchill Rocket Research Range is a former rocket launch site located about 23 km outside of town. The facility was used by both Canada and the United States for sub-orbital launches of sounding rockets to study the upper atmosphere. The site was scientifically beneficial due to it laying in the centre of a zone containing high aurora activity. Over 3,500 sub-orbital flights were launched from the site.

The complex was first built in 1954 by the Canadian Army’s Defence Research Board to study the effects of auroras on long distance communications. The program ceased operation in 1955, and the site was re-opened and greatly expanded in 1956 as part of Canada’s participation in the International Geophysical Year. Launches for the experiments started in 1957 but ceased in December 1958.

The site was one again re-opened in August 1959 by the US Army, in collaboration with the Canadian government, as part of its network of sounding rocket stations. In September 1959 it was used to test new solid fuel propellant systems with PVT-1, the vehicle that would evolve into the Black Brant. In late 1960 a fire destroyed many of the facilities. It was announced that the Black Brant test series would be continued with an additional twelve launches at NASA‘s Wallops Flight Facility during 1961-62, while the facilities at Churchill were rebuilt.

The US Army ended its involvement at Churchill in June 1970, and the site was taken over by the Canadian National Research Council to support the Canadian Upper Atmosphere Research Program. The site was used sporadically during the 1970s and 1980s and was largely deserted by 1985.

In 1994 Akjuit Aerospace, a Canadian company, signed a 30-year lease with the Canadian government for the Churchill Rocket Research Range with the goal of developing the world’s first commercial spaceport. Akjuit assembled a technical team of 21 firms led by the American aerospace contractor Raytheon to plan the development of the site into SpacePort Canada, including polar orbital launch capability. Akjuit planned to launch commercial polar-orbiting payloads using Russian rockets. Churchill’s location in the western hemisphere combined with its range-safety for firing northwards made it an ideal location, with the exception of the extremely cold weather which would limit launch seasons.

Akjuit’s first and only rocket launch took place at 7:10 a.m. Central Time on 28 April 1998: a suborbital Black Brant IXB research rocket containing a physics payload for the Canadian Space Agency. Akjuit Aerospace ceased operations in May 1998.

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Kayak with the Beluga Whales

Besides polar bears, the beluga whales are one of the town’s biggest draws. And unlike the bears, you can easily get right up close to the white whales of the north. From June to end of August these social, white whales make their way into Hudson Bay and the Churchill River to feed and give birth. Visitors can observe these “canaries of the sea” (known for their whistles and chirps) by kayak, standup paddle board or on a Zodiac boat tour.

Sunset kayak with the canaries of the sea

I joined Sea North Tours for a Beluga kayak experience on the mouth of the Churchill River where it empties into Hudson Bay.

Kayaking with these magnificent creatures at sunset was all but the best thing I’ve done in my life. I loved every moment of the 2 hours I was on the water. They came right up to my kayak and nudged it multiple times, at one time there were 3! I felt kind of like their rubber ducky in their river during playtime. At first I was scared I would tip, but once I got a better feel for my kayak, I was no longer scared, I wanted them to come right up, stick their heads out and say “hi”. They followed and swam beside it as I paddled, I got some decent footage with my iPhone, while still trying to be present and take it all in.

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Miss Piggy Plane Wreck

The cargo plane rests on a cliff edge north of the airport She was nicknamed Miss Piggy because of the size of the loads she carried from site to site in the North.

On November 13, 1979, Miss Piggy, a Curtiss C-46 freight plane, left Churchill airport when shortly into the flight her no.1 engine oil temperature rose, a drop in oil pressure forced the crew to descend and return to Churchill. The aircraft wasn’t able to maintain altitude and force landed in rough terrain about a 1/4 mile short of the runway. Reportedly, the aircraft was overloaded. There were 3 crewmen injured in the crash, all survived.

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Churchill Golf Balls

This obsolete building overlooking Hudson Bay was a radar station in the 1960s during the cold ware era. It was used to track launches from the nearby rocket range. Its exterior was painted in 2017 as part of the Seawall public art program. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to go in and explore since I love urbexing. I definitely could have spent more time here …. the views from the top are amazing.

The ‘golfballs’ are decorated as part of the SeaWall public art program

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Cape Merry Battery

Cape Merry is a Parks Canada National Historic Site and is unsupervised. The site includes a cannon battery and some remnants of the old stone walls (partially refurbished). The site can be easily accessed from town. It was built to protect the fort across the river.

A plaque commemorates Jens Munk, the Danish explorer who first landed there in 1619. He was commission by Denmark’s King to seek a new Northwest Passage to the Orient. In May 1619, his expedition of about 60 men sailed from Copenhagen. They entered Hudson Bay in late August. Munk and his crew went ashore in 7 November 1619 and spent a terrible winter battling the cold and scurvy – only Munk and 2 of his men survived. They returned to Norway in July 1620. His ill-fated wintering in Churchill is a great story for those who would underestimate the challenges of life in Canada’s north.

From the fort you can see the Prince of Wales Fort across the Churchill River as well as magnificent views of where fresh water of the river meets salt water of the arctic ocean. Look out at the vast water views to see the belugas swimming.

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Inukshuks

The Inuit meaning of Inukshuk is “in the likeness of a human” … Churchill has some impressive Inukshuks. Travelers often gravitate to and photograph them in the daytime or with dynamic northern lights over the Hudson Bay (the large one on the beach is best for that). I counted at least 4 in my time there.

In front of the Inukshuk at the end of Kelsey Rd.

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Polar Bear Jail

As you can imagine, living in a migration path and in a place where the polar bear outnumber the human population, life can be a wee but dangerous. A stroll through town and you will uncover countless signs pointing to where you shouldn’t go lest you risk being made a snack. On occasion, a polar bear gets a little too curious close to town. Dangerous bears are tranquilized when captured and are marked with a bright paint on the neck. Closer to winter, when the ice in the Hudson Bay has set, the bears are relocated by helicopter far from the town. Prior to establishing the facility, polar bears which were considered dangerous used to be shot. The locals are very much aware that they are in the bears territory and they respect them. Visitors aren’t allowed inside the jail. However you can check out information signage and bear traps outside the facility. While I was there, I learned that two bears were trapped and taken to “jail”.

The building is officially named “House D-20”, and was a former military morgue.

The holding facility was first established in 1982.

The front exterior was painted as part of the Seawall Project.

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Beluga Tugboat / Beach

If you visit the Churchill beach, immediately behind the Town Complex you’ll find the remains of the Beluga, a former fishing boat which has been converted to a picnic structure. It’s understood that the Beluga was stationed there to act as a safety spot in the event of a bear encounter – you can climb up the Beluga where the bears cannot reach you.

The Beluga is also one of the best places in town to watch the moon rise over the bay and to catch the dancing light of the auroras. The beach is also home to the largest Inukshuk in town and seems to be placed just right for photography lovers and enthusiasts alike. Swimming is not recommended (there are posted signed to not go onto the beach area), but it’s the only place where you’re going to get close to salt water without going to British Columbia or Nova Scotia, PEI or Newfoundland. If you choose to ignore the posted Polar Bear Alert Program signage, be safe, have someone stand watch for you and plan an escape route. There are also a series of BBQs and fire pits on the beach to enjoy a fire with friends or family.

On the beach, you will also find a plaque mounted stone memorial to 3 youngsters who lost their lives – let this be a reminder as tourists … “Had they known. Lest we forget. The tides are strong and the rocks slippery when wet”.

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Wander the Ruins of Ladoon’s Castle

The story of Brian Ladoon is a bit of Churchill legend. Brian is either loved, hated, or a little bit of both by residents of the town. You can read more about him here.

Brian dedicated his life to the preservation of the Canadian Eskimo Dog, he owned 5 Dog Sanctuary, which often attracted polar bears to his property. He saved the dog from extinction. The Canadian Eskimo Dog (Quimmiq) is the oldest indigenous domestic dog species still existing in North America. This rare species is an important icon in the Inuit (formerly Eskimo) history.In the 1970s, the Quimmiq was close to extinction, and Ladoon dedicated his life to keep them alive, helping to breed the dogs and see that they were cared for properly. He is either loved, hated, or a little bit of both by residents of the town. It was revealed that he had (as many suspected) been feeding local polar bears to keep them from harming his dogs (caught only when a bear killed one of his dogs after a night he had not fed the bears). People also strongly felt that he should not keep his dogs tied/chained up up in the middle of a polar bear migration path — they’d have no chance if they encountered a bear.

One of his many projects was his development of a castle-style hotel in Churchill on the Hudson Bay coast. The project was never completed, and the remains of it are often on the minds of many of those who travel to Churchill. You can find Ladoon’s Castle on La Vérendrye Ave as you leave Churchill, just before the cemetery. Brian died in 2019.

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Churchill SeaWalls

Spend some time in Churchill, and you’ll likely notice a series of murals spanning the shores of the Hudson Bay. The SeaWalls CHURCHILL mural project was started as a way to educate and inspire the community and travelers to protect the oceans. Each piece takes inspiration from the natural history, community, resiliency, and heritage of Churchill.

Li-Hill, painted **“THE BEAR”** in less than 6 hours, IN THE RAIN, exposed to both the Hudson Bay and the Churchill River winds, using mostly aerosol BBQ paint from the Home Hardware store.

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Sayisi Dene Village

The few remnants of this village is about two miles southeast of Churchill. It was established by the Department of Indian Affairs for the Fort Churchill Indian Band, known today as the Sayisi Dene First Nation. Forced to relocate to Churchill in 1956, they lived in squalor at a site near the present-day cemetery.

In 1966, they were moved to this site into bungalows built by the federal government. The transition from nomadic, caribou-hunting culture to non-migratory urban life was unsuccessful and numerous people died.

Many of the houses were destroyed by fire and most of the people relocated to Tadoule Lake by 1973. Within a few years, the village was completely abandoned. The concrete foundations for numerous buildings remain at a site. The commemorative monument was erected in October 1999.

The federal government formally acknowledged its role in relocating the First Nation 60 years ago and offer $33 million in compensation. The message is too late for many of the community members who were taken from their happy homes and placed into a situation of agony, poverty and hopelessness. By 1973, 117 of the more than 250 members who were originally moved had already died.

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Parks Canada Visitors Centre at the Churchill Train Station

Parks Canada attraction is in Churchill’s historic train station. It offers a variety of exhibits which highlight Wapusk National Park, Prince of Wales Fort and York Factory National Historic sites.

I experienced the ecology and human history of Wapusk through the “Our Land, Our Stories” exhibits. Looked into a life-sized polar bear maternity den and explored the connection between Indigenous people and the caribou.

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Jockville Heritage Site

I wasn’t able to find any information online about this site, just that it’s a locality in Manitoba. What I what told is that that the province of Manitoba moved the residents from this community into town, into Manitoba Housing, apparently for safety reasons. I’m not sure if this is accurate.

From my exploration, it appears as of this settlement was established in/about 1929. One of the buildings on site has a handmade sign on the house which states that it was called 7th Ave Jockville and was previously surveyed by the Railways and Canals.

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Explore the Flora and Fauna

Flora

There are diverse landscapes surrounding Churchill, from the boreal forest at its northern edge to the expansive sub-arctic tundra. More than 400 native plant species can be found here. I was here at the end of Summer, but there were remnants of colourful, the ground cover was filled with wild berries and downy white tufts of Arctic avens.

Most of the landscape is glacier-sculpted boulders where the sea gives way to rolling tundra.

Fauna

The Hudson Bay lowlands are part of a rich ecosystem teeming with wildlife … polar bears, beluga whales, bald eagles, a plethora of migratory and shorebirds. Saw only 1 seal …

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Things that I wasn’t able to do to in my 5 days in Churchill

Prince of Wales Fort
York Factory National National Historic Site
Sloop Cove National Historic Site
Hike to the Ithaca
Find a local to take me by boat to Nunavut

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All in all no matter what it is you do in Churchill you will enjoy every moment of it. There are so many things to do. On days when I felt like taking it easy a bit more, I would take my book to the parquet on Kelsey Rd, across from my B&B, read my book and soak in the sun, after all, it is still a vacation 😉

Related Blogs to Help You Plan Your Trip to Churchill …

How to Get to Churchill

Where I Stayed, Is a Must Stay

Where to Eat In Churchill

On Travel: Where I Stayed in Churchill is a Must Stay!

I can’t speak directly to other hotels, inns or B&Bs. However, I can say with absolute certainty that my experience in Churchill was greatly enhanced because of my B&B hosts. I couldn’t imagine my trip without them being part of it. I want to share as much as I can about where I stayed because I want you to experience the best of Churchill, the way I did.

I started off looking on Booking.com, I usually use this site to book because of my Genius Level 2 discount. I researched all the ones that came up and to be honest it was the Iceberg Inns that had me.

Every single review I read on Booking.com (9.5/10 rating) or Trip Advisor (9.7 rating) were all about how amazing the hosts were, how friendly they were and that they loved their experience at the inn. Traveling solo, it was important to me to stay somewhere that had excellent reviews and that the hosts felt like family.
I was also really wanting to take advantage of the Angela Mak tours and professional photography.
The next thing was that the prices were very reasonable.

And with all that, I booked the Iceberg Inn.

About the Iceberg Inn

The building itself dates from about 1980, it used to be the old Sears Canada building back in the day.

Angela and Bill are the current owners since just before the pandemic … and are amazing! I’d stay here again just for them. They are soooo friendly and really just want their guests to have the best time while in town. And, as I mentioned, it is one of the most highly ranked B&Bs in Churchill, and I understand why. My whole Churchill experience was as phenomenal as it was, thanks to Bill and Angela!

The inn is located a conveniently short 100 metre walk from the Churchill Train Station and the Parks Canada Visitor Centre.

All rooms are non-smoking.

The inn offers common sitting and dining areas as well as use of the kitchen.

It also offers a communal microwave as well as dishes and utensils for guest use.

Each room has it’s own private washroom, mini fridge and table.

The rooms are identified by local animals, I stayed in Wolf.

There is no eat-in dining service, however it is conveniently located within walking distance of all the restaurants and is situated directly across the street from The Northern Store which has groceries, clothes, alcohol etc. You can buy food and bring it back to the B&B, which I did on a few different occasions.

Guests have access to an on site washer and dryer at no extra cost.

All rooms include Wi-Fi.

I was greeted every morning coming out of my room with “Good morning Tina, how did you sleep?”. Bill already had my plate, coffee cup and utensils out on the table, My coffee was being poured just as a sat down. Ever the gracious host, he was there repeatedly to see if I or there other guests needed refills. Breakfast is available at $5.00/day which includes unlimited coffee and toast (rye bread or Angela’s homemade bread, if you’re lucky). The toast is served with butter, peanut butter and jam. Angela has also been known to make homemade muffins – which were yummy!

The B&B also has an assortment of pop you can buy onsite @ $2.00/ea.

As with the aurora borealis photography (an absolute must do!), the B&B also offers photography tours, guided by professional photographer and co-owner Angela Mak herself! The tour includes the Cape Merry Battery, the Miss Piggy plane wreck, the Polar Bear jail, the SS Ithaca shipwreck and lunch at Northern Study Center. After lunch, you visit the Rocket Research Range, Churchill Golf Balls, and drive down Launch Road (with the possibility to view polar bears and other wildlife). I saw 2 polar bears on Launch Road as well as an American Eagle, a Golden Eagle, a flock of Sandhill Cranes, a pair of Trumpeter Swans and more). Since your tour includes professional photos of your adventure, she’ll edit them and airdrop them to you. At only $99/pp for 2+ hours, this is a steal in my opinion. Other tours cost the same but with no professional photos. This is worth every penny in my opinion!

Suggestion: I did this tour twice, and my suggestion is to bring water (it can get quite dry due to the gravel roads and salt water air) and a snack (you can be out longer than 2 hours sometimes). You’ll also want to bring along your binoculars for scoping out wildlife and polar bears. Wear a solid pair or running shoes or hiking boots – you’ll be hiking over some rocks and uneven terrain at Cape Merry (but there are pathways in the event you want to stay on even surface) and again at Miss Piggy if you’d like to get up on the plane’s wing and explore inside. You’ll also want to apply bug spray and/or your mosquito jacket/hat.

The accommodation offers a tour desk – that is Bill will help you arrange tickets for whichever tour you’re wanting to go on from Tundra Buggy to kayaking with the belugas.

The site also offers luggage storage prior to check-in and after check out – which I needed on both occasions. This allowed me the opportunity the explore while waiting for check in or my departure train.

Angela and I even went wild blueberry picking before my train back to Thompson, so I could have some for the ride back . Not too many owners would take the time out of their day to do that with a guest.

The environment that was my home for 5 days was a place where I felt safe, relaxed and very comfortable. Bill and Angela were the friendliest and warmest people I could have asked for. They went out of their ways to ensure I had a great stay and because of that, my trip to Churchill was one for the ages.

As they stay … come for the place, stay for the people (I wish I could have stayed longer).

Related Blogs to Help You Plan Your Trip to Churchill

Exploring the Wonders of Churchill

Where to Eat In Churchill

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On Travel: Last Stop, Churchill – My Journey to the Far North

Churchill, Manitoba is as close to a frontier town as there is in Canada. Churchill is Manitoba’s northernmost community, and is located where the boreal forest meets the tundra, on the shores of Hudson Bay, bordering the newest Canadian territory of Nunavut. The town sits on a narrow point of land bound by the ocean to the north and the Churchill River to the south and west.

Churchill is the furthest North I’ve traveled in Canada, in fact, anywhere. Visiting this town in the far tundra north has been on my “bucket list” for ages and while I’m back here in Manitoba, renovating my house to sell, I thought “hey let’s do it … I’m here, why not?”.

The town is known for its polar bears, beluga whales (also known as ocean canaries) and is one of the most premier places in Canada to see the Northern Lights dance in the night sky. These things and more have made Churchill the pinnacle go to place for adventure and wildlife seekers from around the globe.

In this blog series I share with you my personal experiences of life and tourism in this amazing town full of culture, flora and fauna.

Are you ready? Let’s go …….

The Basics

The town of Churchill has a year-round population of under 900.

Churchill’s human history goes back 4,000 years, with the Inuit, Dene, and Swampy Cree all having a connection to this land and the wildlife that sustained them.

Churchill is touted as the Polar Bear Capital of the World, the Beluga Whale Capital of the World, and one of the best places to experience sub-Arctic tundra AND the Northern Lights (aurora borealis).

Polar bears come onto land every July when the Hudson Bay ice breaks up. In autumn, scores of these great white bears gather along the shores of the bay, waiting for the ice to form so they can venture back out to hunt their favourite food – ring seal. Pregnant females go inland into dens to have cubs in late November and re-emerge in mid-February, when they return to the sea ice.

The Northern Lights can be seen 300/365 days per year!

From June to September, approximately 3,000 Beluga whales visit the Churchill River basin and approximately 60,000 come into the Hudson Bay area. Not only can you go whale watching but you will also have the chance to get up close and personal to these incredibly friendly creatures.

How to Get to Churchill

Churchill is located on the edge of the Arctic. This remote Canadian town on the shores of Hudson Bay is 1,006 km north of Winnipeg. There are no roads that lead to Churchill, you can only get there by train or plane (… planes, trains and no automobiles – insert John Candy and Steve Martin laugh here lol).

Air

Air travel to Churchill is operated by Calm Air. The small Manitoba airline has flights from Winnipeg and Thompson through Churchill and up to Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Although flights to Churchill may be more expensive than the train, they usually only take about 2.5 hours from Winnipeg. While not cost effective, it is definitely time effective.

Train

Many travelers opt for the scenic route, myself included. The Winnipeg-Churchill train is the only dry land connection to the community. The 1697 km journey takes about 45 hours from Manitoba’s capital of Winnipeg (count on it being longer, there are often delays, be flexible with your itinerary). The train travels at low speed due to the topography the rails lay on.

I am currently in Dauphin, Manitoba, so, I drove to Thompson, Manitoba, about a 7-hour drive. I could have taken the train from Dauphin, but I planned on making some stops on the way back to explore and it actually takes much less time to drive than take the train. The train to Churchill, takes about 19h20 to get from Dauphin to Thompson, as is goes through parts of Saskatchewan was well. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the sleeper cabins were not available, nor was the 360˚observation dome.

The seats are quite comfortable and recline most of the way back, there is a foot rest which goes up to level as well. There are no assigned seats in economy class, so I was able to choose my own seat. I located quad seating with two rows facing each other (if you can’t find one already turned, you can turn them yourself) … perfect for sleeping.

The seats have plugs to charge your phone or laptop. There is no available wi-fi because there isn’t any internet service along the route. You will not have service for the trip’s entirety, until just before you arrive in Churchill.

Each car has a filtered water fountain available at no charge.

VIA offers some on-board services such as sandwiches, snacks, coffee (it was decent) and alcohol (a standard 12 oz can or Coors light cost me $7.00).

It cost me $144.90 for this leg of the trip (return), I used the 33% discount offered to people of Indigenous heritage – have proof of identification when you board. You can book your train trip to Churchill via the VIA Rail website.

Train suggestions:

bring a blanket and a pillow
bring food – I purchased a pizza from Quizno’s for the train ride up
bring your own drinks, if you prefer not to purchase on board
bring a book to read (currently reading An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield)
bring a few games – I brought a deck of cards, crossword puzzle and Yahtzee
download some podcasts to listen to or some audio books
download some Netflix shows

Welcome to Churchill

This small and quaint town hugs the western shore of Hudson Bay, the town lies directly in the path of the migratory route for the largest concentration of polar bears that come ashore to hunt for seals every Fall. As I mentioned, it’s the Polar Bear Capital of the World, and the town is built in the bears migration path. When the sun goes down here the locals know to watch their backs. Tourists are advised to do the same. An alarm sounds at 10:00 p.m. promptly, each night. Don’t be alarmed (no pun intended). No one warned me upon arrival, I was scared half to death it was a warning that there was a bear currently in town. The siren (long and loud) is a voluntary curfew as part of the Polar Bear Alert program.

Upon arrival in Churchill, after 17 hours on the train

** If travelling via train, you will arrive at the historic Churchill train station. Walking straight out of the station, about 100 metres will bring you to Kelsey Rd – the town’s main drag.

** The airport is just outside of town – you can likely make arrangements with your hotel, Inn or B&B to retrieve you. If not, there is a taxi in town – Churchill Taxi – (204) 675-2345.

** Car doors are never locked in case a passerby needs immediate protection from a polar bear and polar bear costumes are strictly prohibited for treat-or-treaters during Halloween.

What To Pack

Summer is a beautiful time to visit Churchill, the flora is teeming with colourful blooms, the beluga whales are swimming into the Churchill River by the thousands, and the long Summer days offer plenty of daylight to view incredible wildlife. I went from August 26-August 31. It’s just at the end of the Summer season – the belugas are getting ready to leave and the polar bears aren’t quite ready to hitch a ride on the ice quite yet (that starts the beginning of October and lasts about 6 weeks), BUT my adventure DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I saw everything I came to see and more.

Although Churchill is considered a subarctic climate, you may be surprised to hear that it can get quite warm in the Summer. The 5 days I was there it was 21˚C-22˚C with the sun out, it was hot.

My list is for the Summer months, I’ve not included the basics you should pack (that’s up to you).

– Boots, Socks and Jacket: In the Summer you can get by with a solid pair of running shoes or hiking boots. I arrived in Churchill on August 26, 2021 and it was 22˚C, it was GORGEOUS! This is my favourite weather. I was comfortable wearing my Adidas slides while out and about around town, for any distances I wore my hiking boots.

In terms of coats, I brought my light down filled puffer coat (that I normally wear for hiking) and a lined lumberjacket so I could layer. I didn’t require either of them during the day, however it did get cooler at night, especially by the bay watching the auroras.

– Hat and Gloves: I brought a pair of mitts and a pair of thin knit gloves. I also brought a Carhartt toque. I only used these in the evenings watching the Northern Lights. But you never know when the weather will turn so come prepared for anything.

A Good Camera: Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my decent Sony Alpha, I wasn’t expecting to be in Manitoba as long as I have been, and I thought of it too late to have it shipped out to me. Even if I did, I still haven’t purchased a 300 mm lens. So, I managed as best I could with my iPhone 8 Plus which has dual cameras and takes decent photos.

Thankfully Angela at my B&B is a professional photographer and offers town tours if you stay that the B&B, for $99.00/pp for 2+ hours …. WORTH every cent! I will discuss where I stayed in a separate blog.

I also Airdrop swapped with others.

– Binoculars: You could use a monocular if you prefer, you just need something that can help you see at a distance. I found these helpful to view birds and scope out polar bears. Binoculars are also an ideal way to view the night sky. Even inexpensive models can give depth to craters on the moon, and enhance the colour and shape of stars and planets. I picked mine up for under $20.00 at Walmart.

– Deterrents: When visiting Churchill, you should be aware that a polar bear may be encountered anywhere at any time of the year and while not expected, be prepared (like a good Scout!). Before your trip, discuss possible plans of action for dealing with bears in a variety of circumstances and be sure everyone understands what to do. The actions of each individual either contribute to or detract from the safety of everyone else. For information on how to deal with a possible encounter read this pamphlet here, specifically created by the government of Manitoba to address visits to Churchill.

You can consider an air-horn and/or pepper spray (which may freeze in cold weather).

I brought a bear whistle and a bear bell, which I also picked up at Walmart. I don’t know why they’re so much more expensive online, I purchased mine in-store for $3.98.

– Bug repellent and/or bug jacket, mosquito net hat: I can’t stress this enough. Depending on the time of year you come, you should give serious consideration to bringing one or all of these items. I can’t even start to count the mosquito bites on my neck and ankles. It’s also a good idea to bring some After Bite.

– Lip balm and moisturizer: Churchill has a subarctic climate. It’s also on the ocean. It could be salt in the air, the days out walking as the wind swept or traveling in the van with the windows open but my skin and lips were constantly craving moisture.

– Reusable travel mug or water bottle: The tap water in Churchill is excellent. I mainly drink water, from the tap if I can – I prefer not to purchase single use disposable water bottles or any type of single use bottle for that matter. It’s a good idea to bring one, I did and I used it daily. Also, cases of water up there are super expensive. I’ll write about food prices separately, but a case of Nestle water was $25.95 at Tamarack Foods. Do your pocketbook and the environment a favour by bringing a reusable water bottle.

Ok folks …. that takes care of how to get to Churchill and what to bring …. tune in for the next blog …. Things I Did … where I’ll go through all the things I did while in town (which is pretty much everything a tourist would want to do). I’ll also provide you with the historical significance and/or backstory of each of the site as well as some photos.

Related Blogs to Help You Plan Your Trip to Churchill

Exploring the Wonders of Churchill

Where to Eat In Churchill

Where I Stayed, Is a Must Stay

_{Ready to start planning your trip to CHURCHILL?}

Urbex: Exploration of an Abandoned Bowling Alley

After three quarters of a century in the Cambridge area of Waterloo Region, the pins fell for the last time at this bowling alley on May 7, 2017. The longtime family business sold the land to a developer, who plans to build apartments.

The developer ran into financial problems and the site has been untouched for 3+ years (the property was on the market for $4.25 million). It has sat abandoned since that time and is quite the disaster on the inside.

We came across the site as a second location when the place we were hoping to scope out beside this was one was impenetrable – it was an old antiques/junk shop.

Before we get into this explore, I’ll share some photos I located prior to its doors closing in 2017.

This isn’t my typical type of explore, I prefer abandoned farm houses, they tend to tell more of a story. This bowling alley has become home to those who have none and to intravenous drug users. This is by far the most derelict site I’ve explored to date. So … I guess it does have a story after all.

There’s only one way in and out. It’s been scavenged by scrappers looking for copper to sell for some coin. It’s super dark inside, the only light is from the flashlight on our phones. It has the stench of wet carpet, urine and discarded rotting food.

Toward the back right corner, there’s a bed – it’s neatly made and there are some personal affects along side it.

We happened upon a gentleman who was using the space as his home. He’s had some family issues and said that no one in his family liked him much and wanted him to leave (sad). He says he does his best to to keep the place as “tidy” as he can, kicking away and throwing IV drug needles toward a pile that no one ventures into.

It is only mildly reminiscent of a bowling alley that was the at the height of its peak 10-15 years ago.

Despite it being sooooo dark – and mostly decimated – we were able to take pics of a few items (including but not limited to) that identified it as bowling lanes:

League banners that once hung from the rafters
An old nacho machine
Bowling ball returns
Snack and Drink Bar Menu
An old stove and a pot from the kitchen area
TV Score Boards
The alley’s Mascot costume

Although a very different explore than my norm, it was still an interesting location. There’s history in every place we enter.

IF these walls could talk, I’m sure they’d speak to all the fun times kids had here for their birthday parties. The giddiness of first dates. Of bowling records being broken and personal bests being set. What about the tales of friendship, comradely and competition? The laughter of bowling a gutter ball or the fist pump of bowling a strike …

Urbex: The Ongoing Story of the Eccentric Pastor Lee House

It has been a hot minute since I’ve posted … I’ve been embroiled in a landlord/tenant matter, wherein I repossessed my home from crappy tenants and have spent the better part of the last 6 weeks renovating it – they left it in such a shambles (ugh) … I’ll post on that separately, they completely ruined the house.

However, while I’m in here, in Dauphin, Manitoba renovating the house, getting it ready to sell, I wanted to pick up the story of the Lee’s. If you haven’t read the blog on the oddity of the Pastor Lee House in Haldimand County, Ontario or watched the YouTube video click here (blog) and here (video), for some background of relatedness. It’s such an interesting story, they were such an eccentric family or maybe Gordon more-so.

While exploring their abandoned house, my urbex partner, Thomas randomly found a photo of Gordon in Dauphin, as a child. I took it to be a sign that I needed to continue researching this family. I mean what are the odds that in an abandoned house with tons of stuff strewn all over the place, thousands of photos and slides messed about the 2 story home, that had been abandoned for years, that he would come across a photo taken in Dauphin and take a snapshot of it? He wasn’t aware that I had lived in Dauphin from 2015 to 2017, nor that I was heading back to town to repossess my home. Honestly, I didn’t even know he had found the photo until he sent me his shots and videos from the explore to create the content! Ironic? Serendipitous? Coincidence? I’ll let you decide …

Here’s what we know so far …

From visiting their home and our previous research, we know that Esther obtained her diploma from the Moody Blue Institute in Chicago. Arthur was in the military and then became a Pastor. They purchased the house in Haldimand County, Ontario, which is now abandoned. They had 3 children. And, at one point in/about 1943 they were either living in or visiting Dauphin, Manitoba … but why?

That’s what I’m going to try and find out while I’m here.

Here’s what I was able to newly locate …

ARTHUR: I’ve been able to locate his actual date of birth and location as being 11 Aug 1897 • Brockville, Ontario, Canada. So that removes the possibility that he may have been American as guesstimated in the prior blog. Now we’re getting somewhere.

Since I’ve been able to confirm his actual birth information, I was able to narrow down my search and revisit the military records …. and I found them …. his Attestation Papers state that he joined the military on Oct 28, 1915 (he was 19 yrs old and 2 mths). His next of kin is noted as being his mother, Maggie (nee McVish) and James Lee, who lived in Mount Denis (which is a part of Toronto). He was listed as being Methodist. He was 5’7.5” and was considered fit for the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force). Unlike my great-grandfather’s, there was no regimental # noted on his file – it does have a notation at the top left – “11th Field Ambulance” – so it looks like he was part of the Canadian Army Medical Corps.

More research has led me to locate a document from the Library and Archives of Canada. For greater details, see this link here.

11th Field Ambulance

Left Halifax 22 May 1916 aboard ADRIATIC.

Arrived in England 29 May 1916.

Strength: 10 Officers, 179 other ranks.
Arrived in France on 11 August 1916.
4th Canadian Division.
Demobilized at Toronto in May 1919.

Arthur Lee graduated from McMaster University in 1924, became a Reverend and travelled to Africa for missionary work.

ESTHER: In or about November 7, 1925 Esther departed for Africa as part of a missionary group Sim International I have a newspaper lead that they were doing missionary work in Nigeria – unfortunately, the article is too small to be legible.

I was able to confirm this by locating the Caronia‘s ship manifest, which confirms the 32 year old was a missionary, heading to Minna, Nigeria.

Screen Shot 2021-07-18 at 10.28.36 PM — From Ancestry.ca

Screen Shot 2021-07-18 at 10.33.14 PM — Caronia‘s ship manifest, which confirms the 32 year old was a missionary, heading to Minna, Nigeria.

A search of my Ancestry.ca account shows her father as being one George Easton Gladstone (B:26 Oct 1858 Ayr, Waterloo Co., Canada, D:24 March 1928 Gentry, Missouri, USA). Her mother appears to be Ella (unable to currently locate her maiden name) (B:6 Oct 1870 Gentry, Missouri, USA, D:24 Jul 1948, Gentry, Missouri, USA). Esther appears to have been born on Nov 3, 1893, in Gentry, Missouri. By 1920 the US Census has her living in Washington, DC as a “roomer”. We know that she graduated from Moody Bible College in Chicago in August of 1923.

Balmoral United Church Cemetery in Hagersville, Haldimand, Ontario, Canada

I was unable to locate Arthur on the ship’s manifest or any other manifest as of yet.

Apparently Arthur and Esther married there in 1927 in Africa (I have been unable to confirm this for myself).

At some point they returned to North America. I have yet to determine when exactly, but according to the newspaper articles below, they were at least back in the U.S. by 7 Aug 1930.

I was also able to locate on Ancestry.ca information that Arthur and Esther in fact had another son, Walter who passed away in 1938 at the age of 5 of spinal meningitis (18 Nov 1932 – 19 Apr 1938). It’s said that he passed away in Africa, this part I am unable to confirm for myself.

I understand from another blogger that throughout the 1960’s Rev. Lee worked as a Teacher in Slave Lake, Alberta and retired in 1965. However, we have it confirmed that in 1948 the Lee’s had purchased their home in Haldimand County, Ontario. So, how does all of this fit together? I have no confirmation that he taught in Slave Lake as of yet.

I also read a blog that said that Rev. Lee was a Pastor of Baptist churches in both Manitoba and Ontario.

We also have this to go on … the photo that Thomas found during our explore of the Pastor Lee house.

Screen Shot 2021-07-18 at 1.20.30 AM — *Donald Lee in centre with girls at Mrs Chase’s (not in view) house on first street north of railroad, across street from station. Dauphin, Manitoba about 1943. Looking west towards Vermillion River*

Before we delve into this further … Dauphin facts:

Dauphin has a population of 8,457 as of the 2016 Canadian Census, with an additional 2,388 living in the surrounding Rural Municipality of Dauphin, for a total of 10,845 in the RM and City combined. Dauphin is Manitoba’s 9th largest community and serves as a hub to the province’s Parkland Region.
You can get anywhere in town in about 5-7 minutes, unless the train comes through.
It is actually situated on the 100th meridian, for anyone who finds that as fascinating as I do.
It’s known as the “City of Sunshine”
Norwex’s Canadian Head Office is located here.
It’s home to Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival and Dauphin’s Countryfest, Canada’s longest-running country music festival.
It lies along the Vermilion River just west of Dauphin Lake, and is 323 kms northwest of Winnipeg.
Dauphin is near Duck Mountain Provincial Park and Riding Mountain National Park, just west of Lake Manitoba and Dauphin Lake and south of Lake Winnipegosis.
The French trader and explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye named the nearby lake, Dauphin, in 1741 in honour of the heir to the French throne, the Dauphin of France (Prince of Wales)
The province was founded on parts of the traditional territories of the Assiniboine, Dakota, Cree, Dene, Anishinaabeg and Oji-Cree peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.
As of the 2016 census, Manitoba had 1,278,365 residents, making it the fifth most populous province or territory in Canada (I came here from Toronto, the GTA alone has 6,254,571).
Dauphin was incorporated as a city in 1998.

Ok, so now that you have some tidbits of info on the “city” itself, you get that it’s small and it would have been much smaller in 1943 when the photo was taken. I was unable to locate the population of Dauphin back in the 1940’s but Manitoba’s entire population was only 921,686 in 1961.

The search for the house in the photo ….

The handwriting at the back of the photo says this … “Donald Lee in centre with girls at Mrs Chase’s (not in view) house on first street north of railroad, across street from station. Dauphin, Manitoba about 1943. Looking west towards Vermillion River”

Ok, so let’s look at this map I created …

Image 2021-07-17 at 3.33 PM — Google Maps of Possible Area in Dauphin, MB

Locate the relevant points that she mentions:

The train station (on map as Dauphin Rail Museum)
Vermillion River (on map as Vermillion Park & Campground and Vermillion River)
1st Street – she doesn’t specify NW, but it’s implied by her saying “north of railroad, across street from (train) station” and also by her saying “looking west towards Vermillion River”. Plus, it’s the only 1st St., the other is 1st Ave.
Based on that information, I feel the house has to be located near the star I put near the Watson Art Centre.

I live only 3 blocks from where the photo was apparently taken. Literally …. just down 2nd Ave SW (follow arrow on map) till I hit 1st Ave SW and turn right to get to the train station, the 1st right directly in front of the train station is 1st St NW. Vermillion Park is directly at the end of 2nd Ave SW. So, that’s where I’m going to start my search, I’m going to try and track down this particular house. I’m going to check out the houses in the block of 1st Ave SW and 1st Ave NW AND 2nd Ave SW and 2nd St NW (looking Westward toward the River). I know the area well, I feel it’s doubtful that the house still exists or perhaps it’s been modified to look differently than it did back then.

Ok, so here are some photos I took for point of view and real life perspective.

This is the Dauphin Train Station, which was built in 1912, and was standing while the Lee’s were here in 1943.

tempImageeIuc1b — Dauphin Train Station built in 1912

Immediately in front of the train station is the intersection of 1st Ave NW and 1st St NW

tempImageO9MUOk — Street Signage – 1st Ave NW at 1st St NW

Below you can see The Watson Art Centre which is directly in front of the train station, it was established in 1905 and was the old fire hall, so that building existed when the Lee’s would have been here. Photo was taken standing in front of the train station looking westward toward Vermillion River.

tempImage5WLPEq — Photo was taken standing in front of the train station looking westward toward Vermillion River.

I looked at the houses to see if they resembled the house in the photo OR if there was any possibility that the house could have been updated or added onto. I paid particular attention to the east side of 1st St NW because the photo says that the children were looking westward toward Vermillion River. However, upon further reflection it’s not immediately clear if the children or the photographer is looking west.

This house has the most resemblance. I initially took the photo as if the children were looking westward toward Vermillion River.

Then I took the photo from the east side as if the photographer was looking westward toward Vermillion River.

After side by side comparison – it does not appear to be the house in the 1943 photo even accounting for upgrades and improvements. The window placements are off.

Now, it wouldn’t have been uncommon for prairie houses to be similar and side by side, especially if family owned – so I thought “what if it had a next door twin at some point?” With that, I went back to double check and BINGO there’s a vacant lot where a house would have once stood immediately beside that house! Could the house we’re looking for have stood there at one point?

tempImage6o8MhF — Empty lot beside the possible ‘Mrs Chases’ house’

Immediately across the street from the train station is a white building which is definitely not the house in the in picture. Maybe the house was situated there prior?

It is not stated how far down the street the house it, just that it’s north of the tracks, across the street from the station, so I was assuming relatively close to the station … however, just to be certain I went down to the end, until I hit River Rd. and only found 1 possibility but I don’t think it’s it, it was further down than I expected it to be and it doesn’t seem to match.

There were also 2-3 vacant plots and a new building where Ashcroft Vision Care is now and the newer built Baptist church (from the 1 that was on Main St) which was built on 1st St SW and 3rd Ave NW in 1960 (below 1st photo).

Maybe the house was on 1 of these lands? So, that’s a dead end folks … for now. I’ll keep digging.

The (re)search goes on and on and on …

Ok, I’m back to doing more research …. using my ancestry.ca account and doing some general Google searches to see what I can come up with.

I was able to locate an account that has some interesting information linked to Esther herself, but encapsulates both she and Rev. Lee (the reason being is that the person who was doing the research was investigating Esther’s time at Moody Bible College).

I found a few newspaper clippings to be of interest:

7 Aug 7 1930 – Albany, Missouri

20 Dec 1934 – Albany, Missouri

20 Dec 1934 – Albany, Missouri

Note: Albany is a city and county seat of Gentry County, Missouri, USA. The population was 1,730 at the 2010 census. Esther was born in Gentry, Missouri. I’m guessing that Albany was her hometown, the reason being is that they consistently refer to her as “formerly Miss Esther Gladstone”, likely so those reading the newspaper would recognize her by her maiden name and come out to hear them speak.

Trying to fill in the gap …

Those newspaper clippings were still a full 9 years before the photo in Dauphin was taken … what did they do in those 9 years? Did they return to Africa for another mission as one of the clippings would suggest?

I decided to check to see if Dauphin had a Baptist Church back in 1943 and run on the basis that the other blogger’s notation was fact … that Rev. Lee preached in Manitoba. I’m running into a bunch of dead ends so, no harm in trying. I know there’s a church now on 3rd Ave NW but did one exist then? The answer is yes it did, but it was in a different location, on Main Street. Dauphin has had a Baptist church for that last 120 years.

Maybe I can contact the church to see if they have a list of all the Pastors?

Mrs. Chase, who and where are you? …

I decided to try and see if I could track down the Mrs. Chase as was documented and not in view on the back of the photo. All I knew was that her name was Mrs. Chase. I knew she was married because if the Mrs. and that her last name was Chase and nothing else. I was able to find 2 male Chases with wives in the 1940 Canada Voters list for Dauphin … a Mrs. Earle Chase and a Mrs. Darwin Chase, but no addresses.

Maybe I can hit up the land registry office?

Does anyone know anything?

I have a neighbour, Amy, she’s been around town for many years – maybe she know something about Pastor Lee, Esther or of a Mrs. Chase? Let’s ask Amy and see. Stay tuned!

Ok, so, as of today (31 Jul 2021) that’s what I’ve been able to dig up on the Lees. As I mentioned above, this is going to be an ongoing updated blog, so be sure to check back often.

HELP — Also, I’m open to help, if anyone knows how I can dig further into this or has any clues or tips — comment below.

I find the story of the Lees fascinating for some reason, and I feel compelled to know more about them.

On Genealogy: MY Relation to Ezra CORNELL – Founder of Cornell University

I haven’t blogged in a long while, and while I’m at a dead end in another line of my tree, I decided to do more research on the Cornells. I wondered if it was the same “Cornell” that is synonymous with the Ivy League American University – Cornell.

My fifth cousin 6 times removed OR 7th great uncle’s second cousin twice removed whichever way you look at it, is Ezra Cornell (January 11, 1807 – December 9, 1874). He was an American businessman and education administrator. He was a founder of Western Union and a co-founder of Cornell University. He also served as President of the New York Agriculture Society and as a State Senator.

My relation to Ezra is two fold – direct blood line and in-law relationship as shown below:

Ezra was born in Westchester County, New York, the son of a potter, Elijah Cornell, and was raised near DeRuyter, New York. He was a first cousin, five times removed of Benjamin Franklin on his maternal grandmother’s side. He was also a cousin of Paul Cornell, the founder of Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Having traveled extensively as a carpenter in New York State, Ezra, upon first setting eyes on Cayuga Lake and Ithaca, decided Ithaca would be his future home.

After settling in at Ithaca, NY, Ezra quickly went to work proving himself as a Carpenter. Colonel Beebe took notice of the industrious young man and made him the manager of his mill at Fall Creek.

Ezra Cornell was a birthright Quaker, but was later disowned by the Society of Friends for marrying outside of the faith to a world’s woman, a Methodist by the name of Mary Ann Wood. Ezra and Mary Ann were married March 19, 1831, in Dryden, New York.

On February 24, 1832, Ezra Cornell wrote the following response to his expulsion from The Society of Friends due to his marriage to Mary Ann Wood:

“I have always considered that choosing a companion for life was a very important affair and that my happiness or misery in this life depended on the choice”.

The young and growing family needed more income than could be earned as Manager of Beebe’s Mills. Having purchased rights in a patent for a new type of plow, Ezra began what would be decades of travelling away from Ithaca. His territories for sales of the plow were the states of Maine and Georgia. His plan was to sell in Maine in the summer and the milder Georgia in the winter. With limited means, what transported Ezra between the two states were his own two feet.

Connection to Morse Code & Western Union

Happening into the offices of the Maine Farmer in 1842, Cornell saw an acquaintance of his, one F.O.J. Smith, bent over some plans for a “scraper” as Smith called it. For services rendered, Smith had been granted a one-quarter share of the telegraph patent held by Samuel F.B. Morse, and was attempting to devise a way of burying the telegraph lines in the ground in lead pipe. Ezra’s knowledge of plows was put to the test and Ezra devised a special kind of plow that would dig a 2 feet 6 inches ditch, lay the pipe and telegraph wire in the ditch and cover it back up as it went. Later it was found that condensation in the pipes and poor insulation of the wires impeded the electrical current on the wires and so hanging the wire from telegraph poles became the accepted method.

Cornell made his fortune in the telegraph business as an associate of Samuel Morse, having gained his trust by constructing and stringing the poles for the Baltimore–Washington telegraph line, the first telegraph line of substance, in the U.S. to address the problem of telegraph lines shorting out to the ground, Cornell invented the idea of using glass insulators at the point where telegraph lines are connected to supporting poles. After joining with Morse, Cornell supervised the erection of many telegraph lines, including a portion of the New York, Albany & Buffalo line in 1846 and the Erie and Michigan Telegraph Company connecting Buffalo to Milwaukee with partners John James Speed and Francis Ormand Jonathan Smith. Cornell, Speed and Smith also built the New York and Erie line competing with and paralleling to the south the New York, Albany and Buffalo line in which Morse had a major share. The line was completed in 1849 and Cornell was made president of the company.

Cornell’s sister, Phoebe, married Martin B. Wood and moved to Albion, Michigan, in 1848. Cornell gave Wood a job constructing new lines and made Phoebe his telegraph operator, the first woman operator in the United States.

Cornell earned a substantial fortune when the Erie and Michigan was consolidated with Hiram Sibley and his New York and Mississippi Company to form the Western Union company. Cornell received two million in Western Union stock.

Ezra made his fortune in the telegraph business as an associate of Samuel Morse (yes, that Morse as in Morse Code – Samuel F.B. Morse who developed an electric telegraph and then invented, with his friend Alfred Vail, the Morse Code in 1838) , having gained his trust by constructing and stringing the telegraph poles between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, as the first ever telegraph line of substance in the U.S. To address the problem of telegraph lines shorting out to the ground, Cornell invented the idea of using glass insulators at the point where telegraph lines are connected to supporting poles. After joining with Morse, Cornell supervised the erection of many telegraph lines, including the Erie and Michigan Telegraph Company connecting Buffalo to Milwaukee. He earned a substantial fortune as a founder of the Western Union company.

Member of Republic Party

Cornell was a Republican member of the New York State Assembly (Tompkins Co.) in 1862 and 1863; and of the New York State Senate from 1864 to 1867, sitting in the 87th, 88th, 89th and 90th New York State Legislatures.

Cornell University and Free Library

Cornell retired from Western Union and turned his attention to philanthropy. He endowed the Cornell Library, a public library for the citizens of Ithaca. A lifelong enthusiast of science and agriculture, he saw great opportunity in the 1862 Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act to found a university that would teach practical subjects on an equal basis with the classics favored by more traditional institutions. Andrew Dickson White helped secure the new institution’s status as New York’s land grant university, and Cornell University was granted a charter through their efforts in 1865.

This bronze statue of Ezra Cornell by Hermon Atkins MacNeil was erected on the university’s Arts Quad in 1919.

Cornell University derived far greater revenues than earlier land grant colleges, largely from real estate transactions directed by Ezra Cornell. Under the land-grant program, the Federal government issued the colleges scrip, documents granting the right to select a parcel of land. These colleges generally promptly sold their scrip. Ezra Cornell, on the other hand held most of the scrip, anticipating it would increase in price.He also redeemed some scrip for promising land or for rights in timber, most notably pine forest in Wisconsin. While the first land-grant colleges received around half a dollar per acre, Cornell netted an average of over five dollars per acre in 1905.

Later Life

Ezra Cornell entered the railroad business, but fared poorly due to the Panic of 1873. He began construction of a palatial Ithaca mansion, Llenroc (Cornell spelled in reverse) to replace his farmhouse, Forest Home, but died before it was completed. Llenroc was maintained by Cornell’s heirs for several decades until being sold to the local chapter of the Delta Phi fraternity, which occupies it to this day; Forest Home was sold to the Delta Tau Delta chapter and later demolished. Cornell is interred in Sage Chapel on Cornell’s campus, along with Daniel Willard Fiske and Jennie McGraw.

A prolific letter writer, Ezra corresponded with a great many people and would write dozens of letters each week. This was due partly to his wide travelling, and also to the many business associates he maintained during his years as an entrepreneur and later as a politician and university founder. Cornell University has made the approximately 30,000 letters in the Cornell Correspondence available online.

His eldest son, Alonzo B. Cornell, was later governor of New York. Since its founding, the University’s charter specified that the eldest lineal descendent of Cornell is granted a life seat on Cornell University’s Board of Trustees. Since Ezra Cornell IV took the post on November 17, 1969, the law was amended from specifying the “eldest male lineal descendent.”

In 1990, G. David Low, graduate of Cornell University and Space Shuttle astronaut, took with him into outer space a pair of tan silk socks worn by Ezra Cornell on his wedding day in 1831.

Honestly, I can’t even get over how a commoner like myself has so much history in her blood, her roots. If you haven’t had the chance, take a look at my other ancestral connections – too many to name. I’m again floored that his ONE LINE in my tree to America has yielded so many amazing finds.

Genealogy is my passion, I can’t wait to see who else I’m connected to. Stay tuned and follow for more …..

Urbex: Exploring an Abandoned Strawberry Farm

In this blog, we are exploring the abandoned Stoll Strawberry Farm in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. It is a more recent abandon, 2017. We came upon this find as a “trade” with another urbexer.

The video version of this urbex can be viewed here.

We only had time to explore the house, we were losing daylight and will have to return later this week to explore the very large barn on the property. Be sure to stay tuned for part 2, coming your way soon!

I’ll categorize the house into 2 parts – the main floor and the upper apartment. Both form part of the same large home, but the upper floor appears to have been converted to a separate apartment to live in, whilst leaving the main floor relatively unused.

History on the house’s ownership can be found further below.

Front of the house

Entry/Exit Door to Original Part of the House

Main Floor

The front entry to the house was not used and was covered in plastic assumedly to prevent the cold air from entering and to try to stop heat loss.

The main part of the home – the entry to the left – appears to be an abandoned part of the dwelling – it contains a large kitchen with original Lakewood woods stove, a dining room on the other side of the kitchen with an attached lounge. The main floor also holds a formal sitting room containing the most gorgeous fireplace with stunning inner hearth tiling. Where the stairs to the upper floor would be situated, it is drywalled off.

This section seemed to not be lived in on a regular basis as most of the owners belongings can be found upstairs in the apartment – which is the entryway to the right.

The most interesting items of this explore seem to be in the decayed addition at the rear of the house. The roof has partially caved in. Here we found old magazines – mainly from 1926 and 1930, an old Sears cash register and 4 deer hoofs.

Pictoral Review – 1930

McCall’s – 1930

Nat Geo 1926

Found 4 deer hoofs

Random Exercise Bike

Exterior Caved In Addition

Clay Pot on Ground

Sears Cash Register

Upper Apartment

The upstairs rooms were then made into an apartment, separate apartment in the house where the owner resided instead. The apartment has a look and vibe of the 80’s / 90’s; based on the carpet, the built in fireplace, the wood plank kitchen ceiling. We had just started the very large barn, but we lost daylight, so we will go back shortly.

What We Know About the Last Owner

The farm belonged to a 75-year-old retired strawberry farmer, who was mowing his grass on his tractor, pulling the mower behind him, in the late afternoon of July 19, 2017. He was going up a steep incline when the tractor tipped over onto him. Several passersby stopped, freed him from the tractor, and administered CPR. He was rushed to hospital, and later pronounced dead.

According to his obituary, strawberry farmer was born in Speyer, Rhein, Germany on December 3, 1941. He had a profound passion for farming and providing fresh food to families in the community. He started growing strawberries in 1975 in Germany amongst other fruits, vegetables and cash crops. He immigrated with his family to Waterloo Region in 1985 to continue the tradition of growing the well known Stoll Strawberries.

** STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 OF THIS URBEX **

Conjecture: based on the presence of numerous local, English-language documents, memorabilia, and paraphernalia dating back as far as the 1910’s-1930’s, these may not have been the strawberry farmer’s items. It could be that he moved into the house and it had a considerable amount of stuff left behind. These items seem to slightly predate the Hallman family’s occupation of the house, but they seem to have been the most settled owners, the ones most likely to have last lived in the main part of the house, and the items are an appropriate age for Mr. Hallman and his wife as things they would have acquired in their 30’s and 40’s. It seems likely to me that these may be the remnant of possessions they brought with them when they moved, that their family likely didn’t care to reclaim and that the strawberry farmer’s family had no interest in either. This makes this site an interesting and somewhat rare example of a family home with actual possessions from several distinct groups of inhabitants, rather than just multiple generations of one family.

Ownership History

Research and information compiled by Thomas Little.

The original Crown grant is to a British land agent [Richard Beasley] in the 1790s.

By 1861, Wm. Hope (William Hope) shows up on one map as the owner with a house squarely where the current one is now. He shows up in censuses as a freeholder, so he would have had title to the land. However, he does not appear anywhere in the records of land transactions, but his neighbour to the north, George Proudfoot, does. The Proudfoot and Hope families show up repeatedly in connection to Ayr [a nearby town] and seem to be Scottish settlers more strongly connected to the adjacent township of North Dumfries who “spilled over” into a township mostly populated at the time by Germans. They are surrounded by other English and Scottish landowners in their area.

Toward the 1890s, the Richardson family gets more and more involved, and buying/leasing/mortgaging of the land becomes pretty frequent — it seems that both Proudfoot and Richardson families more or less divided up the corner lot between them, leaving a small half-lot parcel attached to the house after repeatedly buying strips adjoining their own properties.

During the early to mid 20th century it goes through a dizzying succession of hands: Becker, Huber, Hallman. The Hallmans become involved in the 40s and it seems to go to a Mr. Hallman in 1951. One of the longest owners in the 60s is a man named Horst Dreger. The Dreger family seem to have also been postwar German immigrants, if they are the same people — more research might turn up something interesting. Mr. Hallman dies in the mid-60s and is possibly one of the last “in earnest” inhabitants of the house. The late 60s and early 70s are very complex and seem to involve failed attempts by the Dregers to gain the whole parcel of land, while Mr. Hallman’s estate is having complex interactions with the Dept of National Revenue — he could have owed back taxes perhaps.

By the 70s at least part of it is in the hands of the Bayer family who transfer ownership of the land to a company presumably owned by them, maybe for tax reasons. By this point the land parcel is totally chopped up and it’s not clear which was attached to the actual farmhouse, or if anyone was even living in it. This is probably around the time the house started to seriously decay.

The Dreger family members seem to have sued each other in the 70s and this dominates much of the property record for this period. This very likely includes the part with the farmhouse. It seems likely the Dregers lived in the house or at least owned it, while the Bayers farmed the attached fields and had a complex ownership arrangement. The Bayers presumably lived nearby and had other farming operations.

The strawberry farmer steps into the mix with a single clear transfer of ownership from a Hallman family member to him and his wife in 1986. They paid almost half a million dollars — the land would be worth considerably more now. This is the final transaction on record prior to microfilming.

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Urbex: The Truest Story About the Abandoned & Eccentric Pastor Lee House

This past weekend we explored the well-known urbex site – the Pastor Lee House in Haldimand County, Ontario. It’s been abandoned forever, has unfortunately been “trashed” and is still a time capsule of bizarre oddities.

The video accompaniment to this blog can be viewed here. Trust me it’s worth the watch!

We spent a couple of hours here … we could have stayed for the whole day poking around, taking turns wandering each room, uncovering different objects and parts of the story or making up our own and sharing them with each other. I’ll definitely be going again, there was just so much to absorb and take in.

Some call this property “creepy”, I prefer to call it eccentric, even interesting. The house belonged to the Lee family. From some of the research I’ve done, it appears as if Esther Gladstone Lee was born on November 3, 1893 (died 1997). Her husband Arthur Lee appears to have been born in/about 1897 (died: 1971). From the framed diploma found in the house, she graduated from the Moody Bible College in Chicago on August 9, 1923. Not long after, she was married to Arthur and together they had 3 children: Gordon, Dorothy and Donald.

From the road, it resembles almost any other rural home. However, it doesn’t take long to realize that there’s something a little different about this property … the bizarre messages that trail off … painted all over the property are just the first sign.