The committee spearheading a history book in conjunction with Fort Frances’ centennial in 2003 recently met to discuss the next step in collecting material and documents about local families.
The committee, comprised of four members, has been busy collecting information all around the community and so far is happy with the results.
“We are pretty much giving ourselves the year to collect the information,” said Pam Hawley, curator of the Fort Frances Museum. “By June, we will be seeing where we are in terms of the information we have.
We will then see where we have to go and what we still need to collect but so far, the process has been going very well.”
Although the committee has been pushing for local people to bring in historical accounts of their families, Hawley noted the committee also is looking for more recent history–something that has proven to be a lot harder to come by.
“Most people do not think that things that have happened in the past few years have occurred long enough ago to be included in the history book,” Hawley said.
“However, if you look back at the last two years and see what changes have taken place in the community in terms of schools and the arena, it is really very important stuff,” she stressed.
In an effort to promote the history book, the museum held an open house last month in conjunction with Heritage Week where people were invited to drop in and share some of their stories.
“We had a really good turnout to the open house two weeks ago,” noted Hawley. “A number of people who have been in the community for a while came in and gave us some information, as well as a number of people to contact who no longer live in town.
“Things are really starting to evolve and we are off to a good start.”
Committee member Lisa Strom knows first-hand the kind of work that’s involved in the collection and compilation of family history, and it is for that reason she decided to offer her help to the project.
“I have been working on my own family’s history for a while now,” she said. “My family has been in the community since about 1895. I am going to be submitting their story to the history book committee but I still have to write it all up.
“I thought that it would be interesting to work on this project because I really like things like this,” she enthused.
Though her own efforts have focused on a more personal level, Strom also said she’s looking forward to the chance to learn some new things about the community that’s been a part of her own family’s history for so long.
“I really wanted to get involved in this project,” she stressed. “Fort Frances has such a long history and it deserves to have a book that recognizes that fact.”
The committee will hold its next meeting March 22 at the museum. To attend, or to help compile the history book, contact Hawley at 274-7891.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
