Committee members met Monday night to discuss the progress they’ve made in compiling information for the town’s centennial history book in 2003.
“We are still in the process of collecting information for the book,” noted Pam Hawley, curator of the Fort Frances Museum. “Right now we are looking for any information people may have on the Shevlin Clarke Company.
“If anyone has a memory about working for the company or just a memory in general, we would love to hear from them,” she added.
Meanwhile, the committee has decided to organize a number of workshops to give people the chance to learn firsthand how to collect and document their own family’s history.
“We are still in the midst of getting the final details done on these upcoming workshops,” said Hawley. “The mini open houses were created to try and keep the ball rolling and give people the tools to use in collecting information.
“We will be using various places around town where there are genealogical resources available,” she continued. “We are going to start by going to the Family History Centre [at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Keating Avenue] on April 25.
“We will also go to the library and use the Internet there to do research on the history of local families,” Hawley said.
While the stream of historical information making its way to the history book committee has been steady, Hawley admitted she would love to see more people dropping off stories or photos they may have of the town.
“Sometimes the hardest information to find is about the community 30 or 40 years ago,” she explained. “We would really love to get some pictures or stories about what the community was like at that time.
“In fact, I remember a picture of me standing in front of St. Michael’s School about 35 years ago,” Hawley added. “Behind it was nothing but bush. There were no houses at that time so it is funny to see how much things have changed in such a short period of time.”
And though the history book committee is concentrating its time on the open houses, Hawley also is looking forward to getting a community scrapbook underway.
“We are hoping to have people bring in photos they may have of the town,” she said. “Then we would like people to come in and maybe comment about a certain store or place in town that they may have a memory about.
“Perhaps someone has a memory about a store in town that they bought a pair of shoes from 50 years ago. Any information the may have will help us out.”
For more information on the upcoming open houses or to get involved with the history book, contact Hawley at the museum (274-7891).
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
