Barbara Forsyth drove in this week from Dawson City, where they know how to bring history alive.
A member of a former well-known Fort Frances family, and once a Homecoming queen at Fort High, Forsyth said she was intrigued by local plans to stage a centennial celebration in 2003.
Part of her northern career has been spent in heritage interpretation. She impersonated a late great lady, Martha Louise Black, the famous wife of a Yukon commissioner (a commissioner is the north’s equivalent to lieutenant-governors in the provinces).
As an interpreter, Forsyth expressed interest in participating if her old hometown wants to stage a re-enactment, including Lady Frances Simpson for whom the community was named.
Researching this part of local history would be of special interest to Forsyth, who will be in Ottawa next week. She is employed at Klondike National Historic Sites and Parks Canada.
For those curious about her local background, Forsyth was the daughter of Elbourne Forsyth and Myrtle Benson. After her father died, her mother married the late Jock Brown, manager of the local Toronto-Dominion Bank before they moved to Victoria, B.C.
Mrs. Forsyth was a sister of the late Campbell Benson, and both were in the grocery wholesale business here. After many years away, Barbara Forsyth has been staying here with her aunt, Josephine Benson, while contacting old friends.
And if anyone want to know what this northerner thinks of our current cold weather, Forsyth found it quite warm here when she drove all the way in from Whitehorse last week.
She is heading on to Ottawa by car next week.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
