To help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Frontenac County, the Frontenac News is embarking on an ambitious story-telling project with the support of Frontenac County Council.

The project will include feature stories in each issue of the Frontenac News in 2015, and on Frontenacnews.ca starting on January 8 and running until December 17. The stories will explore historical topics, and geographical and cultural elements in each and every corner of Frontenac County. Our main focus will be on some of the remarkable individuals who have made their lives in its borders and who have lived its history.

The vast county runs from the top of Vennachar at the spot of the darkest skies in Southern Ontario at Mallory Hill, through Canadian Shield to fractured limestone and some prime farmland. It then bypasses the City of Kingston and continues on Howe and Wolfe Islands, where it ends at the virtual border with the United States. It contains numerous hamlets but no population centres, and has a common thread throughout. It is a waterlogged county, the county of 1000 lakes, from some as small as 53-foot-deep, one-acre-wide Little Round Lake where the water at the bottom gets no oxygen, making it one of the few “meromictic” lakes in the world, to Mazinaw, Bobs, and Crow Lakes, and the county’s largest, Lake Ontario.

At one time people traversed the county by canoe, then by horse and buggy, then rail, then car and truck, and now by the electronic highway. Many of these changes have come about in the last 100 years and some of our residents have lived through them.

In order to make 50 for 150 a success, we are asking the best source we have for all of our stories - our readers - to provide us with leads. If you know of an interesting topic or individual with a remarkable story to tell, let us know as soon as possible as the list of stories is being compiled now and will be pulled together in the coming months.

We are also hoping to have a video component to our 50/150 feature. To contact the News about story ideas, call 613-279-3150, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and put 50/150 in the subject line, or send us a message on our Facebook page.

Feature Article - April 20, 2006

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Feature Article - April 20, 2006

Sharbot Lake Historical Walking Tour

byJeff Green

Over the years, the Oso District Historical Society has been accumulating information about the history of the Sharbot Lake area and storing it at the public library.

Shirley Peruniak, the mainstay of the historical society, has often wondered how to get the information out to the public.

A couple of years ago her daughter in-law showed her a brochure that was put out in the town of Athabasca, Alberta . Athabasca ’s heritage as the gateway for transporting goods to the Canadian North had been commemorated in a handsome booklet, and Shirley thought a Sharbot Lake Walking Tour booklet could be developed as well.

Later on, Shirley was at a meeting of a group called the Friday Night Ladies, when Janet Gutowski mentioned that the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation (FCFDC) had money available for community-based projects, and sure enough the FCFDC found a grant for the project from the Eastern Ontario Development fund which would provide funds for the brochure on the condition that a matching amount be raised from the public.

Shirley’s partner in the project, Sandra Moase, then approached several businesses and individuals in the community to donate $200 each. The Frontenac News was approached to produce the brochure, and agreed to do so.

Charlotte Duchene from Arden then typed up all the material and helped get the historical photos together for the brochure, and the rest is history.

The Sharbot Lake Walking Tour includes 28 stops from the Medical Centre, which is located in front of what used to be a three-storey brick hotel. From there the tour meanders through the village, past sites that no longer exist, such as the Thomson and Avery Sawmill, and other sites that have been transformed as Sharbot Lake went from being a commercial centre to its present status as an administrative and tourism-based village.

Some historic homes in the village are well preserved and the tour passes by several of them.

There is a wealth of information in the 36-page brochure, which will be available for the nominal fee of $2, to be used to finance future printings, at the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy and several other locations in the coming weeks.

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Feature Article - April 20, 2006

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Feature Article - April 20, 2006

Spring at the Pioneer Museum inCloyne

by Karyl Waldie Steinpatz

It’s a recognized fact that things and people do lie dormant, or the equivalent of dormant, during the months of ice and snow, but stirrings around the Pioneer Museum were being felt as early as last month, when the Cloyne and District Historical Society surfaced with its spectacular line-up of events for the coming warm season. Well, on second thought, maybe I misspoke when I employed the word “dormant”. I think the fundraising and entertainment committee kept itself awake throughout the winter months by formulating its intriguing summer line-up. More about that…

Under the tender ministrations of its dedicated volunteers, the Pioneer Museum will soon be opened up, aired out after its winter hibernation, and all gussied up in anticipation of the hordes of tourists and us local folk who will visit throughout the season. Artifacts which have been lovingly wrapped and stored during the winter months will be proudly placed on display, and on June 24, beginning at 11am, the C&DHS will celebrate the season’s opening with guided tours, a barbecue, and a speaker of note. Watch Northern Happenings and other advertising space in this journal for more details. Or borrow a copy of The Pioneer Times (April 2006 issue) newsletter from any member of the Cloyne and District Historical Society and check page 11 for times and places of all upcoming events. During the summer, the newsletter is available, gratis, in the Pioneer Museum .

Every month (except July and August), third Monday, the Historical Society meets in the Barrie Township hall in Cloyne, and every meeting produces a super-interesting speaker. As I write this, I am still marveling at the expertise of Master Gardener Nancy Newman, who yesterday gave a most erudite and interesting talk on Heritage Gardens. Ever since we added the new and big and airy extension to the original Pioneer Museum, we have been working at beautifying the lawns around it with flora, some which were already growing wild here hundreds of years ago, and other species brought in since 1800 by pioneers and now almost extinct in our area. To some degree we have already succeeded, but Nancy gave us a list, and described, many more plants we can hope to find and grow in our gardens and we eagerly look forward to adding at least some of them over the next few years.

The Financial Report in the April 2006 issue of The Pioneer Times tells the immediate world that “during the year 2005 the Cloyne and District Historical Society turned an important corner in its development”…”in only six years, the Society has emerged from debt and ended last year with a very respectable bank balance”… in the black. And even after building the large extension to the museum, and populating it with even more artifacts, it is very much in the black, mostly because of the unflagging work of its volunteers.

Some great upcoming events, to which the public will be most heartily welcomed, include a field trip to the Eganville museum, a Blueberry Brunch in Cloyne, an annual Heritage Bus Tour (what you’ll see is a well-kept secret even as you board the bus in Cloyne AND along the route) and the Third Annual Toonie Christmas Party, to name just a few. So come and enjoy.

The Cloyne and District Historical Society encompasses a good chunk of territory, from Kaladar to Griffith and Flinton to Plevna and Ompah, but its beloved baby is the Pioneer Museum in Cloyne, the repository of artifacts and genealogical information of the area. Plans are in the works to open the museum to the public earlier this season, on weekends beginning with the Long May Weekend (as it is known), then every day from June 24 throughout the season, so watch this newspaper for more details.

Spring has already sprung. Summer is almost upon us. This season do make it a plan to come visit the outstanding, quiet and lovely Pioneer Museum in Cloyne and absorb pioneer history, and perhaps your family’s roots.

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Feature Article - May 11, 2006

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Feature Article - May 11, 2006

Clar-MillHistoricalCommunityArchives open

by JuleKochBrison

When Bethany Armstrong was in the process of re-publishing her father Charlie’s history of the Clarendon and Miller townships, “Away Back in Clarendon and Miller”, the publisher asked for a photograph for the book. Charles Armstrong had turned the rights for his book over to the township, so Bethany naturally went to them and asked for a photo from their archives.

“Archives?” was the reply, “Well …. we don’t have archives.” And so Bethany conceived the idea of creating the first community archives, to be funded by sales from her father’s book. The grand opening was held on Tuesday May 9 at the Plevna Library, where the collection is housed. The space is small, a humble cupboard, but Mayor Ron Maguire said, “it may be a small beginning, but it’s the start of a big dream. It’s a step forward in the maturity of North Frontenac.”

Marg Axford of the Cloyne & District Historical Society has been very much involved in the project, and said at the opening, “Every community needs to keep its stories. If not, when the children and grandchildren come along there won’t be any stories.”

The collection is print-based and many people have contributed. Bethany Armstrong says there is still lots of space; however, there is not enough room for artifacts. Marg Axford said that the Cloyne Museum would help store artifacts until the day when there might be a museum in Plevna. Then, she said, “I’ll make sure the artifacts are returned where they belong.”

Bethany Armstrong has also just finished compiling a new book by her uncle Andrew Armstrong, which supplements her father’s book. Funds from the sales will also go to the archives.

Bethany encouraged people to consider the things they find while cleaning houses and sheds as having historical value. She showed a receipt book she had found while cleaning out a shed, and in it was a record of a minister’s stipend for $2, dated January 1, 07.

A sheet was passed out to the audience that was made up by KFPL Rural Librarian Janice Coles, detailing the sorts of things people might consider donating to the archives. These include: local family histories; personal diaries, journals and letters; school yearbooks; newspaper clippings; records of local organizations; political campaign brochures; newsletters.

While the library cannot offer tax receipts for donations of items, they can for any monetary contributions.

For more information contact Bethany Armstrong (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 613-479-2867), the Plevna library, 479-2542; or Janice Coles at 549-8888 ext. 1500

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

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Feature Article - June 22, 2006

Cloyne Pioneer Museum opening for season by Karyl Waldie Steinpatz

Dust and chips were flying last week as the members of the Cloyne and District Historical Society readied the Pioneer Museum inside and out for its summer season. Bravely taking a peek inside, and standing well back out of harm’s way, one saw dustcloths and brooms brandished, boxes carried, mannequins dressed, and best of all, priceless artifacts placed lovingly on shelves, on walls, and on anything else that would hold them. Gosh, even the extension to this museum, built only four years ago, is full! Outside, the chinks in the log walls were being seen to, and old bark stripped off.

Every year the Historical Society hosts special displays of privately-held collections in its Pioneer Museum . This year’s opener is an outstanding display of antique clocks―just part of the collection owned by Hans Steinpatz of Verona , who specializes in clock repair and restoration. This interesting and intriguing collection will be on display until July 31, and from time to time the owner will be on site to answer questions on their intricate workings and the provenance of each timepiece.

Flower gardens are flourishing too, in front of and beside the museum. The park has been neatly mowed and some new trees planted to replace those taken by the microburst which decimated the ancient pines a few years ago; so finally the grounds all around the museum are looking healthy.

This year, opening day is slated for Saturday, June 24 at 11am, and will feature a delicious barbecue served up with a smile by members of the Historical Society. Free tours of the museum are offered.

In addition to the barbecue and museum tours, there will be a very special treat in the form of an address by the dual-titled personage known to the Goulbourn Historical Society in Stittsville as The Duke of Richmond and The Earl of Lennox. Arriving in full dress regalia, the Duke will explain his part in the rich and glorious history and settlement of Ontario . Although this is a serious presentation with every detail historically correct, the Duke (Robin Derrick) is also known for his sense of humour. The C&DHS invites everyone to this special presentation. Try not to miss it!

To arrive at the Cloyne Pioneer Museum, motor north on Hwy 41 from Kaladar, traverse the village of Northbrook, arrive in Cloyne five minutes later, and just stop where you see all the people and cars gathered―right across from the village post office.

Saturday, June 24, 11am. Everybody welcome! See you there!

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

Cloyne Pioneer Museum opens in style

by Karyl Steinpatz

As always, the annual opening day celebrations of the Pioneer Museum were great fun. This year’s festivities took place on June 24, and although the starting time was slated for 11am, by 10:30 the museum was teeming with folk who were eager to tour the museum and view both the permanent and special displays.

There’s so very much to absorb in this museum as it’s full to the brim with local artifacts. Tourism through the years is exceptionally well represented, as is logging, mining, and of course there is a whole room dedicated to the pioneering of the area. Lots of attention was given to the Heritage Quilt that, for the first time, graced a wall of the museum just inside the main entrance. The quilt, a project of the C&DHS, has been in the making for four years and its squares, embroidered with names of people and places, honour the memory of many of our ancestors, businesses, and birthplaces as well as the founders of the original Pioneer Club. Many people have worked on this beautiful work of art, but special kudos to Eileen Flieler who conceived the idea of the heritage quilt, and carried it through.

The display of clocks from the private collection of Hans Steinpatz, a collector and restorer of antique clocks and music boxes, was highly admired, as were all the donations from painter Carol Brown, including one of her original works of art which is housed in the portion of the 1840s schoolhouse the C&DHS has resurrected, and rebuilt, in a prominent corner of the museum.

Around noon the sweet perfume of barbecued goodies lured the artifact-lovers to the picnic tables. Barbecue chef Hugh Rose did a fine job on the “exotic hotdogs”, as he so named them.

Just as the barbecue was drawing to a close, a very strange but somehow familiar male figure hove into view across the parking lot. His cocked hat and red uniform somehow smacked of the olden-times British uniforms in our history books. The dashing figure headed for the hall, so lunchers headed after him, wondering who and what he was all about.

In the hall, the white-wigged, red-coated figure was found to be none other than Charles Lennox, Fourth Duke of Richmond, who had been dead for 147 years and was the guest speaker. Very alive he became, in the person of Robin Derrick, who is President of the Goulborne Historical Society and has done an intensive historical study into the life of the Duke and his part in the British move into “The Colonies” (us).

The audience was held spellbound as Mr. Derrick truly acted out his part. When wearing his cocked hat he was the Duke of Richmond and Lennox . He apologized for his clothing (red uniform jacket and white breeches) being dirty. That had happened, said he, when his wagon had broken down on the very rutty Addington Road and he and his wife had had to push it in order to get to the hall. He recounted many a tale, all historically correct, of how the Duke of Richmond, from being Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and then commanding troops to protect Brussels in the battle of Waterloo, had been sent by King George III of England to Canada to check on the loyalty of colonialists. Many streets and outlying areas near Ottawa are named for the Duke of Richmond. Robin Derrick’s knowledge and recounting of his life, took the audience back in time. A perfect speaker for an “old time day”.

The Cloyne and District Historical Society, that same afternoon, received another great treat, when Faye O’Brien, Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star (Tweed Chapter) presented President Margaret Axford with a cheque for $600. Every year the Chapter chooses a worthy charitable organization to assist, always keeping donations local if possible, and this year the C&DHS was the proud recipient.

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

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Feature Article - July 6, 2006

Historical stained glass windows in jeopardy

The beautiful stained glass triple lancet window behind the altar in St. Andrew's Anglican Church in Sharbot Lake was brought from England shortly after the building of the church in 1899. It depicts Christ as the Good Shepherd. The large window on the opposite, west wall of the church was presented in 1923 by Fred Shibley of New York , in memory of Mercy Thomson, Elizabeth Shibley, and Letitia Lyle, three ladies who were supporters of St. Andrew's. Many ancestral families of the Sharbot Lake area supported the construction of St. Andrew's and the installation of the historical triple lancet stained glass windows, as well as the small side windows alongside the pews.

Unfortunately, these lovely windows are in jeopardy, especially the one on the east wall, behind the altar. The cost of restoring both triple lancet windows is between $6000 and $7000. Plans are going ahead to restore the window on the east wall, which is at the most risk. However, the one on the west wall also urgently needs repairing.

We are asking church and community members for any support they can offer in our effort to save these historical windows. All donations, small or large, would certainly be welcome towards this urgent repair. A generous donor has already come forward to pay for the restoration of a large panel of the windows in memory of family members. A memorial plaque will be hung beside the windows for anybody wishing to make a memorial donation. Please forward any donations to the Wardens, St. Andrew's Church, P.O. Box 26 , Sharbot Lake , ON , K0H 2P0 and an income tax receipt will be issued.

St. Andrew's is in the process of having the stained glass windows of the church registered with The Registry of Stained Glass Windows in Canada , a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to establish an historical and pictorial record of architectural stained glass in Canada in both public and private possession. It is a worthwhile effort to maintain these beautiful works of art as well as to record them for history.

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Feature Article - October 5, 2006

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Feature Article - October 5, 2006

Cloyne Historical Society Heritage tour

by Carolyn McCulloch

The Fourth Annual Heritage Tour, sponsored by the Cloyne and District Historical Society traveled through magnificent autumn scenery recently to unearth places, recall people and relive events of the past.

On the Bridgewater Road that crosses the Skootamatta River there is a Faustian legend that states that a “Scotchwoman” bargained with two inhabitants of the area, and in exchange for a bag of gold, had them sell their souls to the devil. The local parish priest intervened, she died and is buried on her farm under a broken crock, but her ghost still trolls under the bridge.

That same road leads to Actinolite, named for the silicate mineral found there. Actinolite was called Troy until 1821 and then Bridgewater until 1858. It was founded (as Flinton was) by Billa Flint. With a population of eight hundred, it once rivaled Tweed . The Garrett Stove was manufactured there, and it boasted factories, blacksmiths, gristmills, weavers, stores, and a large hotel with the unusual name of “The Temperance Hotel”. Actinolite was the home of the only church made of marble in Canada , an original Wesleyan Methodist structure. This beautiful one hundred and sixty-four year old church is now officially for sale. Most of the village was destroyed by fire in 1889, with a loss of twenty-four stores and most of the surrounding buildings. The stately Roberts House still stands on the northwest corner of the village.

The scarcely used Pottery Settlement Road led the tour to Sulphide, named for sulphuric acid made from local Pyrite and manufactured by The Nichol Chemical Company (later Allied Chemical) for use in WWII. The village was once a bustling one, as one hundred and twenty local people worked there and took part in the lively activities of the company town. All vestiges of this period have disappeared. There was an awesome moment when the group viewed the ruins of the stairs from a building of the past, now overgrown with forest.

The CPR came through Kaladar in 1884, and there were both saw and lumber mills there. The village really came into being with the building of Highways #7 and #41. It was a heavily transported route before the 401 was built, and was originally known as Kaladar Station. There were three hotels in Kaladar. The well known landmark, the Kaladar Hotel was actually situated south of Highway #7 and was moved down the hill to its present location while a patron was still sitting in the tavern.

The tour detoured to Tweed to lunch together. The reminiscences and camaraderie of those on the tour made it a special day in this unique area on the Canadian Shield that is so steeped in history.

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Feature Article - March 8, 2007

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Feature Article - June 21, 2007

Volunteers of the Year honoured in South Frontenac

The South Frontenac Volunteers of the Year for 2007 are an eclectic group, but they share a commitment to community, and their efforts have come to the attention of their neighbours.

Paul Wash – Loughborough – A resident of the Railton area since 1977, Paul Walsh and his wife Yvonne took a great interest in minor softball. Between 1980 and 1995, Paul had a role in every aspect of minor softball in the Sydenham area, from the T-ball all the way of to the Midget level. In that time, the number of teams in the area went from 8 to 18. His efforts were acknowledged when he received the Ontario Amateur Softball Association Outstanding Service Award in 1997.

Paul has also been involved in scouting, and has been a member of the South Frontenac Recreation and Sustainability Committees.

June Quinn – Bedford – June Quinn is being honoured for a project she initiated two years ago and has nurtured since then, the Bedford Historical Society.

Thanks to June’s efforts, the historical society now has a home, the Glendower Hall, a solid membership and a collection of papers, photographs and artefacts.

The greatest contribution June has made in establishing the society is that she has brought people together to talk proudly about their community, its people and its history.

June has done all this as a real team player, never really acknowledging her own work and dedication.

Dan Bell – Portland - Dan Bell has been the President of the Harrowsmith District Social and Athletic Club (a.k.a. the S&A club) for the past four years.

During his tenure he has brought some much needed physical improvements to the club, such as a parking lot expansion, improvements to the kitchen, and making the washrooms handicapped accessible.

He has also been instrumental in maintaining the social role the club plays in the community, take a strong role in the various activities of the club, from the baseball league to Canada Day Festivities, from Halloween Games Nights to Euchre parties and Youth Dances, Dan is always available to help.

Through his efforts and those of others, the S&A club continues to thrive.

Jen Williams – Storrington – Although she is a single mother, Jen Williams has found the time to be a long - standing community volunteer. For 20 years, she has been dedicated to the sport of fastball. She has been found behind the plate or in the middle of the field allowing the phrase “play ball” to be heard in Storrington ball fields. For the past four years, she has also been President of the Inverary Youth Group.

Feature Article - March 8, 2007

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Feature Article - July 12, 2007

Canada Day Memorial Dedication on Skootamatta Lake

by Carolyn McCulloch

On Canada Day 2007, representatives of the Cloyne and District Historical Society and members of the Family Blake gathered at a tiny island on Skootamatta Lake to dedicate a much-deserved memorial. The brass plaque was hammered into the granite rock of a small island in the lake now known as Blake Island, and reads as follows:

"Blake Island named in memory of Flying Officer William Vincent Blake DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) for giving his life in the service of his country and for 'great gallantry in the performance of his duty while serving with No. 428 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force' during WW II. Your resting place is not known, but your courage will forever be remembered here.

Presented July 2007. Cloyne District Historical Society."

During the ceremony, island resident and historian Joanne Volpe explained more details of Flying Officer Blake's fate 63 years ago. She told us that while flying a mission over enemy territory, Bill Blake's plane was hit by fighter planes and ground flak. Undaunted, plane on fire, he ordered his crew to bail out, which they did. He released his payload right on target and rather than try to make a fiery landing and risk civilian lives, he turned out to sea and ditched. He was forever lost.

At that time, Dick Blake, Bill's brother, was serving as an officer with the Royal Canadian Navy on a destroyer escort in the North Atlantic. This Canada Day, 2007 he, in company with Margaret Axford, President of the Cloyne and District Historical Society, dedicated the Blake Island plaque to his brother Bill’s memory. We hope it remains there forever as a monument to his bravery.

The Honorable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs, had heard of the stirring story and dedication. His good wishes were read by Dick's daughter, Chris Watson.

Dick and Edna Blake's other children, Dr. Bill Blake of Kingston, Sue Tamas of Almonte, and Dr. Jennifer Blake of Toronto, all attended the ceremony in company with their spouses, children and grandchildren.

This most deserved memorial plaque has been hammered into place to honour Flying Officer William Blake D.F.C., in the hope that succeeding generations will know of and be inspired by his courage.

photo: Blake, looking at the memorial to his brother Bill