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  Mr. & Mrs. Anthony MacNeil prepare to open their new General Motors dealership this weekend. MacNeil motors is situated at the corner of Fifth and Vinden Streets, formerly occupied by Warman Motors and Bourgeois Motors.

  New service equipment in the shop of MacNeil Motors bring smiles to the faces of service manager Jack Rutherford and chief mechanic, Oliver Dandenault. The new General Motors dealership will open this weekend.

  Conservation officer Fred Chew inspects wolf shot by Tom Caughey of Penetang Friday, near Sandy Bay Road on Midland Point. There is a $25.00 bounty on wolves. Mr. Caughey has been asked to let the head be used by St. Mark’s Church Cub Pack as their totem. [As a cub in that Pack, I remember that real wolf’s head.]

  Mayor Charles Parker makes a guess at how many balloons are packed into a car, one of the events at the grand opening of MacNeil Motors on the weekend. With him is receptionist Sandra Robinson. The correct number was 277. Clinton Truax and Frank Edwards came the closest, each guessing 278.

 Members of the Midland chapter of the SPEBSQSA, (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc.) Gene Stratton, Ray Atkinson, Elwood Marcellus and Lloyd Atkinson.

  Three veteran rural members of the MPDHS school board are pictured prior to a recent board meeting. Jack Rumble from Hillsdale, the Medonte representative; Nathan Brown, Tay Township and Nelson Jones, also a Tay resident but representing Simcoe County on the board.

  Charges are pending in this accident Thursday at the intersection of King St. and Dominion Ave. says Midland police chief Robert Cameron. Ernest Vincent of Honey Harbour and Robert Ellery of Kingston were the drivers. Passengers Mr. & Mrs. Fred Hewitt of Port Severn in the Vincent car suffered minor injuries. Damage is estimated at $350.00.

  Two MPDHS teachers have donated new trophies for the best actor and actress in the Georgian Bay Secondary School Drama Festival to be held in Orillia. Donors are Mrs. Cliff Peters, left, and Miss Grace McMullen. Radio station CFOR of Orillia has also donated a trophy for the best Canadian play entered in the festival.

  Penetang Council 1957 is shown following the inaugural meeting last Monday night. Councillors Godfrey Trilsbeck, Felix Turcotte, Joseph Duquette, Jan Ulrichsen, Mayor A. B. Thompson, councillors Ray McDonald, Ralph White, Deputy-Reeve Archie Verriere and Reeve Alf Cage.

  Fishing for a truck belonging to Great Lakes Boat & Machine that went through the ice of Midland Bay Friday. The four men riding managed to escape from the slowly sinking truck that was later retrieved from fifteen of water by Sylvester Sutter’s crane. Dual layers of ice made it more difficult. The men were transporting a welder to the SS Lemoyne.

  Frequent snow flurries hampered Pete Pettersen’s famed ski jumping team from getting in some practice before the big invitational meet at Midland on January 27th. Front, Hans Eder, Pettersen, Eric Kurle; back row, Louis Moser, Hubert Shaunig, John Prestov and Bob Straubhaar.

 

 Men attending the navigation classes at the Midland Marine School in preparation for exams that will lead to higher classifications. Dick Smith and Bob Carson of Midland; Bob Blanchard, Waubaushene; Allen Hurlbut, Midland; Don McFarland, Port McNicoll. Smith, Blanchard and Carson are studying for their master’s ticket and Hurlbut and McFarland for mates, home trade.

Front load washers are nothing new, witness this 1957 ad from Dunlop’s of Moonstone.

  Students at the Midland Marine School studying for their second mates papers and using table top models to simulate marine scenarios. Seated, N. Reid, Perkinsfield; Al Latour, Fred Harpell and T. Courtemarche all of Midland. Standing are Bill Thoms, Waubaushene, assistant instructor; Capt. E. J. Parrish, Midland, chief instructor of the navigation division; J. Brandon, Midland; and J. Parr, Sault Ste. Marie. There are nearly thirty students enrolled in the school which is sponsored by the vocational committee of MPDHS.

Six of the men attending Midland Marine School this year . Front, H. Gammon, Port McNicoll; Bill Smith and Ed Robitaille, Midland; standing, Malcolm Lafreniere, Midland; Wilfred Mayer, Victoria Harbour and Mike Lethbridge, Penetang.

• Three cars belonging to Canadian Name Plate employees are badly damaged in their driveways. The strike continues with over 100 employees back on the job. Firm offers a one thousand dollar reward for information.
• Armstrong’s Dairy and Dubbin’s Dairy announce five day a week milk delivery beginning January 30th. No delivery on Wednesday or Sunday.
• Chief Cameron vows immediate cleanup of “sin dens in Dollartown”. Edict comes after a drunken fight in a house on Elizabeth street ends with a near fatal wound caused by a broken wine bottle.
• After several years of accident free winter operation the Midland Public Works department has had another sanding truck accident. David StAmant, 63, of Dominion Ave. fell from the back of a sanding truck and broke his shoulder. Mayor Charles Parker said Friday that it is time to find a better way to sand Midland streets.
• Over sixty men are working around the clock preparing the approaches to the new Trans-Canada Highway bridge to be installed over the Matchedash Bay narrows at Waubaushene.
• The Department of Lands and Forests purchases the 87 acre Bass Lake park to develop it into a public recreation area.
• Ten Years Ago –  Mr. and Mrs. John Hanley, Sr., King Street, Midland, celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary. * * * Snow plugged rural roads were partly blamed for the scarcity of fresh meat in Midland and Penetang stores. Only smoked cuts were available in most places. *** First Presbyterian Church, Penetang, celebrated its 60th anniversary. Rev. N.R.D. Sinclair, M.A., D.D., of Allendale was guest speaker. *** George Findlay, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. George Findlay of Midland, arrived in Midland following a 4,000 mile air journey from the N.W.T. * * * A farmer near Alliston lost $40,000 when a young champion bull died from an inoculation. Son of the famous “Marksman”, the $40,000 bid on the calf was the highest ever recorded in Canada. *** After six weeks of freedom, Melville Wilkie was back in the Ontario Hospital, Penetang. He was spotted in a Winnipeg hospital where he was being treated for chronic pneumonia. * * * Mrs. William Baron who was 94, attended the 79th birthday of her daughter, Mrs. D. Dorion of Penetang.
• Construction is under way on the new direct dial system in Honey Harbour. The current 48 customers will all receive the new five digit, two letter system, the exchange number being PLaza 6-1234.
• Georgian Bay Development Association Manager Neville Keefe revealed in his annual report to a conference of members in Midland today that 40 companies are currently showing interest in the Georgian Bay region. Mr. Keefe said his office is dealing with 21 municipalities in the region for specific industries within their own communities.
• Ray Dudley of Bowmanville is a young man who several years ago worked on the  boats for three summers. While docked at Port McNicoll, he used to visit Midland regularly. His other claim to fame rests in his acclaim as one of Canada’s best pianists. Winner of high awards in competition both here and in Europe, he had a notable debut at New York’s Town Hall during the past season and will make his debut with the New York Philharmonic – Symphony this May.
• 25 Years Ago – Robert H. Sallows, Victoria Harbour, had in his possession a Stradivarius violin. It had been purchased by his uncle in a Guelph pawnshop, 60 years previous. The violin was inscribed “Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciabat Anno 17”. The last two digits of the date had been obliterated but still showed the violin to be about 200 years old. * * * The old Beck residence on Fox Street, Penetang, after extensive remodeling was opened as a modern apartment building. The reconstruction had been carried out by the same  contractors who had the contract for the new addition to the Ontario Hospital. * * * Yee Bon, a young Chinese who, a year previous, had served as a waiter in the Ontario Cafe, like Byron, “woke up one morning and found himself famous.” Yee was an artist to whom no one paid much  attention until one of his paintings was noticed by an art patron. The painting was then put on display in the National Art Gallery in Ottawa. * * * The store of George Brighty was selling potatoes at 43c per bag; tomato juice, 3 tins for 23c; pork and beans, 14c per tin; and tea, 44c per pound. * * * A Coldwater hockey team continued its winning streak by defeating Midland 4-1 at the Palace Rink. They had previously defeated a team from Barrie, 4-3 in an OHA game.
• Port Weller is to build a 21,000 ton giant laker for the Upper Lakes company. Collingwood is building new ships as fast as the steel supply will permit. Has CSL written off the Midland yard completely? If so, isn’t it only fair that they make that fine, deep water site available for an economic use? (Free Press editorial)

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  Hundreds of Midland residents paid their final respects to H. J. Thompson at funeral services held at St. Paul’s United Church. The casket is seen passing an honour guard composed of members of Caledonian Lodge A. F. and A. M. of which Mr. Thompson was a past master. Active in many phases of the town’s life during his 50 years residence here, Herman  Thompson died suddenly at his Yonge Street home Monday afternoon, he was in his 66th year.  Mr. Thompson was a member of St. Paul’s United Church, where he had been a member of the Board of Stewards for many years. As co-chairman of the Building Committee, he also played a prominent part in the raising of the money for the large new addition to the church opened in late 1955. Born at Woodford, a village near Owen Sound, Herman Thompson was only in his early teens when he came to Midland in 1907. In 1914 he became associated with  T. J. Campbell, who had established a plumbing and heating business on King Street at the turn of the century. In 1951 the firm of T. J. Campbell and Co. Ltd. surrendered its charter and became H. J. Thompson and Sons Ltd. Mr. Thompson became president, with Mrs. Thompson as vice president, Miss Charlotte Thompson (his sister) as secretary, and his son Jack, as treasurer. His other son, Bill, was also associated with the firm, which in later years expanded to include plumbing, heating, sheet metal and electrical contracting and appliance sales. (The Bill Thompsons were strong supporters of Huronia Museum).  In addition to his many business connections, Mr. Thompson served the town in a variety of organizations. A staunch supporter of the chamber of commerce, he had served as president and was chairman of the Industrial Committee when many new industries were secured. Mr. Thompson also served the town for a quarter-century on the old Board of Education and for a like period as treasurer of St. Andrew’s Hospital. But Mr. Thompson is perhaps best known for his interest in the Midland YMCA; on whose board he served for 30 years, including four as president. He also found time to serve on municipal council for two years, one term of which was as deputy reeve. Mr. Thompson also served his country in two world wars. In the first, he attained the rank of captain in the Grey and Simcoe Foresters and served overseas. In the second,  he served equally well at home as Midland chairman of eight of the nine victory loan campaigns. In ill health in recent years, Mr. Thompson had been forced to curtail most of his community activities. Surviving are his wife, the former Edith Bateman of Mount Forest; two sons, Jack and William; a sister, Miss Charlotte Thompson; and a brother, W. Ewart, all of Midland.

  New members of Midland Council pictured at their inaugural meeting. William Orr, R. J. Pinchin, Douglas Haig and Herb Beauchamp.

  Possibly the largest crowd to date to use the facilities of Midland Resorts Ltd. took advantage of the perfect conditions last weekend. This was the long line of skiers waiting for their turn on the rope tow. Midland Ski Club.

  A careless driving charge has been laid against a Midland resident after he forced the driver of this southbound transport onto the shoulder of William Street between Hugel Ave. and Elizabeth Street causing the truck to tip and spill its cargo of 23 tons of coal.

  Reeve W. H. Keller of Midland, on the left, congratulates Simcoe County warden Fisher Ganton of Medonte after his election Tuesday in Barrie. Keller’s defeat downed Midland’s hopes for their first Reeve in 40 years.

  Chairman of South Georgian Bay District apple day for 13 years, James A. Lennox, right, was honoured this week by members of the association for his work in furthering Boy Scouts in this region. Rev. Ralph Wright, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Midland, and president of the SGBD Boy Scouts Association presents Mr. Lennox with a gift.

  New owner of Wilson Taxi in Midland, Joe Levechia gets help from his wife Eleanor (nee Reynolds of Midland), seen speaking to one of the radio directed cabs from their trailer office on Dominion Ave. Mr. Levechia who comes from Port Colborne was a sailor for eleven years before buying the taxi business from Meredith Wilson.

  School board chairman Tom McCullough tries to cut the ribbon to officially open the new gymnasium at MPDHS to inter-collegiate sports. Someone intentionally or otherwise handed him a pair of scissors that wouldn’t cut paper, a problem he quickly resolved by breaking the ribbon with his hands. Bing Caswell, former Midlander who now directs boys athletics at Bloor Collegiate, Toronto, Bill Setterington, his counterpart at MPDHS, and principal Lorne M. Johnston look on.

 

Signing the forms of declaration of office at the inaugural meeting of the Midland Public School Board following their recent election are Mrs. H. McIntyre; chairman Frank Bray and Jack Thompson.

  Almost half a century of railroading came to an end Saturday when CNR conductor Jack Milburn, on the right, made his last run from Midland to Lindsay. He began his career in Lindsay as a brakeman in March of 1910 and still makes his home there. He is seen handing his orders to Engineer Jack Graham, a long time neighbour in Lindsay.

  Billows of smoke and steam from the CNR switcher attest to the below zero temperatures which held Midland in its grip recently. The cold weather returned again last Wednesday after two days of rain washed most of the snow visible in this picture into the bay.  

  Students of MPDHS watch as their senior boys basketball team play against Bloor Collegiate, losing both games to their city rivals. The girls won both of their games.

  Betty Binkley of Penetang is seen with her parents Dr. & Mrs. W. E. Binkley, she will be representing Penetang for a week at the big winter carnival in St. Paul, Minnesota.

  New director of nursing at St. Andrew’s Hospital is Miss Helen Hughes, a native of Cornwall and graduate of Kingston General. 

• Penetang has contracted to replace its eleven year old snowplow with a new FWD truck, the plow and other auxiliaries will be refurbished and used on the new truck at a cost of $10,450.00. Streets chairman Ray MacDonald told council that records show that the old truck had cost an average of $200.00 per year in maintenance, a very low figure for the work it does.
• Thousands are expected to attend the Penetang Winter Carnival on the first weekend of March, many will be drawn by the “scoot” races, an event unique to our area. The fishing derby is also a big draw, organizers are planning 1,000 holes and are hoping for a bigger winning entry than the six inch smelt that took the prize last winter.
• Midland has published its annual graduated rate of discounts and penalties for the payment of municipal taxes. Three percent can be saved in January, payment is at par by July and a three percent penalty will be imposed in December.
• “Wise & Otherwise” editorial feature; North Simcoe, indeed Simcoe County generally has been getting excellent publicity on the metropolitan sports pages for its skiing attractions. Twenty years ago who would have believed, for example, that the Midland-Penetang area would have been recommended by skiers as one of the best winter recreation spots in Ontario. Take a bow again, Pete Pettersen.
• At the Roxy, Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Man Who Knew Too Much” with James Stewart and Doris Day. Also “Rock, Pretty Baby” with Sal Mineo.
• W. S. Belfry a resident of the Vasey area all his life, William Stewart Belfry died Jan. 6 at his home following a stroke. He was 81. Funeral service was held Jan 9 at his home with interment in Vasey Cemetery. Rev. Ross Gumming and Rev. J . Dingwall officiated. Pallbearers were Fred Edwards, Orval Edwards, Frank Smitham, Roy Edwards, Morley Edwards, H. Vasey. Mr. Belfry was born in Vasey, Nov. 2. 1875, and received his education there. In 1903 he married Marion Ellen Cummings in Elmvale. A farmer for 45 years, Mr. Belfry was a member of the United Church and the Orange Lodge. He was a Liberal in politics. Besides his wife he is survived by two brothers, Peter and Albert in Midland; and two sisters, Mrs. May Brown, Toronto, and Mrs. J. Bowles of Barrie.          
• Mary Catherine Garrett, a resident of Port McNicoll for 41 years died Dec. 31 in Toronto of a coronary thrombosis. She was 76. Rev. Charles Carter conducted the funeral service held Jan. 3 from Nicholl’s Funeral Parlor. Temporary interment was in Lakeview Cemetery vault Midland. Pallbearers were Mel and George Marchant, Dalton Garbutt, Gordon Young and grandsons T. Lewis and A. Mateff. Garrett was born and educated in London, England, where she and Richard Garrett were married in 1901. Twelve years later the couple moved to Canada. After a years stay in Victoria Harbour, they moved to Port McNicoll. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Surviving relatives include Mr. and Mrs. Charles Marchant of Oakville, Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Garbutt of Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Garrett of Long Branch, Mr. and Mrs. J. Fryer of Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Garrett, of Port McNicoll, Mr. and Mrs. A. Young of Belleville, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Garrett of Port McNicoll, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Garrett of Toronto, Mr. and Mrs. Stan Armstrong of Belleville and six great-grandchildren.
• Joseph Mayer, Thunder Bay, Tiny Twp, died Dec. 31 following a heart seizure. Born in Lafontaine 74 years ago. Mr. Mayer had lived there and in Thunder Bay throughout his entire life. He married the former Armina Marcille at Lafontaine in 1918. Besides his wife, he is survived by four daughters. Mrs. Ludger Vallee (Florida), Thunder Bay, Mrs. Moise Beausoleil (Nalda), Lafontaine, Mrs. Philbert Marion (Jeannette), Penetang, and Mrs. Cleopha Marion (Alpha), Perkinsfield. He also leaves five sisters, Mrs. Alfred Forget, Penetang, Mrs. Sullivan, and Mrs. Kelly, Barrie; Mrs. Fred Deni, Midland, and Mrs. Paul Bressette, Victoria Harbour. There are 17 grandchildren. Mr. Mayer had been a farmer and laborer during his working years. Funeral service was held Thursday, Jan. 3, from his home at Thunder Bay to St. Croix Church, Lafontaine. Father T. Marchildon officiated. Burial was in St. Croix Cemetery, Lafontaine. Pallbearers were Thomas Vallee, Telesphore and Phillipe Forget, Martin Brunelle, Joseph Mayer and Ronald Beausoleil.
• Stricken with a heart attack as he was on his way to work shortly after 8 a.m. Monday, Thomas Roberts, Midland, died instantly. He was in his 71st year. Mr. Roberts had been an employee of the late D. S. Pratt for 48 years, the last 14 of which he had served as gardener at the Pratt home on Fifth Street. Carrying his lunch pail, Mr. Roberts collapsed in the yard near the corner of a workshop he had intended to enter. Called to the scene Dr. I. T. Weldon, Midland coroner, said no inquest would be necessary. Funeral services will be held this afternoon at 2 p.m. from the A. Barrie and Sons funeral home. Surviving are his wife and one son, Charles, also of Midland.
• Twenty Five Years Ago – The Women’s Relief Association appealed to the citizens of Midland to assist with monetary contributions for those affected most by the depression. The objective was $5,000. A benefit picture show was to be held for three days at the Model Theatre with all proceeds for the fund. — An explosion in a grain bin in the Collingwood elevator caused burns to one man and slightly injured eight others. Although some of the grain smoldered, a serious fire did not break out. — A new mode in transportation of railway passengers was inaugurated in Midland when a train arrived in town hauled by a “motor driven diesel engine”. —- A seventh death was recorded in St. Thomas following an outbreak of septic sore throat. —- Although the winter of 1931 was the mildest in more than 40 years, 1932 was not far behind for record mildness. In mid-January, 1932, reports were received at the Free Press of budding lilacs, green grass, and dandelions blooming, and several reports of robins. —- Two men from the Moose Point Indian reserve, Billie and Mose Williams, rowed their 17 foot rowboat 35 miles into Midland without seeing any ice during the trip. The first snow they saw was in Midland harbor. Mr. Williams, who had lived in the Harbour area for 30 years, said it was the first time there was no snow on the reserve at that time of the year.
• Bit of Fun — Said the beautiful Hollywood star: “I love the simple things of life.” And to prove it she married three or four of them.
• Wise or Otherwise – editorial- Decision of the Ontario government to abandon its appeal against a court decision overthrowing the Ontario Milk Board’s power to restrict distributors’ licenses, is wise. If this is to be a free enterprise economy no government agency should have the right to refuse a person permission to go into business for himself. (That thinking didn’t stick with government long)
• For the fourth consecutive year, Canada outranks all other countries in the number of telephone conversations per person, averaging 446 per capita. This is considerably above the United States, the second-ranking country, with 409 conversations per person.
• Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gerow are happy to announce the birth of a daughter. Margaret Jane, a sister for Eleanor, on Dec. 17 at St. Andrews Hospital.

Winterfest 2017 with the Huronia Museum

Once again Huronia Museum will be holding activities for Winterfest weekend!
Friday February 3rd we will be hosting Dinner in Your hands. This year we are serving a delicious Zucchini Quiche, Roasted Potatoes and a delicious salad! Tickets are available now for $10 in advance of the event, and will be $13 at the door.

And once again we will be hosting an artisan market, where local artists, crafters and bakers will be selling their products inside of the Museum. Visit with out local vendors throughout Friday evening and throughout the day on Saturday.
Local vendors including Papa John’s Preserves, Annie’s Meat Pies, Hillcress Dog Haven and 14 other local vendors will be present.
We also have a Tarot Card Reader on site to look into your future! Join Us, February 3rd and 4th!

All of the activities for Midland’s Annual event can be found at the Town of Midland website!