The photos found in this blog post are the property of Huronia Museum, Midland, Ontario. Any reproduction for commercial use without permission is prohibited.  Any other distribution must credit Huronia Museum.  Please contact the museum with any questions you may have.   

Click on photos to enlarge.Mrs. Clarence Ritchie of Elmvale, chosen centennial queen at Elmvale fall fair, rides in her ‘coach’, one of the highlights of the parade Wednesday afternoon which marked the 100th birthday of the Flos Agricultural Society’s show. Her escort is her nephew, Jack Fleming. 

Among the honoured guests at the opening of the centennial edition of Elmvale Fair Tuesday were five pioneers at the right, whose ages total 419 years. Left to right they are Milton Barr, 81, William Archer, 95, John Smith, 88, Fred Richardson, 79, and James Darby, 76. To the left of the memorial plaque honouring the contribution of Flos pioneers to the fair are, former county warden Fisher Ganton and Reg Bertram, fair president. 

Sensation of Elmvale’s centennial fair this year was 12-year-old Sheila Elliott of Phelpston and her Holstein calf, Avinda. Sheila and Avinda swept all the major prizes at Elmvale 4-H Calf Club’s achievement day, including a grand champion calf. It was Sheila’s first year in club work. 

Queen for a day was Peggy Waples of Elmvale, centre, flanked by her princesses Peggy Robertshaw, Waverley, left, and Joy Ingleton of Elmvale R.R., right. Miss Waples queen was named “modern queen” for the Elmvale centennial fair this week. 

Director of the agricultural society’s branch of the Ontario Department of Agriculture, F. A. Lashley (right), cut the ribbon to officially open the new centennial gates leading into Elmvale fairgrounds. Watching with fair president Reg Bertram are Elmvale majorettes, Joan Kidd, left and Frances Reynolds. 

Like their much larger counterparts, Elmvale District High School also has an active cheerleader squad. Pictured at Elmvale Fair last week, they are, left to right, front row, Donna Madill, Luella Stone, Jim Jay, Stella Natolochny, Rhodell Parent; back row, Sharon Crowe, Sharon Cowan, Jo-Ann Christie, Judy Campbell and Vivian Jacobs. 

Donald Beardsall literally got Freeman Bumstead’s goat (s) and drove them as part of Saurin School’s float at Elmvale school fair Sept, 22. The goats, “knee-high to a grasshopper”, are only five months old. The one at the right decided to lie down for a rest every time the parade stopped. 

Centennial theme of this year’s Elmvale Fair is expressed in this float entered by Waverley School and manned by Marie Darby, Sandra Druce and Marsha Sibthorpe. Continuing the theme in the lower photo is this wagon and team with an old-time couple Brian Swan and Susan Poole, representing SS 2, Flos. 

When they call out the best mare or gelding on the grounds, it’s usually a good idea to keep your feet out of the way. These three are lined tip for the judges at Tiny and Tay Fair Saturday and are being shown by Andy Fleming, Elmvale (the winner), Bert Lackey, Jarratt (second) and O. C. Graham, Barrie; (third). 

Much of the success of Midland-Penetang District High School at the Tudhope and Thompson track and field meet here Saturday will depend on these athletes. They were winners of individual titles at their own school last week. Left to right; girls are Lynn McAllen (int), Peggy Jones (junior) and Ellen Barber (senior). 

The boys are Bill Silvey (junior), Ben Archer (int.), Dennis Larmand (senior) and David Belsey (juvenile). John Kingsborough, not present for the picture, was the actual winner of the senior title by half a point over Larmand. 

Displayed on the ground at Orr Lake Forest headquarters are some of the items the well dressed Ranger wears in times of forest fire emergency. Broom held by the forester at right is specially treated for swatting out grass fires. Gathered around are some of the 40 members of county council and press, radio and TV types who toured North Simcoe forests under the sponsorship of the Department of Lands and Forests Friday. 

This is how they plant trees “the easy way” at Orr Lake Forest, it was explained during a tour sponsored by Department of Lands and Forests Friday. If it isn’t any easier, at least it’s faster. Using this machine, the two men can plant about 10,000 trees in a single day. From 1,000 to 2,000, depending on land conditions, is the best they could do by hand, members of County council, press, radio and TV were told. 

A visit to the Severn River Management Unit at Severn Falls was included in a tour of North Simcoe forests sponsored by the Department of Lands and Forests Friday. Major G. R. Lane of Coldwater shows fire-fighting equipment to former Simcoe Warden, Arthur Evans of Bradford, while Forester Arthur Leman of Maple, (right) watches. Members of council, press, radio and TV made up the party of about forty who made the tour. 

Gathered for the annual “harvest festival” of Midland Corps of the Salvation Army, these fruits and vegetables were later distributed to district needy. Lieut. William Johnston, the local officer in charge, is seen above with the display. Major James Sloan, who is in charge of Young Peoples work in the Northern Ontario division, conducted the special services held in conjunction with the festival. 

First to buy a “bag of bulbs” to help Midland Kiwanis Club in its project to raise funds for work among crippled children, and other service projects Ted Lounsberry (right) makes a purchase from Scout Paul Delaney. Others, left to right, are Scout Gerhard Asmann, District Commissioner Harvey Boyd, and Kiwanis past president Harvey White. Scouts are assisting the Kiwanians in the project. 

Sunk by vandals who opened her seacocks earlier this month, the tug David Richard has been righted at her berth at Midland Shipyard. For some weeks only the pilothouse and mast of the vessel, owned by Waubaushene Navigation Company, was visible above water. 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Cadeau of Victoria Harbour were “beating the gun” just a little bit when they marked their golden wedding anniversary at a reception in Bourgeois dining room Saturday evening. Monday, Sept. 28, was the actual date of the anniversary, but it was more convenient for members of the family to be present Saturday. So, Saturday it was for the well-known Harbour couple. Following their marriage, Sept. 28, 1909, Joseph Cadeau took his young bride, the former Selina Brissette, to the new home he had built for her, just across the CNR overhead bridge at the east end of the village. They have lived there ever since, and it was there they raised their family. 

Another football season has rolled around for the boys of Georgian Bay District of the COSSA (Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association). Coach Fred Horton goes over a few plays with his MPDHS junior squad in preparation for today’s opener at home against Orillia. The senior teams of the two schools will meet in the first game of the twin bill, which starts at 2 p.m. 

Penetang Jaycees installed new officers Tuesday night. New officers are, seated, left to right, Doug Piitz, 2nd vice-president, Don Shave, secretary, Jack Raaflaub, president. Standing at the rear are Cecil Bryson of Huntsville, District 11 president who installed the officers, Glen Smith, treasurer; Ray Brooks, director; Maurice Legault, director and Conrad Maurice (Conny), director. 

• Report “Travel Agent” Rooked Two Midlanders; County Herald headline of September 25th, 1959. This newspaper was informed yesterday, that two Midland residents believe they have been victimized by a travel agent who was selling ‘cut-rate trips’. It is not known whether others bought the package deals or not. Midland police said late yesterday afternoon that, up to the present, no- complaints had been made to them. So far as it is known, the bargain trips were sold in this area through advertisements which were published in Toronto dailies or broadcast over radio stations. In August, a man wrote to the office of this newspaper and attempted to place an advertisement, describing the cut-rate trips. When it was found through queries, that the advertiser did not meet some of the standards which this newspaper requires of its advertisers, the space was not sold. Toronto police are seeking a Toronto “travel agent” who is missing after selling cut-rate trips to the British Isles and the continent to scores of metropolitan area residents. Up to $100,000 may be involved, Toronto police stated.
• Gang Pelts Pump House, Endangers Citizen’s Lives; Free Press Herald headline of September 30^th, 1959. Thoughtless youths who pelted the raw water pump house with large rocks on the weekend, unwittingly endangered the lives of Midland citizens Stewart Holt, secretary-manager of Midland Public Utilities Commission, told this newspaper yesterday. Mr. Holt said several of the large stones, averaging six to eight pounds in weight, nearly hit the chlorinating unit in the pump house. He explained that two large tanks of chlorine gas feed directly into the water lines through a small plastic hose, hooked on with a small silver coupling. Had one of the stones struck the unit even a glancing blow, it would have broken this line and permitted the deadly chlorine to escape into the pump house and from there out the windows which were broken in the escapade.
• About 20 North Simcoe district hairdressers met in Midland Wednesday night to organize a branch of the Ontario Hairdressers Association in this area. Represented were hairdressers from Midland, Penetang, Coldwater, Victoria Harbour and Port McNicoll. They met in the Midland salon of Mr. and Mrs. John Cosey. Principal speaker for the evening was Joseph Kozell of Hamilton, president of the Ontario Hairdressers Association and a member of the advisory committee to the provincial Department of Labor.
• The click of a CBC movie camera and the staccato instructions of a film director rent the silence and serenity of Midland’s model Huron Indian village Wednesday morning. Purpose of this activity at “The Village” was the preparation, by CBC television personnel from Toronto, of a program entitled “Huronia and the Jesuit Martyrs”. The Indian village is to be the subject of five programs in a series entitled “Where History Was Made”. They will be aired by the CBC’s National Schools Broadcast Department and will be beamed across the country particularly to students of Grades 7 to 9, sometime in March 1960.
• Four new records were set by the boys of Midland-Penetang District High School at the annual track and field meet held Wednesday in near-perfect conditions. Setting the new marks were Michael Dubeau, Bill Binkley, Ron Marchildon and Wayne Broad. Dubeau literally shattered the old juvenile shot put mark of 19′ 8″ with a heave of 27′ 10″. A new mark was also set in the intermediate shot put, with Bill Binkley besting the old standard of 34′ 5″ by one inch. Ron Marchildon broke his own mark of 2 mins. 19 secs, when he ran the intermediate half-mile in 2.13.3. Wayne Broad cut .2 seconds off the senior 220-yard mark when he ran the distance in 24.4. Laurie- Belsey captured the boy’s juvenile title with 21 points. Barry Mcllravey was next with 12 and Rick Lemieux third with 7 points. There, was a close battle in the junior section, with Bill Silvey the winner on 16 points, only a half-point ahead of Don Deschambault. Jim McKean had 8 1/4. Ben Archer’s 27 points gave him a good margin in the intermediate section, with Bill Binkley placing second on 17 points. Brian Dubeau had nine points for third place. Another close battle featured the senior competition, won by John Kingsborough with 16 points. This margin was just a half-point better than Dennis Larmand. Bruce Bowen was close behind with 12 ½.
• The tragic fire which levelled a cottage on Gloucester Pool four miles east of Port Severn in the early-morning hours of Sept. 20, has now claimed three lives. Thomas Keefe, 16, died at Western Hospital, Toronto, Saturday. Previously, Ronald, Silvi lost his life at the scene of the fire and Michael Stolte died last Wednesday in Toronto Western Hospital. Keefe, a scholarship student, was the eldest of six children of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Keefe. Two other boys trapped in the burning cottage, Thomas Gaffney and Brian Hoskins, are, in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Toronto. Their condition was still being reported as serious on the weekend. All four boys had been admitted first to St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, following the fire. They were later transferred to Toronto hospital. The sixth lad involved in the tragedy, Ross Martin escaped Injury. The boys were staying at the Martins’ temporary cottage in an isolated section of the Gloucester Pool area.
• Directors and officials of the Georgian Bay Development Association learned yesterday that no matter how good the channel marking, navigating Georgian Bay at night is no cinch. Travelling the route between Midland and Wah-Wah-Taysee on the M. S. Vacuna yesterday in company with senior officials of the Department of Transport, the federal hydrographic service and the Department of Planning and Development, to inspect improved markings recently installed, the party ran-aground about 8.45 p.m. on the “Corbeau” sand bar off the southerly tip of Beausoleil Island. Repeated efforts to run the ship off the sand shoal, now less than three feet underwater, failed and radiotelephone calls to Midland brought out a large harbour craft to remove some of the 25 passengers and dislodge the grounded Vacuna.
• “We anticipate the Trans-Canada Highway will be open for through travel from Orillia to Vancouver sometime next year”, said Dr. P. B. Rynard, M. P., for Simcoe East. Dr. Rynard made the statement following his return from Elliot Lake, recently, where he assisted at the opening of a new hospital operated by the Sisters of Joseph.
• A resident of and businessman in Midland for the last 15 years, Phil Karsh and his family left on the weekend on the first leg of their journey to California. Saturday, Mr. Karsh made the rounds to bid farewell to his friends and business associates. He said he and his family will spend some time in Toronto before leaving for the southwestern U.S. state. He plans to settle in Los Angeles and establish a business there. At a meeting of Midland Rotarians last week, Mr. Karsh, a long-time member of the Midland club, was presented with a wallet. President Jack Duggan made the presentation.
• BIRTHS – DUCAIRE – – To Mr. and Mrs. Martin Ducaire, 43 Fox St., Penetang at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland; Thursday, September 24, 1959, a daughter. JACKSON – To Rev. and Mrs. R. N. Jackson, Auburn, Nova Scotia, Tuesday, September 29, 1959, a daughter. MACLEOD — To Mr. and Mrs. Robert MacLeod, 188 Fourth, St., Midland, at St Andrews Hospital, Wednesday, September  23, 1959, a son (Stillborn) MATIFF — To Mr. and Mrs. Howard Matiff, – Port McNicoll, at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, Saturday, September 26, 1959, a son. MOREAU — To Mr. and Mrs. Celeste Moreau, 354 Queen, St., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Saturday, September 26, 1959, a daughter. SMITH — To Mr. and Mrs. William Smith, 382 King St., Midland,, at St. Andrews Hospital, Sunday, September 27, 1959, a daughter. WRIGHT — To Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Wright, 271 William St., Midland, at St. Andrews Hospital, Thursday, September 2, 1959, a daughter.
• TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK – A strike in U.S coal mines coupled with a fear of a rise in prices precipitated a rush of orders for winter fuel from district coal dealers. Distributors said stocks of hard coal were low but there was plenty of soft coal and coke on hand. * * * Barrie Collegiate Institute athletes made a clean sweep of the majority of events at Collingwood to retain their third straight Tudhope cup championship. Midland was in fourth place. * * * Seven ships arrived in Midland harbour in 24 hours, carrying nearly one and a half million bushels of grain. Equally busy was Port McNicoll harbour where six lakers were in, all loaded with grain * * * As a result of a prolonged drought, Simcoe County farmers harvested nearly three-quarters of a million bushels fewer oats compared with the 1948 crop, according to the Department of Agriculture. The department revealed that 10,100 more acres had been sown in oats in 1949 than in 1948. * * * The 166th battery of the 55^th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment was being organized in Midland. A second battery of the reserve army unit was being formed in Parry Sound. * * * Daytime temperatures ranged from 63 to 84 during the last few days of September and the first few of October 1949. * * * It was estimated that more than 10,000 persons witnessed the launching of the CSL’s new queen of the lakes, S.S. Coverdale, at Midland shipyard. * * * Half a dozen homes in Penetang were quarantined because of a diphtheria outbreak. Plans were underway to set up toxoid clinics for infants and preschool children.
• Bit of Fun – Wife to husband: “I scratched the front fender of the car a little, dear. Would you mind taking a look at it? It’s in the back seat.”