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Now you see it, now you don’t. Magician Chris Gardiner entertains the kids at the Midland fall fair. Chris always has a big audience in front of Vic Strickland’s booth in the curling rink, where he presented nearly 30 performances. 

Newcomers to Canada Mr. & Mrs. Stoiamo Wolk and Mr. & Mrs. Urban Priaro have launched a leather goods business in Midland at 333 Midland Ave. manufacturing purses, belts and handbags in the Italian style. 

Midland’s new municipal building is nearing completion on Dominion Ave. W. after many months of delays. Windows in the picture above are on the south side of the building. Firemen will occupy the east end facing Second Street. The work of moving equipment into some parts of the building is expected to begin next week. 

Lionel Bourgeois encourages visitors to enjoy themselves at the opening of his new showroom last weekend. Mel Lavigne’s orchestra provided the entertainment for dancing Friday night. Nearly 2,500 guests visited the showrooms Friday and Saturday nights to view the results of the $25,000.00 renovations. 

Lionel’s niece and nephew, Patsy and Larry from Victoria Harbour watch the festivities. 

Toronto students made their way to the Martyr’s Shrine Thursday afternoon carrying a 140-pound wooden cross. Collective purpose of the 93-mile pilgrimage was to ask a divine blessing on their school year.

 Toronto students made their way to the Martyr’s Shrine Thursday afternoon carrying a 140-pound wooden cross. Hole in the shoe of Sheldon Currie bears testimony to the arduous pilgrimage. Other students are Chris Rupert, Joan Bellis, Glenda Czerny and Barbara Maslon.

Joe Lavechia of Wilsons Taxi pours diesel fuel into his new Mercedes-Benz 180D, one of the first diesel cars ever seen in Midland. It is an economy model put out by the German firm and is known for its sturdiness and economy. 

Tiny German “Isetta” seen about Midland lately surprised onlookers with its 70 miles per gallon performance. Built by BMW the car only weighs 770 pounds. Lloyd Atkinson has obtained the agency for this line of automobiles. 

Winners of their respective divisions at the recent MPDHS track meet and going to the Tudhope meet in Barrie Saturday are; Tony Moffatt, junior champ; Rodger Leclair, juvenile; Bruce Bowen, Intermediate and Ron Blair, senior. 

St. Andrew’s Hospital administrator Andy Davidson, left, receives a cheque for $62.75 from the Midland Rotary Club represented by Les Barber. The money will be used to buy five dozen bedside carafe sets. 

Frank Cadieux of 85 Olive Street found this Siamese “triplet” tomato growing among the 225 tomato plants he has in his garden. Mr. Cadieux has lived in Midland for 40 years and had a garden most of those years had never seen three tomatoes from one blossom before. 

This float, called “Snow White and Rose Red” was the entry of Elmvale Public School in the Fall Fair parade Tuesday afternoon. Little girls are Bev McLean and Joan Rawn. Nearly 1,000 children and a score of floats took part in the parade. 

This group of cheerleaders from the Elmvale District High School were a feature of the school parade at the Elmvale Fair Tuesday. Garbed in red and white, they are; front row, Pat Bate, Jimmy Jay, Sharon Crowe; back row, Stephanie Shaw, Bonnie Flotron and Judy Campbell. 

Several acres of new usable land will be available in Midland’s Little Lake Park next season as a result of work being carried out by the Park Commission this fall. A bulldozer cuts out the underbrush, levels the ground and removes a number of stumps left by trees blown down in the recent hurricanes. The plan is to move the playground equipment from behind the park booth to this new area at the easterly end of the lake. A new beach was already created in front of this area two seasons ago. 

• The headline, September 25th, 1957, Free Press Herald; Board to Bill Area Municipalities For Indigent Patient Rate Losses The daily ward rate for most hospitals including St. Andrews is $7.00, $4.50 is covered by the County and the difference will be charged to the communities who do not contribute tax dollars to the hospitals operation. That amount was $11,000.00 in the first six months of this year and has been written off. Hospital board chairman R. J. Pinchin stated at the recent board meeting that the deficit was very serious and a bank loan of $95,000.00 needs to be addressed. Pledges made two years ago during a capital campaign for the hospital expansion have not all been met and despite letters and personal contact, many will never be honoured. Only Tiny Twp and the village of Victoria Harbour provided funds for the expansion.
• The headline, September 27, 1957, County Herald; One Killed, Five Hurt In Tractor- Car Smash; An Orillia man who was riding on the drawbar of a farm tractor was killed instantly when the tractor was rear-ended on Hwy 12 east of Coldwater. Four young men in the car from the Coldwater area were headed to Orillia to work when the driver was blinded by the morning sun.
• A black squirrel rescued from Penetang Bay by Richard Matthews of Highland Point was so thankful it has made a permanent home in the boat.
• Coldwater village clerk Chester Martin had a run on marriage licences when three separate couples showed up within 15 minutes.
• Penetang Bottling Co. is completing a two-storey addition to its Main Street facility.
• David Finch, owner of the local Canadian Tire associate store treated his staff and their families to a tour of Algonquin Park Sunday. Seven cars with 35 passengers enjoyed a tour of the fall colours. Judging by reports, the “eats” were a big feature of the day.
• Reliance Service Station Yonge St. W. Midland has re-opened under new management. Karl Strohm is the new owner and will service all makes of cars and trucks and all types of European cars.
• Weddings –  Jean Beverly Beauchamp, eldest daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Wilfred Beauchamp of Victoria Harbour and Douglas Marshal Moreau, son of Mr. & Mrs. Jack Moreau of Waubaushene, at St. Mary’s Church, September 14th.  —  Mary Shirley Valcheff, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Pano Valcheff of Port McNicoll and Karl Robert Sangster, Midland, son of Mrs. R. S. Sangster, Stellarton NS at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Port McNicoll, September 7th. — Wilma Maxine Reynolds, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Frank G. Reynolds, Waverly and Donald Lloyd Irwin, son of Mrs. Ernest Irwin, Big Bay Point, at Waverly United Church, August 31st. — Helen Norma Lewis, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Morgan Lewis, Midland and Al Richard Ireton of San Francisco, CA. at St. Paul’s United Church, September 14th. —  Alma Marlene Burnett, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Ivan Kirby Burnett of Midland and Donald Thurston Fox, son of Mr. & Mrs. Harold Fox of Midland, at St. Paul’s United Church, September 2nd.
• Fifth anniversary of Burnies Bakery, Elizabeth Street E. Midland.
• Commencing October 1st milk prices will be one cent higher per bottle in both pint and quart sizes. Distributors and Producers Association of Penetang, Midland, Port McNicoll, Victoria Harbour and Coldwater.
• Number 1 tulip bulbs at Mac. Perrin’s Flower Shop, .69 cents per dozen, $5.50 per hundred.
• Three year old Peter Kraiker of Donalda Street was struck by a car on King Street after running out onto the road, he was not seriously injured.
• Miss Baker leaves $1,000.00 to St. Andrew’s Hospital. Miss Baker had served as superintendent of the hospital for 30 years.
• Former mayor of Midland, John S. McDowell, dies in St. Andrew’s in his 81st year. A native of Ebenezer, Mr. McDowell came to Midland in 1906 where he ran a men’s store until 1929. He later moved to Bradford and operated a store there until 1940. He returned to Midland in 1948.
• Vandals desecrated St. Ann’s Church Thursday night in a flurry of lock and cupboard smashing throughout the large building. After spending considerable time destroying the “Poor Box” they were foiled by its design which sends the money down a chute and through the floor. Police believe the culprits hid in the church after closing and had some knowledge of the building. Gold chalices and other sacred vessels, some studded with jewels were not taken even though the cupboards containing them were forced open.
• Devastating fire at the Moose Deer Point reserve leaves a family homeless and their 51 year old baby sitter dead. The five year old twins he was minding were saved unharmed. The family had no insurance and the home was a complete loss.
• 25 Years Ago This Week (1932) — To pare expenses to a minimum. Midland Board of Education eliminated one of the entrance(Grade 8) classes in the town schools for the year. High school entrance subjects were to be taught in Regent and Central schools only. * ** A group of district citizens, interested in establishing a flying club, attended a meeting in Midland YMCA. Hoyt Wice was elected president and Les Letherby, secretary-treasurer. * * * Ray Borland won the mile swim at Little Lake Park. One of 19 swimmers in the race, his time for the distance was 21 minutes and 30 seconds. * * * Twenty-five Georgian Bay district communities, at a meeting in Midland, organized the Georgian Bay Municipal Electric Association. About 100 delegates attended the session. W. H. Gurney of Wingham was elected president. * * * Dogs were taking a heavy toll of North Simcoe sheep. Councils in Tiny and Tay Townships paid out $119 to farmers whose sheep had been killed by dogs. * * * Apple orchards in the district had been hit by a blight that was threatening to destroy the entire crop. Many farmers and orchard owners were feeding the apples to pigs. * * * Relics of the martyred Brebeuf and Lalemant, which had been sent to France 300 years previously, were returned to the Martyrs’ Shrine in a glass casket. Following a special service, they were deposited in the sanctuary of the shrine church.

I have been so lucky in the archives lately, finding  making “finding” all these amazing Lake Monster Articles right before our Murder Mystery, It Came From Little Lake. Make sure you are not counting on the same luck to be at your side, and come in now to buy tickets.  There are only $55 per person for a night of great interactive entertainment and a lovely meal catered by ELM Catering. If that’s not enough, there is also a cash bar! This is an event you don’t want to miss!

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” All I want is a room somewhere” from My Fair Lady has long been the theme song of Midland car czar Lionel Bourgeois. Not long after he opened his Modern head office, parts and service department on Hugel Avenue five years ago, he was faced with the problem of finding a spot for a new-car showroom. Showing the new models outside in the winter was inconvenient for both customers and salesmen. Finally, the solution appeared to be in combining a showroom with the service station operated by Bourgeois Motors at Hugel and Midland Avenues. But to have enough depth, the showroom would have to extend onto the property next door. Never one to be stumped by minor difficulties, Mr. Bourgeois purchased the house next door, moved in, shifted the intervening driveway closer to the house and up went a gleaming new showroom. Glassed in on two sides and with fluorescent fixtures, the showroom is more than amply lighted. Four cars can be easily accommodated in the 50 by 30-foot space, complemented by wall panelling in a natural wood finish. Of cement block construction, the showroom has a facing of red brick, with attractive flower beds along two sides. The entire corner has been paved. Other departments, too, benefited from the $25,000 face-lifting. The service station itself now has three car stalls with two lifts, and the annex joining it with the service department can hold four cars. There will be more room in the used car lot on Midland Avenue. Concrete block construction was by Beauchamp Construction Company of Penetang, wiring by Barber and Haskill and plumbing and heating by James Bath and Sons. Staffing the showroom and car lot are Mr. Bourgeois himself, Larry Dumais and salesmen Don Argue, Les Marsell and Newton Train. The official opening, when the service department will also be open for inspection is slated for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and 21. The ‘hoopla’ includes square dancing Friday night to Mel Lavigne’s orchestra, a draw for a used car Saturday, roses for the women, children’s prizes and novelties, and pop for all. 

Another Midland Fall Fair officially opened last week, Simcoe County Warden and Reeve of Medonte, Fisher Ganton, right, doing the honours. Mayor Parker on the left and Arthur Gardiner, president of the Tiny Tay Agricultural Society also spoke. 

St. Andrew’s Hospital Ladies Auxiliary raised $480.00 in a recent drive for funds at their booth at the fair. Pictured are Mrs. Ed Lawlor, Mrs. Ernie Nicholson and Mrs. Tom McCullough. 

 

Rev. Lloyd J. Delaney’s family appear happy to be in Midland where father took over as rector of St. Mark’s Anglican Church Sunday. Family members are Anne, 9, Mary, 3, John at left, 11, Mrs. Delaney, the former Helen Carr of Toronto and Paul 13.  [Reflect on the positive influence this family has had, not only in Midland but many parts of the world. Their contributions to social equality,  education, youth, religion, music and the arts is truly amazing. Midland would do well to honour them in some permanent way.]

Another step in the building of the Waubaushene to Sudbury leg of the new Trans Canada Highway is nearing completion at Waubaushene. Seen are the concrete pillars which will carry the new road over the CNR tracks. Thousands of yards of fill have been used to raise the approaches to the bridge. 

Alcime Dorion of 57 Elizabeth Street holds a 38 inch Northern Pike taken on a Mepps spinner off the shipyard pier. While this one weighed 12.5 pounds, Alcime caught a 23.5-pound pike at the same location in 1945. 

• The headline, September 18th, 1957, the Free Press Herald; Freak Twister Whip-Lashes Area Leaves Wrecked Cottages in Wake A miniature tornado cut a narrow swath across North Simcoe cottage areas late Sunday afternoon. Several people narrowly escaped serious injury, and several thousand dollars damage was caused. Winds of 80 miles per hour and higher, accompanied by blinding rain, swept out of Nottawasaga Bay and hit the Cawaja Beach area first. The path of the storm was so narrow only one cottage, that of Mrs. H. J . Thompson of Midland, was damaged. The entire roof flew off, crashed into a pine tree and shattered. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Thompson left the cottage only a few minutes before. They had reached Balm Beach when they saw the storm, “like a sheet of water,” coming across the bay. From Cawaja Beach, the tornado cut across Tiny Township without causing any serious damage. At Midland Point in Tay Township, however, 15 trees were uprooted in about three minutes on the summer cottage property of Dr. T. Weldon of Midland. Next to be hit was 40-acre Present Island, owned by Toronto realtor J. D. Terryberry. Dozens of trees were uprooted and all four cottages and numerous outbuildings were damaged.
• The headline, September 20th, 1957, the County Herald; District Plane Traffic Increases Sees Need For Airstrip Near Town A landing strip, located near Midland, to serve the North Simcoe and south Muskoka districts is becoming an increasing necessity, an airways official told this newspaper yesterday. He commented that pilots of many wheel-equipped aircraft, now using airport facilities near Gravenhurst, would prefer to land at or near Midland and purchase their supplies before proceeding to points up the eastern or northeastern shores of Georgian Bay. Questioned on the project, Jack Blackburn, manager of Georgian Bay Airways said this summer about 20 owners of wheel-equipped planes indicated to him that they were interested in an airstrip here so they could come to their cottages direct, without the diversion to Gravenhurst. They were mainly men from U.S. centres, he said. Mr. Blackburn said the Iron City Fishing Club brought in more than 100 people by plane this summer. U.S. Steel Corp. planes had also flown in passengers, all were forced to use Gravenhurst facilities. On September 25th a party of 10 men from the US. will arrive at Gravenhurst by plane and will then be flown by Georgian Bay Airways float planes to Pointe Au Baril.
• Construction work on the addition to the Ontario Hospital in Penetang by general contractors Ball Bros. of Kitchener will involve slightly more than one a million dollars. A further million dollars will be expended on plumbing, heating and electrical installations.  In the new building, there will be 150 cells, each with a toilet and wash basin and some ward accommodation so groups of inmates may be kept under constant observation.
• Births – HEELS — Susan and Debbie Heels are happy to announce the arrival of their brother at St. Andrews Hospital, Midland, on Tuesday, September 18, 1957.
• Faced with an ever-growing influx of summer weekend guests, Midland Park Commission has undertaken an extensive program to make heretofore unused land available to townsfolk and visitors. In addition to crowded beach areas, parking of automobiles has created an added problem, which was a factor in the commission’s decision. The program, which was started two years ago, will be carried on extensively this fall. Already considerable bulldozing has been done and a large number of tree stumps removed from the southeasterly end of the park. Present location of the children’s playground equipment near, the refreshment booth and boathouse has created a continual source of worry to the commissioners, Mr. Murray said, and it is their intention to have this equipment placed in the newly developed area where it is felt the children will be much safer from vehicular traffic hazards.
• TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK –  Premier Leslie M. Frost laid the cornerstone for the restored Fort Ste. Marie. The provincial government and civic officials, the latter representing North Simcoe centres, took part in the ceremony. * * * Gales travelling at 45 to 50 miles per hour, accompanied by a severe sleet storm-lashed North Simcoe and Georgian Bay ports up the shore. Passengers aboard the steamer Noronic, which docked in Midland, reported that waves whipped up by the storm caused the big ship to pitch and toss severely. * * * Midland property owners approved a fixed assessment for a 10-year period on the new plant of Bausch and Lomb. Of the total votes cast, 499 were in favour and four were against the proposal. * * * According to Ontario Hydro statistics, commercial users of electricity in Midland had the cheapest rate among hydro using municipalities in the district.  * * * Two persons, a man and a woman, were seriously injured when a horse being shown at the Tiny and Tay Fall Fair bolted. The frightened animal, raced around the track and headed for the horse barn at the northwest corner of the grounds, the woman was thrown out of the carriage being pulled by the horse and the man was injured trying to halt its flight. * * * Georgian Bay Airways flew a doctor and a nurse to an Indian girl at Moose Point, who had contracted bronchial pneumonia after a severe attack of measles. The doctor, who gave the girl a penicillin injection, was Dr. D. C. S. Swan. The nurse was Ethel Tushingham.
• S. DeVries, a Canadian citizen who emigrated from Holland six years ago and established his own business in Midland July 1 this year, today announced expansion plans for his dressmaking operation. Celebrity Formals Ltd. and its ten employees will be moving to 178 King Street, the former RCSCC Huron facility. Prior to setting up his own business Mr. DeVries was associated with Cyril Larkin in Port McNicoll.