Canada Day BBQ & Sturgeon Point on the Water

We hope that you enjoyed the Canada Day BBQ at the Point.  We would like to thank the SPA directors and their spouses for all the hard work that went into making the BBQ such a great event – especially given the gorging on hot dogs and cake done by the kids!  City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor, Ric Magee and his wife, Carolyn Magee, and our Ward Counsillor, Brian Junkin were able to attend again this year.  We missed SPA President, Victor Isbruker, who was attending his son’s university graduation ceremony.

This is 3^rd summer that the History Project has had a display at this event.  Each year the Project has grown as more images and stories have been contributed.  This year we presented “Sturgeon Point on the Water”.  We hope that you enjoyed the display.  Our display included a series of heritage boards that covered images of Sturgeon Point from 1861 through to 2011.  The 1861 image is the first known image of the Sand Bar.  The photograph was taken by George Crandell and donated by his descendant, Bev Hopkins.

First known image of the Sturgeon Point Sandbar, 1861
Photograph taken by George Crandell
image courtesy of Bev Hopkins

We would also like to thank the Winnipeg Art Gallery, who permitted us to display the three paintings by the English vicar, the Rev. Nicholas Howard McGachen.  The paintings were done between 1882-1888, when the Rev McGachen’s son was working for a bank in Lindsay.  The rights to display these pictures was donated by Jo B.

We were pleased to have the opportunity to display the Civic Holiday Regatta Trophies – the Tolka Bowl, the Flavelle Cup, the Tree Tops Trophy and the Handicap Trophy.  We had hoped to learn more about the Handicap Trophy, which was first won by Fred Hopkins in 1947.  If you know more, please let us know.

We also displayed the Doll Cottage. A replica of #25 1^st Street, it was built over the winter by Jason V and myself as a fundraiser for the History Project.  I would like to thank Joan S for letting us copy her cottage and many others, most notably Maureen McK for assisting with the Doll Cottage. The draw will be held after our last speaker on August 11^th.  The Cottage will be on display at events through until the draw.  Please note that the tickets for the draw are free, but donations are appreciated.  The monies raised are applied to the costs involved in running the History Project and we appreciated your assistance.

The display that you all saw on Canada Day will now be going to be displayed at Fenelon Court - for Beryl and Annie to enjoy.

A reminder of a few items mentioned at the BBQ:

This year is also the 175^th anniversary of the arrival of Anne Langton here on Sturgeon Lake.  Many of us have read A Gentlewoman in Upper Canada about how she came with her parents and aunt to join her brother, John, at the farm he had homesteaded at Blythe Farm in 1828.  The museum in Fenelon Falls has worked hard to bring home the collection of sketches that Anne Langton did of the area when she lived here.  We hope that you will all take the opportunity to visit their gallery this summer.  For more information about their Anne related events, please see their website at http://www.maryboro.ca/Langton.html

This summer the History Project is presenting a Speakers Series at the Sturgeon Point Union Church: 

The first is next Saturday – July 7^th at 9:30am. Historian Randell Speller will be speaking on the business history of Fenelon Falls from 1830-1900. 
On July 21^st, historian Paul Arculus will be speaking on George Crandell and the lake steamers. 
On August 11^th, Canadian Canoe Museum general manager, John Summers will be speaking on the history of sailing canoes, one of the earliest sail boats on the lake.  He will also be giving a clinic for the junior sailors and other interested sailors at the Sailing Club on August 10^th.  If you are interested please drop us an e-mail at stpthistoryproject@hotmail.com


After the speaker on Saturday July 7th is the 1st Annual Frog Jog.  The 5km run/walk arund the Point and the Children's 1km Run start at the Park at 11:00am.

On a final note… Looking ahead to Civic, the History Project will be presenting a display on 2^nd Street.  We hope that the 2^nd Street cottagers will share their photos and stories with us – especially stories about all those legendary 2^nd Street Parties.  We started dropping flyers around on 2^nd Street, so we look forward to hearing from you.

We hope that you all had a great time – and enjoyed our nation's 30^th Canada Day celebration… before 1982, it was called Dominion Day…