By Ida Everest
As always, the Vankleek Hill and area residents demonstrated their love and passion for community events and wholeheartedly supported the inaugural 2024 Living History Speaker Series hosted by the Vankleek Hill & District Historical Society at the Vankleek Hill Museum (95 Main Street, Vankleek Hill) from July to September. The number of attendees exceeded expectations and guests showed their generous appreciation for the five Speakers, Murray Allen (Dairy Farming through the Years); Shirley Howes (On the Vankleek Hill Fair Board); Gary Barton (Growing Up in Vankleek Hill circa 1950s), Irvine Barton (Johnny McIntosh) and Nan Barton with her daughter Sandra Barton Pasco (The Life of a Farm Wife).
Imagine – mink farming, cutting ice in the quarry to cool milk, a cheese storage business, an egg grading station, the new Bell switchboard, three taxis in Vankleek Hill, and buying fresh curds from the ubiquitous cheese factories ‘down the road’ all happening in and around Vankleek Hill. Every Saturday night drew a large crowd in town to socialize, as well as the annual Vankleek Hill Fair, which was held initially, the first weekend of September. Large animals were walked to the fair back then and events included harness racing, an oxen class, and the introduction of a live pet show for children. Land was $1,000 an acre.
The stories continued with Johnny Everett McIntosh (1876 to 1948), a local farmer (on Aberdeen Road) who was a legend in his own time writing in 4 publications often under a secret pseudonym. He wrote in the Farmer’s Advocate from 1917 to 1948 under the name Sandy Fraser (in English with a Scottish dialect), in the Canadian Countrymen tabloid under the name, Rusticas, in the Farm & Dairy under Sam Brown, and in the Ottawa Journal using his own name. He never had electricity, nor a car, and wanted neither. He started a cheese factory on his land with six other farmers in 1888 and bought milk at 44 cents/100 lbs.
A barn building bee in 1910, 110 cars on the steamer headed to Vankleek Hill and a shot of moonshine with cold spring water for five cents/shot at the Bull Frog Tavern were but a few stories shared and enjoyed. And, we remember the treasured farm wife who worked hand in hand milking, harvesting, and choring beside her husband, in addition to bookkeeping, working part-time as a nurse, raising four children and giving back to the community as a 4-H Leader, a member of the Women’s Institute, volunteering at the school, and delivering Meals on Wheels.
The crowd listened attentively and laughed at their storytelling, appreciating each speaker’s unique tone, nuances, and lively commonplace expressions of the day. For many, the stories were an eye-opener on the Vankleek Hill businesses, memories, secrets and history shared. Each talk was followed by a question-and-answer period and an opportunity for guests to browse the museum’s exhibits. Each speaker received a warm applause and a home-baked pie, thanking them for their research, time and many hours spent preparing their talk.
We invite you to listen to the taped audio talks on the Vankleek Hill Museum Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559697291446, and become a follower.
The historical society board members would like to extend their warmest thanks to all speakers and attendees for their support of the Living History Speaker Series. A sequel series may be in the future!
