Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre
Fort Frances, Ontario

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Celebrating Community

 

 

1903, establishing community and public morals. In 1903 the social and family life of the growing community of Fort Frances reflected much of rural Canada. By the year 1900 life in most parts of Canada was changing, the pioneer days of the tightly self- sufficient family were fading into a memory. By 1910 almost half of Canadians no longer lived on farms; Canada was becoming an industrial and consumer society. The establishment of a community to bring modern infrastructure and services was deemed progressive. The movement to harnessing the falls and bringing electricity and hopefully the industry that follows was encouraging development. The 1903 petition to incorporate the Town of Fort Frances was signed by at least seventy-five male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one years or over. The area of the town was not more than seven hundred and fifty acres and had a population of at least five hundred souls. The very geography of the Rainy River district has, of course, been an important factor in the community since the earliest days. The steamboats provided a popular source of recreation and boats such as The Shamrock were chartered and the Fort Frances band was known to have accompanied trips across the Lake of the Woods. The ferry was taking passengers between Fort Frances and International Falls hourly. Hotels provided overnight accommodation for passengers on the steamships and provided dining rooms as well as bars. With the coming of the railway in 1902, a popular trip was to travel the Rainy River on a passenger boat and return by train. "On the first trips, the engine would uncouple and cross Sturgeon Bridge alone then back up for the cars, when the safety of the bridge had been thus assured." Of course the coming of the railway opened up communications and the town became better linked with the outside world. By 1903 the CNR offered excursions to the east for $40 and trips to Winnipeg became popular. Baseball was a popular sport with a district competition including Baudette, Mine Centre, Emo, Koochiching (International Falls) and Fort Frances. The games involved an excursion and " all good and loyal rooters were encouraged to "don their picnic garments and join the crowd. The trip will be a delightful 3333one up river and across the lake and the scenery alone will more than repay you for taking the outing." For winter it was noted that " skating is the local pastime at present and the ice along the river bank is in excellent condition." In 1903 young couples courted in their homes, at church and at community affairs under the watchful eyes of family and friends. With the establishment of the town of Fort Frances, many of the long established churches increased congregations and looked towards expanding their faciltities. The Catholic Church, Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Anglicans all supported parishes and were well established by the time of the community's founding. For entertainment it was noted that in the winter there would be the odd house party or basket social. If a family owned an Edison phonograph, a supply of music was available for dancing, and people would come to visit, push the furniture aside and dance. Even on Sundays, the family would go to church, sitting around and sing hymns in the evening and at five after twelve push aside the chairs and start dancing for it wasn't Sunday anymore. The first annual Agricultural fair was held on September 18th of 1901 and "Among the exhibits of vegetables, fruits and butters, were those of "ladies work" which according to one observer, "showed great excellence, your correspondent feels; sure some of the fair exhibitors who are not yet on the way to getting married will entice the young men to commit themselves very soon." Growth in the community of Fort Frances was evident- W.G. Johnson's New Idea Tin Shop promoted kitchen necessities, W.A. Baker offered suits to order from $17 up with trousers available in stripes and shades. The H. Williams Co was a source for all your needs- contract prices for sash, door and building supplies, the best & fullest stock in this section of boots and shoes, house furnishings, clothing, dry goods, groceries, hardware, paints, oils, crockery and glass. By 1903, the school house on Scott Street built in 1898 with thirty children enrolled was reaching overcrowded state and necessitated the hiring of a new teacher. One of the earliest by-laws of the town of Fort Frances set out to govern "Public Morals and nuisances" It included almost everything from swimming in the river to "making use of obscene, blasphemous, or grossly insulting language within the town." Other matters included intoxicating drink, the use of bows and arrows, the galloping of horses, and the weight of a loaf of bread.1904 Council experiences Growing Pains Perhaps it was growing pains, or other political issues but council was off to a slow start in 1904. Mayor Keating and Councillors L. Christie, RJF Marsh and Albert Young having taken the oath of office saw Councillors AH Watson and EA Frederick resign and John Reid refuse to take the oath of office. On January 26th however Watson and Frederick took the oath and on February 4th Councillor Barr was added to the council. Council issues for the year included the moving of the street lamp by Mr. Scott to be placed in front of his shop. Permission was granted with the understanding that Mr. Scott is to light the lamp and would give up possession when asked by Council. In other improvements, Mr. Reid was given permission to put sawdust down on Front Street. This was however later rescinded. Connecting the Hudson Bay Company reserve road with Fort Frances was also under consideration. In 1904, the growing population of the new Town of Fort Frances was a positive for the progress of the churches and religious organizations of the Community. In 1904, Father Allard thought that the time had come to organize a Separate School district. The suggestion however did meet with some opposition as concerns over keeping the tax rate inline with the public system were raised. With the Catholic ratepayers up in arms, it was not until Father Crosier arrived in 1905 to take over the parish that the opposition subsided. Arrangements were made for the building of a school with Sister Evangelist arriving as teacher. St. John's Anglican Church dedicated their building on June 24th, 1904. It is the oldest church building in Fort Frances still being used by the same congregation. The first Salvation Army post was also established in 1904 by Captain and Lieutenant Mardel. The Orange Hall was used for services and by 1928, the old Methodist Church was secured. The Presbyterians contracted for the building of new church in 1904 for $3,200 and purchased three lots across from the Court House for $825. The first church for the parish was originally constructed in 1884 at the corner of Church and Mowatt. Known as the Knox Church a fire in 1903 destroyed the building. This lot was sold to Mr. Christie for $1,650 and he opened a butcher shop at that site. After the Pioneer Meat Market operated there until into the late 1920's. When the Province of Ontario set up liquor outlets, the Christie block was selected as the site of the LCBO. The building was razed in 1976.1905- "Fire Razes Front Street" Town matters of 1905 saw Mayor J.A. Osborne, and councillors Bell, Carter, Harty, Sloen, Stethem and Tierney dealing with matters such as the purchase of a fire engine and the building of the Town Hall. A bylaw was put to the voters for $20,000 to support a fire protection system and construction of a town hall to include a fire hall. Originally the council invited fire engine manufacturers to enter a competition with the town agreeing to buy the winner's model. When no companies agreed to the competition council rescinded the motion, opening bids to all manufacturers. On May 4th the purchase of a Nott Steam Engine from a company in Minneapolis was approved for $3,675. And on June 19the notice was given for the establishment of a fire company. On June 30th the town accepted the tender of the A.E. Blow Co. to build the new town hall for a price of $13,100. The design for the hall included a library and also at times house the police department, the town telephone office, opera house, magistrates office and public meeting space. The business district of Fort Frances was changed forever on June 16th of 1905. On that date a $20,000 fire razed Front Street - the main business block of town. The fire destroyed Frank Strain's barber shop, Charles Nelson's clothing store, Wells' hardware, the Koochiching Hotel, Christie's Butcher Shop, the Alberton Hotel, Fraleigh's Drug Store, H. William's General Store and Caspar's photography studio. Since the late 1890's Front Street had developed as the village site. Located on the banks of the Rainy River, immediate access to boat traffic led to the construction of hotels and businesses. Ironically, a newly purchased steam operated fire engine sat idle on a railway flat car as the business district burned. A disagreement between Town Council and the manufacturer was later resolved and the town accepted the fire engine. After the fire Scott Street was soon developed as the new "Main Street", The high prices asked for Front Street property led many businesses to re-build in this location.1906 -Phoenix Like Arisen out of the Ashes As the January 1906 International Falls Echo celebrates with a special edition, Fort Frances not to be left out, submits entries to promote the community. The Enger Nord Realty Company of Minneapolis extolls the virtues of the community "To all Who Wish to Prosper...The Rainy River country is a district where every man or woman, able and willing to work, can come and make a living and become prosperous. JA Osborne editor of the Fort Frances Times adds a column on "Our Sister City...In June of last year a most disastrous fire visited the business portion of the town, wiping out the hotels and stores; but Phoenix-like there has arisen out of the ashes a greater and better class of buildings. We now boast of three of the finest hotels to be found in western Canada, containing steam-heat, electric light fixtures, electric bells and telephone. We have a splendid local telephone system, and in a short time will have sewerage and water-works, all of which will be owned and controlled by the town."... In closing these few remarks as to Fort Frances, we cannot do so without a reference to the progressive nature of our citizens. A complete fire apparatus, a new town hall and fire hall, with an up-to-date opera-house, constructed from native stone and brick, will give to the traveler and stranger that feeling of stablility and security which inspires all who visit our town. With a future before us, and the certainty that Fort Frances will be the greatest flour milling and manufactuing centre of the great Canadian northwest, we have no hesitation in extending a cordial invitation to all who are looking for investments, or a filed for manufacturing, or a place in which to spend the balance of their days, to come and see us." An interesting piece of history appears in the September 21st edition of the Echo. Apparently the Commercial Club had discussed the changing of the name Rainy as applied to the river and lake. Rev Father JC Amant, the french missionary priest and scholar at Pinewood replied. "I see by the last issue of Times that some agitation is started at International Falls to re-baptise our grand river and lake because they are too wet looking and give "Queen" the advantage over "Rainy" It is seldom that I meddle in a question of names but I can see an error in sight, and for sake of history I beg leave to rectify it before it becomes too popular...Our friends of International Falls, and I suppose some of Fort Frances, propose to make it Queen river and Queen Lake in order to operate a change to the original name. There is where they are mistaken...The actual name is the true original name, and Rainy river new was the "Reine" - Reine des riviere- in English Queen River...another instance of the perpetuation of a mistake in names. Some years ago a French traveler, M.C. Count de Turrenne visited the Canadian northwest and in the published account of his travels he extolled the courage of the French Candian, the first pioneers of those vast and then little known regions. He named several of these ventursome coureurs de bois (bushrangers) and among others the celebrated Rene (pronounced in French Rainy) who, said M. de Turenne, gave his name to a fine river and lake."1907 The Arrival of McVey chronicles the development of Transportation In 1907, Mr John McVey came to Fort Frances, creating a business that would chronicle the development of transportation in the community. Born in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1888, Mr. McVey came to Canada as a young man, eventually settling in Fort Frances where he operated a black smith shop and livery stable. When automobiles were introduced into the district, he secured the agency for the Model T Ford in 1919 and gradually built up his garage business until it extended from Fort Frances to Rainy River. By 1929 he was noted as operating five separate garages and filling stations throughout the Rainy River District. The Fort Frances Times special excerpt of October 31, 1929 outlines McVey's business accomplishments. He was operating five separate garages and Filling stations throughout the district each in themselves giving complete garage service to the motoring public. The organization comprised twenty to twenty five employees who receive wages of approximatly $35,000 annually. The opening of a new garage and filling station on the corner of Mowat and First Street in 1929 added to the storage garage and used car show room on the corner of Second Street and Mowat Ave and a motor service garage and filling station on the corner of Scott and Victoria Ave. John McVey passed away on March 20, 1947 at the age of 59 he was noted as a Prominent Business and Civic Leader. "very civic minded Mr.McVey took a prominent part in Chamber of Commerce activities as well as being a past president of the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade. He was president of the Rainy River District Progressive Conservative Association and a member of the Granite Lodge, Shriners, and Kiwanis as well as a president of the Rainy Lake Golf and Country club. For the 1907 Council of Mayor H Williams, and Councillors, O. Jalbert, WG Johnston, A Mills, W. Bishop, L Christie, & JA Osborne the town minutes show that the waterway was still being considered as a major transportation route and they were expressing to the Government the "desire that the great water highway that is formed by Rainy River and the Lake of the Woods be made safe and fit for navigation by the fine steamers of the Class now owned by the Rainy River Navigation Company during the entire season of navigation." The future saw "two new lines of railway, the Duluth Rainy Lake and Winnipeg, and the Minnesota and International making two improvements necessary- the dredging the sand bars that have accumulated and formed at the mouth of the Rainy River where is debouches into the Lake of the Woods....and the creation of a dam and lock at the rapids known as the Long Sault. Making the news in the International Falls Echo was Power Development notes and Railroad news of the week. The echolets noted that on April 5th, the "breaking up of the lumbercamps of the Canadian Northern east of Fort Frances has filled that town during the past week. Enough of them have strayed to this side to keep the ferries busy day and night, and to make business lively in the saloons." By April 12th "the lumberjacks had moved on, they made the town lively for a week and it is figured by some that they distributed $10,000 here during that time."1908- "Rainier Bridge tops the news" In early January of 1908, the Canadian Northern had commenced building their spur in Fort Frances to connect with the proposed bridge of the Rainy Lake railroad. The piers had been built at Pither's Point and it looked as though a through train service over the Duluth, Rainy Lake and Winnipeg Railroad wass soon to become a fact. The International Falls Echo kept a week by week update of railroad news through out the year. By March the steel super structure was being put in place. On Tuesday April 28 about 6:20 pm the first train crossed the bridge. A banquet had been prepared for the occasion and prominent railroad and business men in Minneapolis, Brainerd, Duluth, Virginia, Winnipeg, and International Falls were invited to attend. After the feast at the Emperor Hotel, Mayor Williams read an address of welcome..after which followed a number of interesting toasts. By June through service was inaugurated from Duluth to Winnipeg. A solid vestibule train consisting of a café and observation car, a through sleeper to Winnipeg, two day coaches smoker & mail, baggage and express car were in service. In unexpected trouble, the president of the United States vetoed a bill to extend the dam construction contract. The dam construction was experiencing a hiatus, and the citizens were anxious for the work to continue. Mayor Williams of Fort Frances made a trip to Toronto to endeavour to secure completion of their part of the dam. In July the Fort Frances Times notes that " The mayor has secured from the promoters of the dam with the assistance of Hon. F. Cochrane, Minister of lands, forests and mines, 200 horsepower absolutely free from all dues and restrictions for the use of the town for a period of ten years....This will light our streets for nothing except cost of maintenance and make cheap lights for the citizens. By this concession we will be able to have the cheapest light of any town in Canada... By September prospects seemed brighter for the resumption of work on the dam. Backus was able to reorganize with the Minnesota and Ontario Power Company securing $7,000,000 in capital stock. By October a contract was let for completion of the dam and power stations and construction of a sulphite and paper mill plant in International Falls. The Echo notes "after eight years of active and intelligent effort, EW Backus of Minneapolis has a last brought to a successful termination his project of developing one of the greatest water powers in North America." In September, the rapids at Ranier claimed three victims. John Lockhart, of the Lockhart sawmill family, Fred Atkinson, a mill hand and HJF Sissons lost their lives when control of the launch was lost in attempting to ascend the upper rapids into the lake. Sissons was a leading barrister in Fort Frances, captain of the militia company, a federal office holder, a member of the Masonic Lodges, of the Alberton Club, and in may other ways actively identified with the interests of the town. 1909- Judicial District of Rainy River Established. The year 1909 saw a division in the judicial districts. The original Provisional District of Rainy River came into being on April 4, 1898, with the county seat at Rat Portage (Kenora). Both Rainy River and Kenora districts formed the District of Rainy River with all the district officials located at Rat Portage (Kenora) All actions in both High and District Courts were tried at Rat Portage, and for regular court matters the District Judge at Rat Portage made regular visits to Fort Frances, Emo and Rainy River. The Ontario Government brought the present Rainy River District into being on May 1, 1909 by naming it the Provincial Judicial District of Fort Frances. To complete the transfer on June 15, 1909, the Provisional Judicial District of Fort Frances became the Provisional Judicial District of Rainy River and the former Provisional Judicial District of Rainy River became the Provisional Judicial District of Kenora. On February 1, 1908 council minutes record an agreement between the Government of Ontario and the Council with respect to the necessary buildings required in case of a Judicial District being formed with Fort Frances as the District seat. If the government will build a gaol at Fort Frances for the purposes of the new district; the corporation will grant to the Government the use of the Municipal Town Hall for the purpose of a Court House until such time as the Government is able to supplement the gaol with a Court House. It was not until 1913 that the court house was built. A residential judge and other officials were appointed. Those receiving the first appointments were C.R. Fitch, District Judge; W.A. Baker, Sheriff; A.D. George, Crown Attorney; and W.H. Elliot, local Registrar. C.R. Fitch was born in 1866 in Brantford, Ontario. He matriculated with the Law Society in 1882 and was called to the bar in 1887, and apprenticed in his father's firm. Fitch held the position of district judge and local judge of the High Court of Justice, until 1916, when he was succeeded by Judge Allan McLennan. As a lawyer, Fitch was considered an outstanding member of the bar. Over the years, he was the defending lawyer in 23 murder trials and in only one, the famous hot stove murder at Flanders, did his client pay the supreme penalty. Mr. Fitch passed away on May 28, 1956 at the age of 90. With his death a 69 year career in active law practice came to an end- a distinction believed to be without precedent in Canada. In 1909, Mr. JC. Scott sold his jewelry business to Mr. George H. Gledhill. Mr. Scott was born in Trenton, Ontario and established what is believed to be one of the first jewelry businesses in the district in 1898. He established himself in a little store near the canal and later moved to Front Street. Following the fire in 1905, he relocated his store on the northwest corner of Scott and Mowatt. Gledhill remarked that at that time "it was typical lumberjack town, there were no street lights, only a kerosene lantern at the corner of Scott Street and Portage Ave. and it was lit only part of the time." By December 8, 1909 though the town was well underway to establishing a light system with tenders for light poles and for the supply and delivery of the necessary electrical apparatus such as street lamps, transformers, switch boxes, cut offs, etc. as may be required for street lighting. Mr. W. E. Skinner, electrical engineer of Winnipeg was engaged to lay out the electric lighting system.

 

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