14
A Kettle River Valley homestead in the early days1900
The Kettle River Valley
Credits:Kettle River Museum
Donated by Nora Eveleth, 1978
15
A Girl's Memories of Homesteading"I was to go over to Rock Creek. Susan, my sister of seven, was to come with me. Our bedroll and small valise were soon stowed away on the top of the pack and off we went without a glance back to mother and Irene who waved us goodbye. We passed the stable, corrals, the cabins and through the bars into the beloved Aspen Grove Pasture where we had so often played, and past two graves, with white picket fences - my father and a little baby sister lay there.
A few days before, mother had sent Irene and me up to Frank Richter's with a note asking if she could rent the Nicholson place at Rock Creek. Having obtained permission, I was to go over and make the cabin habitable for mother.
On we went and eventually came to the crossing of Rock Creek, a steep zigzag trail that led down to the Creek, and a steep trail down to Harry Pittendrigh's stopping place on the Kettle River. He directed us to the cabin on the hill where he and his wife Bessie lived. Tho' we had never met she was glad to have Susan and me come to stay.
Next afternoon, with Bessie to show us the way, we forded the river just south of the hotel, and rode the three and a half miles to the Nicholson cabin, on the Creek. "There is your future home," said Bessie. It was a forlorn, forsaken, double cabin. A dirt roof extended across the two with a breezeway between. The back half was boarded across to serve as a kitchen. Windows were broken, doors off. Cattle and horses had used it as a shelter from the flies and winter snow. We did not dismount but I turned away with deep troubled thoughts. What a place to come live in..."
- from "Rock Creek - 1895" by Hester E. White, Boundary Historical Society 3rd Report, 1960
16
The marriage of Bevan and Constance GaneAugust 1913
Benchlands of the Kettle River Valley
Credits:Kettle River Museum
Courtesy of the Gane Family
17
In the early years many of the farms were occupied by bachelors who did their own cooking and washing besides the farm work. These men were young when they arrived in this western country, some of them having crossed a continent to get there. They worked hard at farming and various occupations; they had to, to survive.As years went on, dwellings were improved upon, especially when a man was lucky enough to marry a good partner to share his life. Although farm work entailed long hours and plenty of footslogging there was never a shortage of good things to eat or wood to keep the home fires burning and provide comfort after the day's work was done.
- from "A Harvest of Memories" by Bill Hatton, 1985
18
John Walker's meadow and hen house at Myers CreekCirca 1910
Tributaries of the Kettle River
Credits:Kettle River Museum
Donated by Alf Maletta, 1981
19
The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in to Midway around the turn of the century followed by the Great Northern Railway a few years later meant a lot of activity to the district. There was considerable rivalry between the two railroads, and during construction of the Great Northern between Midway and Oroville a small war was waged with the CPR over right-of-way through our property. The contractors on each side had teams of horses pulling away the steel as fast as it was laid! However, the Great Northern won out and continued the construction on to Oroville...- from "John Robert Jackson", contributed by the Jackson Family, Boundary Historical Society 4th Report, 1968
20
The Great Northern Railway (the V.V.& E.) near Myncaster1907
Benchlands of the Kettle River Valley
Credits:Kettle River Museum
Donated by Harry A. Sherling, 1977
 |
 |
 |
 |