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Copps Hotel
1910
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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Chalk River Hotel
In the late 1800's the Chalk River Hotel was first established by the Copps family. The family had been operating a stop-over establishment for portagers, situated approximately three miles North West of the village, off Highway 17 and off a portion of the old road on the right hand side.

The old section, built mainly of wood was carefully dismantled and moved into the Coppsville settlement where a red brick portion was added to it. This area was so named because several members of the Copps family owned large sections of land there. This new establishment served portagers rather well as liquor could be bought there under the Liquor Licence Act.

As time progressed, Mr. Charlie Herman bought the Hotel business from the Copps family, and he had Mr. Trothier manage it for him. After the first World War, Mr. Herman sold the business to his son-in-law, Mr David Dover. As the prohibition days set in, prohibiting the sale of liquor publicly, the hotel was forced to close for a time. Mr Dover then rented rooms as apartments during the 1920's and early 1930's.

Mrs. Hanna Surtees, her maiden name being Hanna Copps, moved back to Chalk River and rented the Hotel from the Dover Estate. She applied for a beer sales licence and received it in 1935. Mrs. Surtees and her sons Robert and George operated the hotel until 1941 when Mr Con Dover became heir through the estate of David Dover.

In 1947, Mr Con Dover could see the need for expansion, and added a large portion to the front of the building as well as extensive repairs to the old portion of the hotel. In 1970 , as Mr. Dover,s health began to fail he sold the business to Mr Leo Stephenson. After a short time the hotel ownership returned to Mr Dover who later sold it to Mr Byron Casselman. Still later it was sold to Mr Harold and Kay Adams, then to Mr Charles Lavoie, and then to Mr Dennis Verdon who owned and operated the hotel in 1979.
In Aug 1980, ownership returned to the Adams who operated the Hotel until 1986, selling it then to C and J Clouthier. In Nov 1990 the Clouthiers sold to E Clark and C Murphy. In 1995 ownership of the Hotel again returned to the Adams. In 1997 the hotel was purchased by J and G Fern who demolished all but the 1947 addition, converting it to the “Railway Apartments”.

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Harper's Service Station
1931
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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HARPERS SERVICE STATION

Previous to 1932 the only source of gasoline was from hand operated pumps located at the various stores. (Dover's, Herman's, Thomas' and the corner store near the Hotel). As the new location of Highway 17 was completed in 1930-31, Mr William Harper Sr. built a small structure at the corner of Albert Street and Highway 17 for his son , Victor Sr. and installed two or three hand operated Gas pumps supplied by British American Products. To the South East another building was built for another son, William who handled Shell products. With the approaching of war in 1939, the gas business dwindled due to rationing and this caused Harpers to temporarily close down until after the war. At that time Victor expanded his business and both brothers worked together for several years. Victor purchased the lot next to Main Street and constructed a Motel. In 1978 Victor sold the Motel and Service Station to Mr and Mrs Maurice Joyce.

An interesting fact about the site of Harpers Gas Station is that ,in 1913 Miss Margaret Copps confronted Mr Wm. Harper Sr. and bargained with him. She asked Mr Harper to give her a price for the lot. He offered a price of $30.00 and the lot was his

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Teens at the Canteen
1942
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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THE CANTEEN
The Canteen was built around 1938, by Mr Robert Surtees. He and his wife Luella McCarthy were teaching school in SS#3 Buchanan School, and as a sideline operated the Canteen with the assistance of Grant McCarthy. As the war of 1939-45 commenced Mr Surtees joined the army and Grant became full manager for the duration. After the war the Canteen was sold to Mr. Sam Daniluck, who later operated a clothing store beside the Canteen in conjunction with his Father-in-law. In 1954 both buildings were destroyed by fire. Both properties now form part of the Tree-top Parking area.

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Dover's Store with Coaloil pumps for oil lamps
1925
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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MARY McCARTHY AT DOVER'S STORE

Many stories with varying degrees of accuracy are told about the kind of stores that were in existence in the late 1800's and early 1900's. It is said that no stores existed in those days, while on the other hand it is told that groceries could be bought at Tom Field's establishment, or from Aunt Catherine McCarthy's (everybody's Aunt). One could buy eggs, butter and meat from Eugene Dumouchel on Railway Street in a large Grey Stucco house opposite the present playground.

During the expansion of the village after the 1900's, it hosted various types of General Stores. Some of these stores operated for a short time and either burned down or went out of business and were converted into homes.

The largest of these stores was Dover's General Store, which sold almost anything, groceries, meats, clothing, and bought up pulp wood for shipping. In this store could be found the one and only telephone between Matawa and Pembroke other than the C.C.R private phones. The store was built in the early 1900's by my Harry Dumouchel.

The earliest records available of the Dover's Store site which was located on the northwest side of Main Street, West of the C.P.R./Main Street crossing and near to the intersection of Main and Railway Streets, is June 13th, 1896. Mr Henry Feldhans who purchased the property, retained it for two years and then sold to Adelard Lacombe on March 9, 1898. It is not known if a building existed on the site or not.

Sometime in the early 1900's , a Mr Charlie Herman bought this store from Mr Dumouchel, and had his son-in-law Mr David Dover manage it for him. Very shortly afterwards David Diver became the owner of this business and so it was until his death. Mrs Dover, along with her sons Harry and Con, as well as daughters Minnie, Gertrude, Sarah, Raechel and Ruth managed the store until Mrs Dover's death . When the estate was settled , Ruth he youngest daughter and her husband became the new owners. Ruth's husband Harry Lavine added a large extension previous to the fire of 1961, which demolished the establishment completely.

The Dover's name will be well remembered in this area and rightly so. During the depression years when money was scarce, Dover's General Store provided food for people on a charge acount scheme; "Pay When You Can". Mr Harry Lavine, husband of Ruth Dover, who managed the store, happily relates that even today (1979) they are receiving monies in the mail at their place of business in Montreal , from people who owe to the Dover estate. Ruth and Harry were very pleased to be associated with such honest people.

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Country Meats and Mini Market
1970
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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Howard's Store

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Jeff Howard and Mary Kennedy in front of Howards Store
1900
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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JEFF HOWARD AND MARY KENNEDY AT HOWARD'S STORE

At what is now 4 Albert Street, on the corner of Peter and Albert Streets, two previous stores burned down. Dating back to the early 1900's Nellie Copps operated a store on the corner. It burned and a new building was erected consisting of a small store and a bakeshop operated by Mr Jack Webb. When Mr Webb moved to Pembroke to set up shop there, Mr George Carter took over and still later a Mr Lowe owned it. In the 1920's a Mr Hubert White bought out the establishment and operated the store and bakeshop until it again burned down. He rebuilt and in 1933 sold out to Mr Jeff Howard who in 1961 sold to Mr Napoleon Mantha. Mr Mantha operated the store only and subsequently sold it to his nephew Mr Regimbald who in turn sold to a Mr Tooley who sold in 1990 to Ray and Cecile Brazeau. The Brazeau's operated a thriving business specializing in fresh meats and home baking under the name "Ray's Meat and Variety" for the next 9 years. In 1999 they sold to Bea Kelly and Robert Warrelmann who renamed the store "Country Meats and Mini Markit", and currently (2005) operate it.

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Orland Field with Howard's delivery truck
1943
Chalk River, Ontario, Canada

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Orland Field with Howard's delivery truck.