Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty!
This is an aerial view of Huntsville, looking north in the 1950s. (Photo: AnnaBelle Studio).
Main intersection: West Street South, Minerva Street on the right, which becomes High Street on the left. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is on the corner of West Street South and High Street. Blackburn’s Marina on the east side of the Muskoka River. The new fire hall, which was built in 1951, can be seen behind the town hall building with the clock tower north of the church.
See more Wayback Wednesday photos HERE.
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Allen Markle says
Never having been a ‘townie’, it wasn’t ’til I was eight or nine that it clicked that all the streets in town had names! I knew Brunel Rd. and Main Street, but every little cut off had a name?
When my grandfather had taken me to town under the pretense of buying candy, I knew the destination by the description of the site.
“Nels’ Place. At he bottom of the line-hill.” or “Charlie’s place. Where the little shed is under the big elm.” That the places may have had street names and numbers was unimaginable.
I say under the pretense of buying candy because his plan was to get a couple of beer at the snake-pit with a buddy. The streets were safe because we knew, where related to, my Dad had worked for, or we were friends of most people in town.
Dad knew about the candy, but Mom would have had a word with Grandpa. Even after we were married he was not beyond calling Tricia to pick him up for a ride home.
“Let’s just run up to the lookout.” Where he would point out lots of things to the new member of our family and suck peppermints. So Grandma wouldn’t smell beer on his breath.
In 1954 Dad, worked on Gord Clarke’s Garage and I got to help. The garage is in shadow there on West Street South, across from the church. John Cross had his building right there and just up the street was the Gray Coach depot with its waiting room and I think it had a bit of a restaurant. You can see lots of the anchor points of the town; Eaton’s, the Town Hall, the pool hall, the Capitol Bowl, Huntsville Planing Mills. And my Dad was a builder and Huntsville Planing was an anchor point in my world.
There are those who lived in town and could go up one side of those streets and down the other. And tell you the names of the street and the number of most of the buildings on them. Or at least a good many of them.
But for me back in the early 50’s! ‘Whoda thunkit!’
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Allan.
I wished you would post more stories/flashbacks about Huntsville.
I find your memories fascinating and enjoyable reading.
Ever thought of writing a book ?
I am sure you must have many followers on doppler!