HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROPOSAL A HUGE LEAP OF FAITH AND RESPONSIBILITY
WITHOUT EVEN A SMIDGEON OF GAMBLE
I AM NOT EXPECTING TO BE INVITED TO JOIN THE DIRECTORSHIP OF A NEW GRAVENHURST HISTORICAL SOCIETY, IF AND WHEN THE PEOPLE'S WILL, HERALDS ITS FORMATION. THE IDEA FOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY ESTABLISHMENT, WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN AN ARTICLE, PUBLISHED IN THIS WEEK'S GRAVENHURST BANNER. BORROWED FROM A SIMILAR MOVE TO ESTABLISH A GENERAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN HUNTSVILLE, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE ADAPTABLE PLAN WOULD WORK PARTICULARLY WELL IN GRAVENHURST……WHERE WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW HISTORICAL ASSETS, CURRENTLY WITHOUT TARGETED CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP. BRACEBRIDGE ISN'T BIG ON HISTORICAL SOCIETIES AFTER THE WOODCHESTER DEBACLE. HEY, AS ONE OF THEIR HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S FOUNDERS, I OFFERED TO HELP THEM OUT RECENTLY, TO RE-ESTABLISH AN ADVISORY GROUP FOR THE NOW CLOSED MUSEUM…..BUT THE PHONE NEVER RANG. I WASN'T SURPRISED BY THIS. THEY DON'T LIKE THE CUT OF MY JIB EITHER.
I BELIEVE THIS KIND OF ORGANIZATION, WITH THE ABILITY TO FUNDRAISE, AND BUILD A SOLID MEMBERSHIP, WILL SERVE A NUMBER OF HERITAGE CONCERNS AND SHORTFALLS I'VE BEEN WRITING ABOUT FOR THE PAST YEAR, ESPECIALLY INVOLVING THE GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE…..OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE BUILDING. WHILE I'VE BEEN NATTERING-ON ABOUT THE CREATION OF AN OPERA HOUSE ADVOCACY GROUP, TO LOOK AFTER THE HERITAGE ASSETS OF THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS ADVISE ON FUTURE ENTERTAINMENT USES, THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FORMAT MAY SUITE AS WELL……IF A COMMITTEE WITHIN, FOR EXAMPLE, COULD WORK "SITE SPECIFIC," SIDE BY SIDE TOWN ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTED COUNCILLORS. I'M POSITIVE THAT THE OPERA HOUSE FUTURE IS TIGHTLY HINGED TO A WORKING GROUP, MADE UP OF INTERESTED AND EXPERIENCED CITIZENS, READY TO ASSIST AND NEGOTIATE WITH A MUNICIPAL BODY…… THAT HONESTLY…….SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS.
SEEING AS THE OPERA HOUSE WILL CONTINUE TO NEED RESTORATION IN THE YEARS TO COME, HAVING SUCH AN ADVOCACY GROUP, EVEN IN THE FORM OF A MORE GENERAL HISTORICAL AGENCY, WOULD BECOME AN IMPORTANT ADVISORY AND FUNDRAISING FORCE FROM INCEPTION. IT SEEMS LIKE A TIMELY AND EXCITING PROPOSITION, IF IT COMES TO FRUITION. I ALWAYS LIKE A PLAN THAT ALLOWS THE CITIZENRY TO WORK CLOSER WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN OUR MUNICIPALITIES, AND IN THE FIELD OF HERITAGE CONSERVATION, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE EXPERTISE AT HAND WHEN NEEDED THE MOST. IT'S COST EFFICIENT AS WELL.
I HOPE THIS NEW HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WILL LOOK AT SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY, BEYOND THE NORMAL FARE OF ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION. IT IS A HUGELY NEGLECTED ASPECT OF OUR COMMUNITY HERITAGE. WE KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE EVENTS IN OUR PAST BUT NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF THE CITIZENS WHO BUILT THIS COMMUNITY……NOT JUST THE BUILDINGS. THERE'S A LOT MORE TO KNOW ABOUT GRAVENHURST AS A HOMETOWN, OF WHICH I HAVE BEEN WRITING ABOUT FOR YEARS……WITHOUT ONCE FEELING I HAD BUT SCRATCHED THE SURFACE OF AN AMAZING STORY OF ENDURANCE, RESOURCEFULNESS AND PRIDE. IT WAS A DAMN TOUGH HAMLET, A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE VILLAGE, AND NOW A REMARKABLE TOWN. MY INTEREST IS KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE CITIZENRY. NOT JUST THE RICH. NOT JUST THE POLITICIANS. NOT JUST THE FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE CLUBS, CHURCH GROUPS AND SPORTING TEAMS. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FOLKS WHO WORKED IN THE BAKERY, THE KITCHEN OF THE RESTAURANTS, THE MECHANICS, WAITRESSES, GROCERY CLERKS, NEWSPAPER STAFF, GAS JOCKEYS, NURSES, CARPENTERS, CRAFTSMAN IN THE BOAT INDUSTRY, TRUCK, BUS AND TAXI DRIVERS WHO KEPT US ON THE MOVE. I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE HUMAN SIDE OF OUR HERITAGE, ADMITTEDLY, THAN SIMPLY WHEN CORNERSTONES OF BUILDINGS WERE CEMENTED INTO PLACE, OR WHEN DIGNITARIES SHOWED UP FOR SOME HISTORIC PHOTOS OPS AND CAKE EATING.
WHILE I DON'T EXPECT THE PROPONENTS OF THIS FINE PROJECT, WILL CARE ABOUT MY POINT OF VIEW, AS THEY HAVEN'T IN THE PAST, SUFFICE THAT THIS IS A STAND-ALONE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE WHO INTEND TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS RESPONSIVE, ADAPTABLE HERITAGE PROJECT. COMMITTED TO HERITAGE STEWARDSHIP, AND CONSERVATION, OUR FAMILY WILL BE AMONGST THE FIRST ENTHUSED CITIZENS TO PURCHASE MEMBERSHIPS - WHICH WE HOPE WILL BE HIGHLY SUPPORTED IN THIS TOWN.
I HAVE HAD MY DAY SERVING AS AN HISTORICAL SOCIETY DIRECTOR, AND EVEN AS A FOUNDING MEMBER, BUT THE NEW GROUP WOULD NOT LIKELY WISH TO ASSOCIATE WITH A FREE RADICAL, POLITICAL SIDE-SWIPER, WHO HAS MADE A TRADITION….IN HIS DAY, OF MAKING SOCIETY AND MUSEUM MEETINGS HEADLINE-GETTERS. THIS HERITAGE INITIATIVE NEEDS TO BE FREE OF ENCUMBRANCES, MORE THAN IMBEDDED ACTIVISM, THAT MIGHT WELL NECESSITATE MY REMOVAL FROM MEETINGS BY THE ATTENDING FUZZ. JUST KIDDING. I LIKE THE WHOLE CONCEPT AND WISH ORGANIZERS THE BEST OF LUCK…..AND WILL OF COURSE DO WHAT I CAN TO PROMOTE ITS MANDATE, AND POTENTIAL PROJECTS UPCOMING. OF THIS I AM SINCERE. IT IS A GOOD PLAN FOR GRAVENHURST. IF THERE IS ANYTHING AT ALL WRONG WITH THE INITIATIVE, IT'S THAT IT'S FIVE YEARS OVERDUE. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.
ARCHDEACON GOWAN GILLMOR OF ALGOMA….."THE TRAMP" IN GRAVENHURST
(Taken from the biography written by E. Newton-White, about "The Tramp," Archdeacon of Algoma, Gowan Gillmor, a late 1800's, early 1900's missionary / priest, representing a huge region of northern Ontario, traveling thousands of miles by foot, serving the spiritual and often health needs of his flock. He was well known in Muskoka, particularly Rosseau, but was also revered by his many friends here in Gravenhurst.)
"If Gowan knew all the constellations (from all the time he spent living outdoors, traveling) he also knew all the plants and flowers of the north country. His eye for beauty was very keen, and he could cleverly adapt these things in all their range, to his sermons in the most vivid terms. Survivors of the children of those days can well remember the way in which natural phenomena and wildlife would creep into his discourse."
The biographer continues, "An Alberta lady, once of Gravenhurst, has treasured memories of him in her childhood. Especially she recalls a Sunday School Christmas Concert, which he opened with a most fascinating account of his approach to the town at dusk, that evening, and seeing the Evening Star rise over Gull Lake, 'with fairies accompanying it.' He held us spellbound."
In another account of a friend, "A businessman of Gravenhurst can remember Gowan visiting his home at an age when his interest was certainly not the church, but the stories Mr. Gillmor told them. He says 'He did not believe in spoiling a good story by adhering too closely to the truth'. On one of his regular trips, Gowan had to pass by an empty house, said to be haunted. One day, curiosity got the better of him, and he went inside to look around. He moved very quietly and listened. Hearing a mysterious noise upstairs, he went cautiously all ready to come down in a hurry. There was nothing. Then he found the sound was coming from the attic. Taking some time to gain courage, he finally climbed the attic ladder - 'and there, sitting up and staring at me, was a ground-hog…..yes, a ground-hog! And, d'ye know he was almost as scared as I was'."
"The grumpy looking ground-hog provided the peg upon which many an apposite tale could be hung to fit an occasion. The ground-hog being, as Gowan would say, the most curiosity-stricken person of all our little people; he had only to stand close to the hole into which one had vanished at his approach, and it would appear again. First the tip of is nose, then its eyes, then its ears, and finally its shoulders. Then they would talk' Gowan would ask questions or make the statement, and the would-chuck would reply in perfectly good Connaughtese brogue. The uses of such discussions were inexhaustible. It is almost certain that the haunted house episode, was expanded into such a dialogue many times at appropriate junctures; but if so, they are lost to posterity."
Newton-White also makes note of a special gift given to Gowan in Gravenhurst. "One gift of which we have no more record, was of a fine sleeping bag, given him by a Gravenhurst bank manager, to use when he had to spend the night in the open. One doubts he ever used it." (He made do, preferring less bulk when walking on his regional rounds)
Before leaving Gravenhurst, he said, "I have made friends here, whose friendship will last all the years of my life, and on through eternity."
In future blogs, I will have a few more stories about this remarkable man, who gave so much of himself, to the spiritual and emotional needs of his many friends…..regardless of religious faith.
Thanks so much for joining today's blog. I hope you will all consider joining the Gravenhurst Historical Society, if and when it becomes a reality. This is a very positive development on the heritage front. Please join me again soon. There's always a little more room around the Birch Hollow hearth, for a few more interested souls. How can you tell I grew up with the "Friendly Giant"?
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