Historic Downtown Gravenhurst Makes Sense But Is It a Label For The Right Reason?

Photos taken from the early 1900's album belonging originally to the family of Charles and Maude Thorn of Hillier , Ontario.

"HISTORIC DOWNTOWN GRAVENHURST" - BY GOLLY, NOW THEY'RE GETTING IT! NEW ROUND OF BRANDING DUMPS "UPTOWN GRAVENHURST"

WE CAN LIVE WITH "HISTORIC" AS LONG AS IT IS A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE, AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT ALL MEANS

     The word "historic" I'm pretty sure, will mean something profoundly different to local citizens with roots in South Muskoka, than it does to the business community, on the main street, that has another purpose for using the same reference. One is about legacy and identity, and the other is for recognition and eventual profit.
     I like the fact our town is developing a greater historical conscience, but I'm less impressed, about it being a hollow gesture, to pull at the heart strings of tourists who like old things, iconic relics, and rural traditions. I like old things too, and I thrive on rural traditions, but then I'm one of those uber fans of history, who has immersed himself in its culture since childhood. Excuse me for having my concerns about the casual use of a reference, that suggests a deep understanding and reverence to the good old days. When truthfully, it is not quite true, that history is all that special.
     In the late summer this year, I wrote an editorial piece about the historic qualities of our main street, officially known as Muskoka Road. What I proposed then, was an idea for the local business interests, to seek co-operation with the town's Archives Committee, to gather together vintage images of the way our main street has looked throughout our community's history. Let's just say for comparison purposes. Not to make contemporary business owners on the same strip, feel bad about the obvious shortfalls of contemporary times, but rather to inform those without this important knowledge, that history was very kind to the traditional downtown. The one we are now apparently deeming "historic." Which I hope is for all the right reasons. We should be proud of the way our main street has evolved, even though there are those of tenure, who will state to the contrary, that it will never be as good again. Yet every business should be aware, especially now with this re-branding effort, of how necessary it will be, in the near future, to be able to talk with customers about this "historic" aspect of their community. It is pretty much linked to using the reference of being "historic," wouldn't you say, to be able to talk with some integrity about "the way it was?" When a visitor asks "so what makes this main street more historic than Manitoba Street, in Bracebridge," how does a business proprietor, or sales staff answer? Not very well, me thinks.     This really does need to be addressed, for our own consistency as stake holders. It's not acceptable, in my opinion, to just fob-off this new responsibility, by telling these inquisitive customers, to drop into the library to ask the same question.
     Or, is this just a blatantly promotional, facade-kind of reference, designed and stamped onto our town, just to boost business? Gosh, I hope not! Ah, the exploitation of history, without the cumbersome necessity of having to learn what this history-thing means, in terms of how Gravenhurst has progressed for all these years. I like the new awareness about the inherent importance of history, but honestly, it's too good, too soon, to be as legitimate as an historian desires.
     Our family read with considerable interest, about the re-branding effort for our main street business community, in the local weekly today, and found ourselves somewhat pleased the BIA has decided, what they once insisted had to be called "Uptown," has now been countered as, well, being "Downtown," and "historic" to boot. It's a little more of the "forward / backward principle," we've experienced before, in the administration of our town. I mean, what else can they change it to, when "historic," becomes dull and tattered, and otherwise old news?
     On top of this news, we had customers come in to see us today, who identified themselves as cottagers, and in the course of a friendly conversation, broke the news about the four thriving local enterprises, that have turned our town around economically. Guess what? We didn't make the grade once again. The four enterprises are prosperous, you see, because of outside investment, warming the cockles of our hearts. They apparently have saved us once again, from our quagmire of ineptitude. While we haven't given up entirely, trying to correct what is blatantly wrong with statements like this, being quite unfounded by the way, it always makes us wonder why the customers would want to come into our business, in the first place, being such a minor, minor, minor player in the main street's success. So much for the worth of locals and locally owned businesses, and local legacy. Hey, we've been told this before, and it's becoming normal these days. To hear similar stories about the best, most dynamic businesses, after only a couple of years being "locally anchored," that, well, are so much better, bigger and more progressive than our local Muskoka-billy enterprises. Well sir, we got over these insults a long time ago, and now we just brush it off as someone else's right to an opinion, as wrong as it is. I suppose it is because of these regular references to "locals not getting the job done," as well as parachute arrivals, that I get agitated about using such intimate community language, as "historic."
     I have been referencing "historic" as relates to the "main street," since we moved to Gravenhurst in the autumn of 1989. I have probably referenced it in my writing, in print, and online, hundreds of times if not thousands, every single year since. In fact, in the late summer season, I dedicated a couple of weeks, in my daily blog, to promote Gravenhurst generally, and yes, its history. Including what we observe as a nicely historic main street. We are main street Muskoka historians, and it's one of the reasons we selected the old Muskoka Theatre building to run our family business. You might say we are all about history, and I've got considerable evidence to prove this, to whoever's interested in proving or disproving these claims.
     For instance, it is I, indeed, who spent years researching the naming of our fair town, on the occasion of opening its first post office, in August of 1862. It was named after the literary milestones of British poet / philosopher, William Henry Smith, granted as an honor by Canadian Postal Authority, William Dawson LeSueur, who also doubled as a revered literary critic for numerous magazines of that vintage. In the year 2012 there was an opportunity for the town to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its naming, and recognizing the rich provenance of being associated with a great author, of international acclaim (his books are still being used in universities), and a highly respected historian, Dr. LeSueur, one of Canadian history's stellar figures of scholarly accomplishment. The town chose instead to celebrate an anniversary of incorporation instead, ignoring what could have been an internationally significant event between a Canadian town and the legacy of a storied British author.
     In Gravenhurst, we have an internationally significant heritage site, that is generally ignored for reasons unkwown. Whether it is overlooked by local government, for any specific reason that has never been made public, possibly as being politically incorrect, the truth of the matter, is that the Calydor German Prisoner of War Camp, from the period of the Second World War, should be officially recognized, and the town should be proud of the role our citizens played, in keeping those high risk prisoners safe and sound, on the shore of Muskoka Bay, for those six years 1940-1946. There are a few politicians who seem to be blocking this, at town hall, for reasons unknown. If we are to have an "historic" downtown, maybe we could have an historically astute sensitivity to all our heritage milestones. We are pretty selective around here about what is recognized, and what is avoided, and this is troubling.
     Using the reference "historic" to highlight our downtown, in Gravenhurst, makes us feel pretty good as stakeholders. We are in an historic area of our town afterall. Why not celebrate this? I'm thrilled they finally recognized this fact, even though it doesn't take long outdoors, on Muskoka Road, to figure out we still have a lot of old buildings leftover from our Victorian beginnings. There are a lot of benefits and promotions suited to "historic" places, that most definitely attract those visitors looking for the social, cultural traditions of our region,  well beyond the realities of vintage architecture.       The problem however, is when "historic" is only used to appeal to our visitors. How about we take the "historic" aspect a little further, and offer it as an earned legacy, to the citizens of this community who have been here more than twenty minutes, and whose family names are etched on the tombstones in the local cemeteries. The main street is historic because of their ancestors' leadership, and investment in their hometown. Yup, the work of locals! It's great to bring more business to town, and it is proper to refer to the main drag as being "historic," but unless we embrace what that really means, in the whole spectrum of what it takes to build a hometown from the bush and rock, upwards, then it is just one of those hollow references, that is only about marketing strategy, and insincere to the good folks who call this place home.
     If the town, the Chamber, and the BIA, really want to pay tribute to our historic mainstreet, as relates to the business community, they will take it one step beyond, and invest the time to take a few history lessons from the people who know best; and who, in my opinion, have earned their stripes. I'm not referring to me or any one else in my family. I am referring to the kind and stalwart folks who have worked above and beyond the call of duty to give this town a dynamic and well established public archives, containing some incredible heritage items, and a thousand stories, that, by the way, remain largely unknown and under-celebrated.
     Do you know where the archives collection is located? My bet, is that most of the folks who are pleased with this latest re-branding news, haven't got a clue where our heritage documents are securely "nested" for our posterity. Kept for our use! But do we use it? Not really.
     I don't like contradictions in all their forms and disguises. If we are going to play up the ideal of being "historic" which presumes being historically sensitive, then we should start bringing ourselves up-to-speed, on what we've been neglecting all these years. Using "historic" for business area promotion, without following through, and upgrading ourselves about the rich history of our community and region, is both shallow and insulting.
     Call this the historian's bias, of which I have an inherent right to possess and use at my discretion. We run a business in this community, in this same historic business area, that deals with history and its re-telling, in one way or another, every single day of the year. And we wouldn't have it any other way. It may reference "antiques" on our business sign, but it's "history" that puts the wind in the proverbial sails, to keep us working in this most interesting profession.
     I have great faith that this new interest in local history, is more than just a facade kind of thing; or a dressing to jazz up what has become under-recognized. But it is incumbent and honest, to extend respect for the vastness of what local history is all about. If those who have decided "historic" is appropriate as a promotional tool, in order to chase down the tourist dollar, it should also serve to inspire all those who voted in favor, to actually know the basics of our town heritage; just in case they are asked just what our past was all about. Seems reasonable to me. But then we give out information on Muskoka and Gravenhurst history as a matter of course, because that's how much respect we have, for the fine citizens who were responsible for building this same main street, we now, hopefully with respect and affection, call "historic."