by Joan Finnigan
The Ottawa Valley photographs by Erik Christensen
Contents
Introduction
. . . and Hats with Feathers for which Birds had Died
Daddy Tom Hodgins
And the Horners came in from Upper New York State
Holy Child
The Land needed Giants
Oh, the Rivermen! – John King
My great grandfather Barnet came out … – Tommy Barnet
Renfrew County: Once a Howling Wilderness
A Prince of Good Fellows
The actual story of the Laird MacNab? – Bernie Bedore
The River
The Baskatong
ln the Rivermen’s heyday
The Stopping Place – John King
Good Liquor and Bad Liquor – John King
Young Conway
Paddy Garvie: From the Opeongo – Bernie Bedore
Hogan’s Lake
Five Years on the Rouge – Bert Horner
A Dollar a Day – Syd Pottinger
Pourpore’s Shanty Crew
The Drive started at Palmer’s Rapids – Syd Pottinger
Working the Boats on the Ottawa River – John King
The Chapeau Boys
Last Drive on the Petawawa River – Syd Pottinger
Lumber Drives on the Madawaska – Syd Pottinger
Cadging – John King
Sport and Duke – Bert Horner
Horse Drive – Tommy Barnet
“There’s no Old Times left, none at all”
Old Mr. Culhane, Irish to the bone, he says
No. no. That didn’t happen at Culhane’s – Bernie Bedore/82
After Rory MacDonald
Big Mick Culhane – Bernie Bedore
May Day Rounds
Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar
Number Seven
Samson “Saw-Saw”
And when We asked Grandma Horner
Joe Mufferaw – Bernie Bedore
County Fair
Where are the Gypsies?
Building with Logs – John King
The Opeongo Trail
Rare Trees – Syd Pottinger
I am Disturbed by the Old Man’s Death
Maggie Masterson
On Christmas Eve: 1963
ln the Spring when the Larder was Low
The Little Milliner
This Death Sweeps an Era into the Sea
The Renfrew Millionaires – Tommy Barnet
Crossing the Ice – Bert Horner
Grey is the Forelock now of the Irishman
The Story of the Smaller Heroes
Those Lawtons
When you are Cradled in a Valley
List of Plates
“Weighing in” outside the General Store at Killaloe
Square-timber building “cornered” to last for good
Farm yard of Liel farm near Golden Lake
Old hotel at Brudenell along the Opeongo Road
Miss Edith Carswell on the veranda of the Carswell house, Renfrew
Carswell house, Renfrew
Spring flooding at Mount St. Patrick
Stoned fields
Grist mill at Killaloe
Interior, grist mill at Killaloe
Always wish on a white horse
Infant mortality
Along the Opeongo Road
The Ottawa River
The Stopping Place
Passing the time of day
Outdoor fireplace for scalding pigs. Liel farm near Golden Lake
Working in wood near Dacre
Two lone lumbermen on the Ottawa River
Remnants of lumbering on the Ottawa above Braeside
Deserted house
Interior of blacksmith’s shop at Fergus Lea. Now destroyed.
Century farm off the Opeongo Road
Complex of log buildings
Retired couple, Mount St. Patrick
Deserted house
Sheep at the doorstep
Kate Reid as Glad Prometer and Charbonneau children
Chris Wiggins as Emery Prometer, Margot Kidder as Rosie
Emery and Glad
Wedding on Mountain Road: Bill Thouriby as Adam;
Liza Creighton as Gerda; Chris Wiggins as Emery.
Crooked house, Opeongo Road just outside Renfrew
Working in wood
The Ottawa Valley
Working in wood, Killaloe
Farmer along Opeongo Road near Fergus Lea
Furniture and Funerals
General Store, Ballaclava
Fencing with a fine national touch
Abandoned road grader, Mount St. Patrick
Deserted house, side road, Opeongo Road
Opeongo Road’ in front of Carswell house, Renfrew
Working in wood
Interior of Liel’s log house near Golden Lake
Harness maker’s shop
Log building from the time of the giant trees