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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-26, Page 20TAKE OUR CAKE! re&IVE 7 TSE eREInle VESSE S 228-6640 1$$$$20-7775 SUR PJE PIZZA Crossroads 235-3141 NOT LINE Page 20 Keeping history alive and well in SJoseph By Katherine Harding TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF ST. JOSEPH — Like its founder Narcisse Cantin, this hamlet once had grandiose dreams. Narcisse Cantin founded St. Joseph at the turn of the century with the hopes of transforming this tiny French Canadian settlement into a bustling lakeside city. Cantin, nicknamed "The Wizard of St. Joseph" was a visionary ahead of his time. He was 26 in 1896 when he contrived a plan to create a chain of canals to link Lake Huron to Lake Erie. He then spent almost the rest of his life trying to convince govern- ments and financiers to construct the canal from St. Joseph to Lake Erie near Pt. Stanley which he envisioned would become the "hub of the North American conti- nent." While his plans for the St. Joseph canal were never realized, the concept of a St. Lawrence -Seaway came to be in another form — but not until 1953. Thanks to Narcisse's grandson Napoleon, these and many other stories from St. Joseph and area have been carefully documented in Les Archives, his mini -museum dedicated to the community's past. Napoleon's archives are extensive. He has literally col- lected thousands of pieces of Canadiana, from pho- tographs to furniture from the New Balmoral Hotel (the St. Joseph hotel was torn down in the 1920s to help pay off its creditors). "I've been a collector since day one," said Napoleon. "He's definitely a pack -rat," his wife Velma chimed in. While the collection also details Grand Bend, Zurich, Bayfield and Hay Township's past, Napoleon quips "the collection covers mostly the big city of St. Joseph." What makes Napoleon's collection truly unique is it also features the past of several "ordinary" St. Joseph and area families. "That's something I'm proud of ... I have the history of people from all over the area," he said. "Lots of school children come in here and discover relatives they never knew they had." Leaving a legacy Napoleon has already made arrangements' with the Hessenland Country Inn in St. Joseph to showcase his archives after he's gone. Information from his archives will also be on display in the new Historic Park Walkway that will officially be unveiled in St. Joseph this summer. "Word got out that [ was looking for someone to look after my archives when I'm gone and it soon led to an idea for the park," he said. The ambitious project is being organized by the St. Joseph and Area Historical Society. Located in St. Joseph Memorial Park, eight historical stations will be erected, each describing a different piece of history from the small community's past. "Our goal by building this walkway is to have the histo- ry mote readily available to everyone and in a shortened form for our time -constrained society," says a statement from the historical society. Each station will have a bench, landscaping and a porcelain enamel sign, complete with photographs and written descriptions describing something historically sig- nificant about St. Joseph. Some of the signs include information about Narcisse Cantin, The New Balmoral Hotel, Brother Andre and the religious life of St. Joseph and transportation history from the area. The project has already beenapproved for a grant from the Millennium Bureau of Canada.The historical society must raise $28,000 to receive $14,000 from the federal grant. To date, the committee has confirmed $15,000 in local fund-raising. While eight major contributors have helped build the fund-raising campaign so far, the society is still seeking sponsorship before the park's official grand opening on July 18 at 2 p.m. The public can help by sponsoring a station or by buy- ing a walkway stone that will be included in the path•con- necting the historical stations. If you are interested in purchasing a walkway stone contact historical society president Pamela Grusska at 236-7640 or fund-raising chair Joan Karstens at 236- 7137. Sponsorship forms can also be picked up at the St. Joseph Country Store. Por people interested in viewing Cantin's archives, Nap and Velma welcome any visitors and only request you set up an appointment ahead of time by calling 236-4641. Wednesday, May 26 , 1999 Exeter Times -Advocate A historic day. On May 15 a sod turning ceremony was, held at St. Joseph Memorial Walkway for the Historic Park Walkway. In attendance were St. Joseph and Area Historical Society members and local dignitaries. From left: Joan Karstens, Hay Township Reeve Jim Love, Joe Wooden, Huron -Bruce MPP Paul.Steckle, Napoleon Cantin,Velma Cantin, Pamela Grusska and Martha Mungar.Absentwere project chairman Mike Miller and sec- retary Liz Putherbough. • Above: The New Balmoral Hotel was built in St. Joseph in the early 1 900s. Lavishly built and fur- nished with items from the Balmoral Hotel in Montreal, the hotel was only par- tially opened with the bar serving local patrons and enter- tainin aI investors.Tlie hotel was demolished in the 1920s to help repay creditors.The story of this hotel will be featured in the Historic Park Walkway. At right: St. Joseph's founder Narcisse Cantin (1870-1940) Below right: Narcisse Cantin (at right) during one of his many trips across North America in attempts to woo investors for his "canal dream." This photograph was taken in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. Napoleon andVelma Cantin (above) have literally thousands of pieces of St. Joseph and area history in their archives.The pub- lic is welcome to tour their archives by calling Nap andVelma ahead of time to arrange a tour (236-4641). :P. i {