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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-10-17, Page 20leisure, features and ente ainment Huron's new historical atlas Depicting present-day Iife When Huron County's new historical atlas is published next spring, there will be two types of people in the county: those who are in the atlas and those who are kicking themselves because they are not. That is according to Bev Brown of Turnberry Township, a managing editor of the new atlas and one off its most ardent supporters.. The last time a historical atlas was published in the county was 1879. Although that atlas has been reprinted three times in the past 105 years, there was no concrete record to indicate what has happened in Huron during the in- terim. The new atlas will "make up for lost time" -by presenting an overview of what life is like in Huron County in 1984. The idea to compile a new atlas, according` to county librarian William Partridge, originated at a genealogy workshop last fall. The speaker at the workshop was Ross Cummings, a Perth County minister and history buff, who was heavily involved in the publication of the Perth atlas in 1982. Mr. Partridge was caught up by Mr. Cummings' enthusiasm and wondered if the same thing would work in Huron County. The possibility of compiling a new atlas for Huron was broached at a meeting of the county's municipal councils later that fall ansa everyone seemed to agree it was a good idea. County council assumed respon- sibility for the atlas project in December of last year as a bicentennial venture. Members unanimously ap- pointed native-born Andrew McLean of Seaforth, a well-known and respected newspaperman, as its editor. COUNTY PROJECT From the outset, county council stressed that the atlas was to be a truly county project, said Mr. Partridge, one reasoti *hy Mr. McLean Was aippointed editor. Signal Star Publishing of Goderich was chosen to print the atlas. But the work was just beginning as those involved quickly realized. The first step faced by the atlas steering committee was to advertise -in county newspapers .for submissions about the 16 townships and five towns in. Huron, as well as local families, churces, groups and businesses. However before too long, it became evident the atlas was in trouble. Granted, the material was coming up from the various municipalities and . families, but businesses were poorly represented. Mr. McLean said an early. analysis also, indicated a spotty response: some areas , of the county were ' well' represented, While there was very little material' from others. All in all, there appeared to be only enough material for a 100 -page atlas by • the April 15 deadline. It had been hoped the new atlas would contain at least 175 pages. Something had to be done to save the ' atlas and all the man hours which already had gone into its organization. Enter Miss Brown. She was contacted late last winter by the reeve of her home township, Brian McBurney. He invited her to a meeting of the atlas committee, as did county clerk William Hanly. Miss Brown had been away throughout most of the winter and admitted she didn't have the foggiest idea about the atlas. But she said she decided to go to the meeting anyway "just to bepolite". It wasn't long until Miss Brown realized she was hooked: something about working on the atlas grabbed her attention and took hold. She wasn't working at the time so she decided to say yes, she would work on the atlas. Miss Brown has worn several hats during her lifetime and said she loves a challenge. Working on an atlas was one thing she never had done before, which is why she decided to give it a try., the same reason she got into pig farming in Turnberry over 10 years ago. From 1977 until last December, she also was a contributing editor and eventual co-owner of The Rural Voice, a farming paper. During her years with that paper, she worked closely with Mr. McLean at Seaforth. Joining him on the atlas was a reunion with an old friend. DOWN TO WORK After being . briefed gout the problems facing the atlas, Miss Brown, Mr. McLean and their staff sat down to the task at hand. The first thing they did was devise a filing and coding system to deal with the incoming material. Next they extended the deadline to May 15and Miss Brown set out t� pound the pavement. News stories about the atlas apr peared in some local papers and Miss Brown got on the telephone to bolster support. Municipal council members also got into the act by touting the atlas in their communities and local historians began to compile the material. Before long the copy started pouring into the atlas office and the phones began ringing. The response was over- whelming, said Miss Brown, and there actually were some nights when she went home and found people in her lane wanting to talk to her about the atlas. All in all, the 1984 Huron County flistorical Atlas will contain very close to 300 pages, packed full of information about present-day life in Huron. Once the deadline was past, neo, came the job of sorting through the reams of material. Some articles had to be edited and then were sent back to the source for approval, said Miss Brown. But people have been very cooperative, she said, because, like her, they want this atlas to be "perfect". After the material had been edited, the next step was typesetting on 'a machine which produces long sheets of copy. Then it was laid out by page desinger Gwen Kiar in the most at- tractive way possible given the amount of space she has available on each page. The final stage is printing and bind- ing the 5,000 copies of the new atlas. NEW APPRECIATION Working on the atlas hat given its three major proponents, Miss Brown, Mr. McLean and Mr. Partridge, a new insight into the county they call home. Miss Brown said the history of Huron County is extremely interesting and she hopes the new atlas will instill a new pride in county residents. The county's development and the develpment of its people parallels that of Canada as a whole. This atlas will be different f.'om the 1879 atlas, in that it will emphasize people and industry rather than strictly history. The 1984 atlas will be something one generation can hand down to another, a family record and something of which to be proud. Miss Brown's only regret is that it will not be out before Christmas. But those interested may purchase gift cei ificates for Christmas giving. Mr. McLean, aalthough he has lived in Huron all his life, said he found his appreciation of the county growing after working on the atlas. Huron County is widely untapped and its people are shy or reticent about promoting its good qualities. Huron is a small county, based on population, said Mr. Partridge, but it is the second largest county in the province. It has a wealth of natural resources, such as magnificent forests, ' , waterways and probably the best agricultural land in Ontario. Like Miss Brown, Mr. Partridge said he hopes if the new 4tlas does anything, .it will make the people of Huron more ap- preciative of what the county has to offer. Serving over 24,000 homes in Llstpwel, Wingham, Mount Forest, Milverton, Ariss, Artlqur, Drayton, Harriston, Moorefield, Palmerston, Bloomingdale, Breslau, Conestogo, Elmira, Heidelberg, Linwood, Maryhill, St. Clements, St. Jacobs, Wallensteln, Wellesley and West Montrose. by Margaret Arbuckle LAYOUT OR PAGE DESIGN—is a very important part of any publicu:;on and Huron County's new historical atlas is no exception. Bev Brown, one of the managing editors of the atlas, confers with page designer Gwen ,Kiar about the most attractive layout for a page. BEV BROWN—and Analie James survey some of the typeset material for Huron County's new historical atlas. The original deadline of, April 15 was extended for the atlas in -the hope that more material would be submitted. Miss Brown said the response since then has been tremendous and estimates the new atlas will contain almost 300 pages of maps and history instead, of the 1 75 pages planned originally HURON COUNTY'S—new historical atlas should be available by next spring and residents of the county are eagerly awaiting its publication. Here Bev Brown and Andrew McLean (seated), two of the atlas editors, pour over a map with William Partridge, the county librarian` L Bed and Breakfast A clean and comfortable alternative Southwestern Ontario Countryside Vacati n Association The Southwestern Ontario Country- side Vacation Association (SOCVA) ensures that guests who seek bed and breakfast or lengthy accommodation in homes rather than hotels get the comfort, cleanliness and quiet they want. The association was formed locally last year by Anne Roe, a hostess for over eight years on her RR 3, Wallen - stein farm. It was family tradition in her native Austria that guests and travellers were welcomed into the home and offered lodging and good food. - For the past eight years she has hosted men, women and children in her two-storey brick farmhouse and last year decided with other hostessess and hosts that an association was needed to help promote the lodgings, the area attractions and communities and to ,help each other with problems particu- lar to this growing industry. Bed and breakfast is common in Europe but is fast becoming a popular choice for Canadians on vacation. Guests may stay one night or they may remain longer, enjoying a leisurely vacation ina rural location. Besides providing a network of in- formation and ideas among hosts, the SOCVA sends out an inspection com- mittee of four to judge anyone who wishes to become a host under the association's umbrella. There are now 14 homes where not only has the water been tested and cleanliness observed, but the mattresses on the beds must be comfortable — not old or worn. The committee also looks for hospi- tality. "I think we have super hosts," comments Anne. Another hostess, Marg Hergott of St. Clements, says the same of guests. "You meet a lot of nice people. I haven't had a bad experience yet." She has been a bed and breakfast host for three years and took in boarders for 15 to 20 years before that. Not only do the guests benefit by the inspections, the hosts gain also. As Virginia Mclssac of Drayton adds, "A few years ago I didn't know if I offered what people wanted." And now when a guest comes by un- expectedly and there's no room, the host can recommend another host. "I couldn't recommend someone if I haven't seen the home," says Anne. There is support. When Anne had a Migraine headache and a full house of company one weekend, Marg came over to he for the day. And when the hosts get together, ideas start bouncing — ways to improve and promote what they offer. '--The association is listed in the Canadian Bed and Breakfast guide and the Ontario Bed and Breakfast Guide. "As a direct result, we had over 50 responses, phone calls'and mail," Anne says. Chambers of Commerce also carry host information. Each guest is also given a brochure listing all the hosts who are all in rural settings. The host homes are each as'unique as the hosts who open them. Some are on farms, others in small communities. Willowbrae Farm opens for guests in 1985. Mr. and Mrs. John A. Weber are hosts at the RR 1, Waterloo farm. The home is located near Elmira and the annual Maple Syrup Festival held there. Guests can cuddle up to a Franklin stove in the Stone Cottage at RR 1, St. Clements where Mr. and Mrs. Amsey Frey are hosts. Guests are invited to observe the Mennonite quiet, hard- working style and to enjoy "Ina's Wonderful Breakfast Table". The Albion is a Victorian Inn -Home where antiques decorate the rooms. This Plattsville home is 'hosted by Barbara, Henry or Dane Dobson and is within easy driving distance from Kitchener, New Hamburg and New Dundee. Lucille Kerr is host at the White Birches, New Hamburg where Victor- ian antiques furnish the rooms and a canopied deck overlooks meadows bordering the Nith River. by Kim Dadson Great beaches attract guests to `Kelly's Korner, RR 2, Goderich where Lola offers cooked meals with fresh fruits and vegetables. A fifth generation dairy farmstead awaits guests at Glenalby Farms, RR 1, New Hamburg. Host Ruby McMillan invites guests to sip hot cider around a fieldstone fire place. Stay in a converted school house in Floradale with Gerrie and Vivian Smith. Wyndham Hall is enhanced with Canadiana, collectibles, culture and memorabalia. World famous Millbank cheese is one of the attractions at Honeybrook Farm, RR 1, Millbank. Jack and Alveretta Henderson (secretary of the SOCVA) are the hosts in their 1866 stone house. Marg Hergott, RR 1, St. Clements welcomes guests at Maple Front Farm where homemade muffins are a specialty. The Mclssacs, Virginia (U.P. of SOCVA) and Jack are located on the bank of the Conestoga in Drayton. This couple will host bus tours to the area. Jim and Anne Roe welcome guests with son Charlie at RR, 3, Wallenstein. Roewood Farm boasts a superb cook and author - Anne. She wrote "Canadian and Austrian Country Meals" which she says resulted from the urging she received from guests to compile recipes they tasted in her home. „.)