Time Warp

This week, in 1863 the Parsonage family arrived in Haliburton County and cleared land for a homestead. Unfortunately all the hard work was for naught as it was unfortunately someone else's lot. It was a tough first winter after that. Not too many years later the family largely joined the exodus moving west, looking for better agricultural land. Plus, Paul does a follow-up on the plague of bank hol...

This week, Kate talks about lumber camps. There's thousands of lumber camp stories - this is one of them. Plus, Paul talks about Jewish-Canadian boxer Sammy Luftspring. A shy, slight young man who overcame discrimination - and perhaps even used it as a springboard to success - and became one of Canada's best boxers in the mid 1900's. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum....

This week, Kate talks about how far away Haliburton's early fur industry attracted interest from as far as away as New York State. Not bad for a small rural County without great access at the time. Plus, Paul talks about George Orton who was Canada's first Olympic gold medalist. It all happened at the 1900 Paris Olympics - but he wasn't officially recognized as Canadian until over 70 years later....

There's not a lot of individual in-depth pioneer women's stories from pioneer times. Well, this week Kate talks about the story of Katherine Allcorn in Haliburton County from around the end of the 1800's - and interestingly a butter discussion breaks out between our hosts. Plus, Paul talks about the evolution of capital punishment in Canada, its slow demise, and the last two convicted murderers hu...

This week, Kate talks about the small communities in the late 1800's and how pioneer neighbors needed to get along and relied on each other. Here's an example from Eagle Lake in Haliburton County. Plus Paul talks about the inspiring story of Thornton and Ruthie Blackburn - escaped slaves who managed to escape to Toronto and ultimately became entrepreneurs and 'Persons of National Historic Signifan...

This week, Kate talks about the naming of Minden in Haliburton County. There are a couple of theories discussed, but bottom line is no one really knows for sure anymore. One theory is that it goes back to the Seven Years War. Plus, Paul talks about a plague of bank robberies in 1960's Montreal and how it even had a ripple effect as far away as Toronto. Today it's about one of those robbers - The S...

This week, Kate talks about the evolution of turkey as a Christmas meal. Turkey is a North American bird, but may have first appeared in England at Henry VIII's court. Plus, Paul talks about the the 1916 explosion and fire at the Quaker Oats factory in Peterborough, Ontario. The pre-Christmas disaster made news around the world and was a disaster for the community. Kate Butler is the Director of t...

This week, Kate talks about the first Christmas celebrations in Haliburton village's first year of existence including the need to postpone St George's dedication; music and getting around in those days. Plus, Paul talks about the unsolved hollywood-type theft of millions of dollars worth of art from Montreal's Museum of Fine Arts in 1972. It's called the Skylight Caper. They should make a movie!...

This week, Kate picked up a copy of the Echo newspaper from December 15, 1966, went down a research rabbit hole, and came up with some local historical Christmas items. Plus, Paul talks about Alberta's 1870's Lost Lemon Gold Mine in the Rockies. Was it cursed, and is it still out there to be found? Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the host of the Your...

This week, Kate talks about the recent death of Dysart Fire Department's Chief Mike Iles. It also led Kate to chat about the genesis of Haliburton County volunteer Fire Departments. Plus, Paul talks about the Ripple Rock Mountain that was located in a narrow section of the shipping passage between Vancouver Island and BC's mainland. It was a signicant hazard to ships that led to the sinking of at...

This week, Kate talks about the decades long history of a small town movie theatre named The Molou and what it meant before other forms of entertainment like TV were available. Plus Paul talks about the Canadian National Exhibition - also known as the CNE and the Ex. It's been around for almost 175 years. The changes at the Ex over the decades is really representative of the changes in Canada from...

This week, Kate talks Frederick Freeman who moved to the Haliburton area in 1880-81 and operated a store in an inconic yellow wood sided building on Pine St that still exists today. And Frederick could be a character! Plus, Paul talks about the rise and fall of Hamilton, Ontario prohibition era gangsters Rocco Perri and Bessie Starkman who have been linked with US gangsters Frank Costello and Al C...

This week, Kate talks about the impact of WW1 and WW2 on Haliburton County from some individual and family points of view. Plus, Paul remembers a little known WW2 Canadian hero, James Campbell Clouston, who had a significant role in saving nearly 200,000 trapped allied soldiers from Dunkirk - and gave his life in the process. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vor...

This week, Kate puts on her historian's hat and delves into the amount of information that even a small piece of paper - like an old receipt - can provide and that connects different people from 1916's Haliburton County. Plus, Paul talks about the mid-1940's homicide case in Halilton, Ontario that some newspapers have called 'Canada's most grisly murder'. The suspect? Evelyn (nee MacLean) Dick. Ka...

This week, in honour of Spooky Season Kate talks about early Halloween in Haliburton County. Plus Paul talks about a couple of instances of Phantom Trains in Canada. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the host of the Your Haliburton Morning Show 7 - 9 a.m. Fridays on Canoe FM 100.9 and streaming on your devices. Haliburton County is in cottage country ab...

This week, Kate talks about the Haliburton Highlands Museum's recently donated artifact - an early 1900's wine making press that led her to ponder a little deeper about the origins and growth of the Italian community in Haliburton County. Plus, Paul got to thinking about the War of 1812 between British North America and the US - and what the background causes were to the war breaking out in the fi...

This week was originally broadcast in April 2020 but never made it to a podcast. Kate talks about the Wallings family - that began settling in Haliburton County in the late 1800's, opened a prominent dairy, and have lent their name to a street in Haliburton Village. Plus, Paul talks about Mona Louise Parsons whowas born in Nova Scotia, emigrated to the Netherlands just prior to WWII, and became a...

This week, Kate talks about a treasure that was found found in the attic of a Haliburton County home from 1888 (an invitation to a Valentine's Day dance in 1888) and connections that can be made. Plus Paul talks about the background of Viola Desmond, the discrimination she suffered at the Roseland Theatre in Nova Scotia, and the malicious prosecution that followed. Kate Butler is the Director of t...

This week, Kate has some thought about the historical implications of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and puts them into the context of the impact the passing of Queen Victoria would have had on Haliburton County. Plus, Paul talks about the history of reported sightings - and some of the investigations - of UFO's in Canada. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis...

This week, Kate talks about a young doctor who came to Haliburton County and what it really meant to be a doctor in a pioneer community at the end of the 1800's. Plus Paul talks about George Brown who launched Toronto's Globe newspaper (today's Globe & Mail) in the 1850's. As well he put aside political differences to lobby for Canadian Confederation and is considered to be a father of confede...

This week, Kate talks about Robert McCormack, a quirky individual who lived in 1800's Haliburton County. He even shingled his barn at night by lamplight. And, Paul talks about the 'I'm Alone', a VERY successful Canadian rum-running ship during American Probition. Swashbuckling Captain Jack Randall successfully evaded the US Coast Guard for 6 years. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Hig...

This week, Kate talks about the huge difference it made to early Haliburton County's historical record with the advances in photographic technology, and the record it left for future generations. Plus, Paul talks about the wartime connection - most especially during WW1 - between soldiers and their animal partners. Some of those animal partners were a little obscure - like slugs and glow worms. Ka...

This week, Kate talks about Daniel Buck who arrived in Haliburton County in the mid-1800's, built Buck's Tavern (now known as the Domion Hotel) and had a sawmill on Buckslide Road. Plus, Paul tells the story of an incredible athlete who in 1950 was named Canada's female athlete of the first half of the half century. Fanny 'Bobbie' Rosenfeld also had a stellar career as a sports comunist for Toront...

This week, Kate talks about Anne Dean (nee Weller) a woman who came to the Haliburton Highlands in 1870. Her family grew to 8 children - then her husband died. This is the story of how this remarkable woman rose above diversity. Plus, Paul talks about WW2's Operation Fish, a top-secret program that saw Britain's total gold reserves and other securities being shipped to Canada for the duration of t...

This week, Kate takes another look back in Part 2 of the history of Haliburton County's almost 125 year old Maple Lake Church which had its last service on July 17, 2022 - and has now unfortunately had to shutter its doors. Plus, Paul talks about Mack Sennett who was born and raised in Danville, Quebec and went on to be a pioneer studio mogul in Hollywood and early film's 'King of Comedy'. Kate Bu...