Time Warp

This week, Kate talks about winter in the 1934 Haliburton Highlands and how important hockey was to the community. Plus, Paul talks about a Victorian era murder mystery in the west Toronto village of Parkdale. On October 6th, 1894 18-year-old Frank Westwood answered his front door, was shot by a stranger, and died 3 days later of his injuries. The story involves a cross-dressing suspect, a nation...

This week, Kate has gone down another rabbit hole in an issue of the Haliburton Echo newspaper and tells us about some of the things that happened from a January 1972 issue. Plus, Paul talks about the cold war, Russian espionage in Canada, and the the resulting discriminatory attempt to purge gays and lesbians from the federal civil service, the RCMP and the armed forces. Kate Butler is the Direct...

This week, Kate talks about how the Christmas Season has evolved and how at one time it ends the holiday season while at other time it was considered as starting the season. When and how did it change? Plus, Paul talks about Hollywood's silent era and how Canadian actress Nell Shipman was a trailblazing pioneer. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the hos...

This week, two stories that originated in the mid 1860's - the grand opening of Haliburton villages first church (it didn't work out quite as planned) plus the creation of Canada's first undercover secret service agency (the Western Frontier Constabulary) to deal with fallout from the US Civil War then the Fenian threat. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis i...

This week, Kate carries on with some tales of Haliburton County Christmases - this time with some stories from back issues of the Haliburton Echo. Plus, Paul tells the story of the great Canadian Jockey Ron Turcotte (the first jockey to win five of six consecutive Triple Crown horse races) and his partnership with Secretariat - the American race horse that rewrote the definition of thoroughbred gr...

This week, Kate revisits some 1860's Haliburton County Christmas traditions, Plus, today Canadian banks are today considered to be safe and stable system - and a model for the rest of the world. Like, zero depression bank collapses and no failures or bail outs during the 2008 world-wide financial crises. But it wasn't always that way. It took a few epic failures in the late 1800's and early 1900's...

This week, Kate tells the story of Alexander McDonald - a young Scottish immigrant to Haliburton County who in the 1860's and 70's was a multi-term member of council and Reeve. Alexander was also a mover and shaker who's personal passion project was to bring the railroad to Haliburton. Plus, Paul has the story of the 1775 Independence Hurricane that struck the 13 colonies in the early months of th...

This week, Kate talks about the challenges facing new immigrants to 1860's Haliburton County who were hoping to farm. One of the proposed answers was to set up - and advertise in England - that they could be trained at a local agriculture college and farming co-op. It didn't exactly live up to the hype. Plus, Paul tells the story of Canada's pioneering female aviator Marion Orr who led the way for...

This week it's Remembrance Day related stories. Kate talks about a WW1 soldier's story with a Haliburton County connection and how historical events usually involve individuals who can get lost in the bigger story. Plus, Paul tells the story surrounding Canada's mission to take Juno Beach during WW2's Normandy invasion - history's largest amphibious assault. Kate Butler is the Director of the Hali...

Halloween is coming up very shortly. For this week's TimeWarp episode Kate specualtes about whether - and how and why - Haliburton County pioneers might have celebrated Halloween. Plus, Paul tells the eerie tale of one of Canada's reputably most haunted places - Edmonton's luxurious Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. You can book a room, if you dare! Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands...

This week, Kate tells us about the typical - yet unusual - pioneer story of the Daniel Bowen family in Haliburton County in the late 1800's and early 1900'. Plus, Paul has the story of Winnipeg's invasion by 'German forces' during WW2. It was called 'If Day' and it was all part of a War Bond initiative to raise funds to fight the Axis powers. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands...

This week, Kate tells the story of William Ritchie who came to Haliburton County in the late 1800's and had a significant, but largely behind-the-scenes role in the early days of the community - despite the fact that his tenure only lasted a few years before migrating to the west looking for more land. Plus, Paul talks about how the first truly world war - the 1760's Seven Years War - was fought p...

This week, Kate talks about Ethel Curry - a Haliburton County arts and cultural icon. She was born in 1902 and died in in 2000 at the age of 97. She was well known as a painter, but her talents were much broader and she was very influential in the art world. She was the inspiration for the naming of Haliburton village's Ether Curry Gallery, which is unfortunately scheduled to close in the near fut...

This week, talks about the late 1800's and community efforts to help those in need during a time when formal social safety nets didn't exist. In today's example we hear about John and Mary Sutherland who came to Haliburton County around 1866, but by the 1880's were in need. Plus, Paul tells the story of a remarkable Canadian woman - Isabel Macneill who accomplished many firsts for a woman. Among o...

This week, Kate talks about how people tended to get around in pioneer Haliburton County when roads were.....rustic at best and options were limited. Plus, Paul tells the story of Louis Oliver Gamache who lived on Anticosti Island at the mouth of the St Lawrence River in the late 1700's to mid 1800's. He chose to live a solitary existence but grew concerned about his personal security while living...

Pioneers in the late 1800's and early 1900's were very social people that wanted to get together with their friends and neighbors. But with large spaces between people and no phones or social media, what were the entertainment options and opportunities to gather? Kate talks about a few items from the pages of a 1907 Minden Echo newspaper. Plus, when Laura Secord made her trek through the wildernes...

This week, Kate talks about William Nichol who arrived in Haliburton County in the 1860's. His story was pretty typical - until he diversified into something a little unique - prospecting in the County and beyond. Plus, Paul talks about the development of canals in Canada in the early 1800's and how they were so impotant to the mobility and the economic growth of a young Canada. And there was a pr...

This week, Kate talks about secondary school education in Haliburton County as the Haliburton Highlands Secondary School turns 70 this year. But what came before the HHHS? Plus, Paul has the story of Canada's significant involvement as a United Nations partner joining 20 other countries deployed to the Korean War. It became Canada's 3rd bloodiest conflict. But, despite the sacrifices, it's become...

This week, Kate talks about how early churches in Haliburton County tended to welcome all faiths and to be non-denominational because there just wasn't the population to support and build churches for each faith. As a result Hal;iburton County has always been a very religiously tolerant community. Plus, Paul talks about Willie O'Ree - the first athlete to break the color barrier and play hockey pr...

This week, Kate talks about camping in pioneer times. Of course, there were professionals like surveyors, trappers and hunters. But, maybe counter-intuitively, there was recreational camping as well. Plus, Paul talks about Manny McIntyre - an exceptional multi-sport athlete who competed in hocky internationally and who became the first Black Canadian to sign a professional baseball contract....jus...

This week, Kate talks about the evolution of summer tourism in the Haliburton Highlands once school was out. Plus, Paul takes an individual from last week's episode on the Battle of Ballantyne pier - Victoria Cross winner Mickey O'Rourke - and does a deeper dive into his story. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the host of the Your Haliburton Morning Sh...

This week, Kate talks about John and Caroline Williams who came to Haliburton County in the 1860's from England. They were from well-to-do families that had fallen on financially difficult times and decided to come to Canada. But in Haliburton County they were part of the 'upper-crust'. Plus, there's many stories of the difficult evolution of unions and worker rights in Canada starting post WW1 an...

This week, there's old time occupations that are very rare today. Kate takes a dive into the topic of boot and shoe making and repair for example. Plus, Paul takes a nostalgic look at a bygone era - the history of Toronto's Sunnyside Beach Park with roots that go as far back as the 1850's. Kate Butler is the Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. Paul Vorvis is the host of the Your Haliburto...

This week, Kate talks abouthow boom and 'bust' led to the rise of communities in Haliburton County, and how times led to some of those becoming 'ghost towns'. This is the story of one of those - the hamlet of Gelert. Plus, WW1 in many ways gave rise to Canada becoming a country. Here's the story of the Battle of Mont Sorrel in June 1916, the first battle in WW1 that was independently planned and e...

This week, 2 items from this week in history. Kate talks about how Haliburton marked the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II seventy years ago today (as of this broadcast). Plus, Paul talks about Canada's worst nautical disaster - the sinking of the Canadian Pacific Railway's trans-atlantic luxury liner the Empress of Ireland 99 years ago this week (as of this broadcast). Kate Butler is the Director...