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At the Fort Frances Times, we have been preparing for our special 100th
anniversary issue. From 100 years of papers, we have gone through the issues
and pages and picked a variety of stories about Rainy River District. It
has been a learning experience.
One of the big changes that can be felt reading through the issues is a
shift in attitude across the district. One hundred years ago, there were
great dreams of wealth, industry and mining. There was great optimism. There
was a feeling district residents could accomplish anything they wanted.
There was a belief Rainy River District was a land of opportunity.
Changes began in the district with the construction of roads and railways,
which replaced the river transportation. The district became a unit.
The district began growing. Mine Centre exploded with gold fever; copper
was discovered near Emo. And as people began flowing in, huge sawmills were
built at Fort Frances, Emo and Rainy River. The district was a major exporter
of lumber on the continent.
Farms sprang up. Flour mills were built. A canning factory was established
in Emo, and district farmers for years boasted growing the best peas and
beans nationwide in major agricultural fairs. People pooled money and resources
to establish creameries, brick factories and mills.
Schools grew and burst at the seams. They expanded again, and each year
more students graduated. During the 1930s depression, more people arrived
as the lumber mills, paper mill and road construction provided jobs that
could not be found elsewhere. New businesses were started, and innovative
changes were taking place. Residents and business embraced new technologies
and developed new methods of doing business.
Even during the Second World War, district residents carried an air of optimism
in funding Victory Bonds and supporting their sons at war.
District hockey and baseball teams carried the banners of district residents
into competition and returned successful. Boxers grew and won Canadian Golden
Glove championships.
In the 1950s, schools expanded even more. The district reached its peak
in employment. Tourism expanded. Farms grew to larger acreage and larger
herds.
For two months, we have been cramming, learning more about our district
than we ever thought possible. Older district citizens, on hearing about
the anniversary edition, have dropped in and offered their views on pieces
of our history.
Many stories today are similar to those in previous decades. The battle
over funding schools has been on- going. It took nearly 70 years to settle
the power agreement here. Fort Frances has complained since the the 1900s
of the transfer of government agencies to Kenora and now Thunder Bay, while
district municipalities complain about the centralizing of government agencies
in Fort Frances.
Early residents understood that whatever they wanted or needed, they couldn't
depend on government to supply. They had to depend on family and neighbours
and community. Then it happened.
Sometime in the 1960s, the newspaper started advertising for volunteers
to work on community groups, maintain playgrounds and community rinks. People
stopped looking at themselves as being the solution and looked elsewhere
for help. The newspaper picked up that change. Having grown and expanded
for 60 years, the district became comfortable - and began resisting change.
District residents and business have become more insular.
If the district is to grow and change as it began a century ago, we will
have to go back and look at the efforts of those first citizens who risked
everything to establish this area as their home.
We must embrace their optimism and co-operation.
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