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Wednesday 11am - 2pm Thursday 11am - 2pm Friday 11am - 2am Saturday 11am - 2pm

Stanhope Museum, 1123 North Shore Road, Algonquin Highlands (2026)

05/24/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, May 22 to Sunday, May 28

Image: A Sept 1940 photo of Wilfred’s sister Myra in the Mason flower garden.

This week: Treating a sick calf, more minnow sales, a trip to Minden, a young tree thief, Myra works in the garden and then - an inch of snow!

Monday, May 22
This forenoon I took the Martin boys to Glenverdean to see spruce tree they are taking out for logs, also got gasket shellac from Art Welch & fixed Mrs Weinrebs pump this afternoon. I got 60 cents worth of penicillin from Martins & gave the calf with pneumonia a needle. Tourists got $2.00 worth of minnows and Bill Peck & Gladys were here this evening and got $1.50 worth. Mr Farley got a fire permit.

Tuesday, May 23
Swamped out & delivered 2 cords of 15” wood to Little Hawk, went to the little lake & got some minnows. Art Welch gave me $4.00 worth of gas in the truck for two trips to his place about the dog. Mr. Farley called for minnows. Doug Heard called to see if I would teach Junior class at vacation school. Dr. & Lloyd were here with Mr & Mrs Aymong to-night. We were at McCrackens to-night, all except Bob.

Wednesday, May 24
This morning after the chores were done I took the tractor out and cut cedar posts & braces for Sexsmiths & delivered them, also cut posts for Olan but didn’t finish the order, he wants 34, 8’ long. Harold Harrison got some minnows. Tonight Myra was working in the garden. I fixed the garden gate and cut the grass around the front part of the yard.

Thursday, May 25
I finished Fred Olans order of cedar posts, delivered & peeled them over there. I took an extra one making it 35. I took the bark up to the garbage disposal & got some bread at Downs store. Leslie Coulter called in to get me to do some veterinary work so I went up there this evening & when I got back Bert Harrison phoned me to go over there tomorrow or the next day.

Friday, May 26
About an inch of snow on the ground this morning. I went to the lake for minnows and we started planting the garden. A tree blew over by the corner of the sugar bush and I had to cut the top up into wood and move the brush. I was going to go to Lindsay but couldn’t get ready in time. In the evening I went to Minden and put a couple of cheques in the bank, got my hair cut & did some shopping.

Saturday, May 27
I had to go to the lake for more minnows & took 200 over to Olans, also trimmed the Ponys feet, picked up the eggs & called in at Leighs then did 1 ½ hr chainsawing at Clifftons & got the groceries at Downs. Vern Hewitt was down twice for minnows, once with his mother then around 11 P.M. with tourists. Peg & Toni were here.

Sunday, May 28
It was nice today but still cool & showers toward evening. There were 26 out to S.S. & the offering was $3.45. Lloyd wasn’t there to-day, only 11 out to St Stephens church. I caught a young fellow from the cottage Mrs Oaks sold taking a tree from Aymongs bush. Lloyd was in for a little while after I got back from church.

05/17/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, May 15 to Sunday, May 21

Image: The Mason farm in 1995, looking west from Boshkung Lake Road, courtesy of Lloyd Sexsmith.

This week: Springtime work around the farm, more woodcutting, minnow sales, many visitors, and Lily (Walker) Coulter passes away.

Monday, May 15
Myra & I took the twelve black yearling heifers & the Tidy cow up to the ranch by the school this morning then after I got the chores done I went up and went around the fence repairing it. Mr Suydam & Peg were in for a few minutes. There was a thunder storm to-night.

Tuesday, May 16
Mabel phoned for 1 cord 12” wood. I cut that to-day & some 36” wood. We had the following visitors to-day, the last of them leaving around 9:30 Mr Suydam, Pete Sawyer for 200 minnows, Doug Adamson & another man for 2 doz minnows, Wilf & Pearl Eason for a visit on his way to see Ern. Elvin was in to borrow the tractor plow. I didn’t get going to bible study to-night.

Wednesday, May 17
I went over & got Elvins trailer with the tractor & swamped out a truck load of wood & took it up to Petes, 1 cord 24” wood & 1 cord 12” wood. I finished burning the brush in the lower garden. Bob Davies got 100 minnows, Gord Stiver 200. This morning I took some pies, cake, meat & soup up to Abb & Britties. Aymongs were here to-night. Harold Harrison & Grant called.

Thursday, May 18
I finished the 36” cord for Hawk Lake & went up to get more minnows. The bible study was at Adamsons, altogether there were 13 there, Doug, Iris, Diane, Aunt Rose, Edith, Norma, Althea, Gail, Mary O, Ruby, Elvin, Mr Gracie & myself studying Phil. 2 as far as verse 15. It rained while we were there & most of the night & rather cool. I still have the calves in the stable but the cows are out. Peg, Toni & Mr Suydam are at the cottage this week, they called and brought us 6 suckers this evening.

Friday, May 19
This morning i went up and got minnows from the lake. Sharon & Gala were in to get their bike tires pumped. After I got back from the lake I did the bull calves. The student United Minister called (Douglas W Heard). Pete Sawyer got 200 minnows. Lloyd came from Toronto & had a bite to eat. I went to the funeral parlor Mrs Archie Coulters funeral to-morrow. Some tourists called & got $2.00 worth of minnows.

Saturday, May 20
I was at the little lake twice to-day, got nice lot of minnows in the evening. I took 300 over for Olan, 30 for Pete & Stiver got 200 & sold $1.50 worth to tourist. Elvin borrowed the truck to take wood to halls lake. I called at Glenverdean to-day, a Mr Pauson got a fire permit down near Johnsons on Daves property. I disked & harrowed the two gardens.

Sunday, May 21
There were only 24 out to S.S. to-day, dull cloudy and cool rainng at night. Lloyd was at S.S. again to-day and then he took me to Carnarvon church in his car. When we got home he helped me get the cows and calves in. Then I went down and put the heifers in at the lower barn. Nifty the roan one had a big Hereford bull calf to-night around twelve o’clock. (margin note) Calf got pneumonia.

05/10/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, May 8 to Sunday, May 14

Image: Happy Mother’s Day! This is one of our earliest pioneer mothers - Pennsylvania Bice (1810-1884), matriarch of the Bice/Boice family of Stanhope, & her husband Samuel.

This week: Wilfred keeps busy with wood chopping & minnows, there’s plenty of visitors, great weather & it’s Mother’s Day.

Monday, May 8
After doing chores I went out & cut some wood. After dinner I went up to the lake & got the minnows out of the traps. Leslie Coulter, one of the Martin boys & Floyd Miller are down putting the crop in with three tractors at Leslie’s new farm at Kirkfield.

Tuesday, May 9
Couple of fellows were here for minnows, got a dozen. It was raining quite steadily till noon. Harold Harold Harrison brought a gallon of syrup I had ordered & some suckers. Gord Martin was in to ask some advice about a cow, then he phoned me at noon to come in & look after another one due to freshen. Miss Merle Watson was in for a visit at supper time. Then Mrs Parker, Mrs W Prentice & Maron. The bible study was at McCrackens, everyone including Stuart – he came back Sun eve.

Wednesday, May 10
This morning Leslie Coulter was in to ask me if I would plow gardens at Halls Lake. Then I went & got Mary Olive, she wanted to spend the day with Myra. This afternoon I cut & split wood in the bush. At supper time Fred Brooks got a few minnows. Then Lloyd & Mrs Sexsmith came in for a visit in their new little car. Lloyd took me for a ride around the block. After they left, I took Mary home.

Thursday, May 11
After doing the chores, I went up to the lake and got nice few minnows. Then I went over to Olans and got some gas $4.00 and loaves of bread. After dinner I went out & cut & split some more wood. Gord Stiver got 200 minnows. This evening I left the yearlings out & Tidy, also the horses for the first time.

Friday, May 12
I went to the lake for minnow and took 200 over to Fred Olan, & drew 2 load of stones for Leigh to Hazeletts, then called at Kirkconnells to check wall built last fall. Took 2 loads of wood down to Robinsons. Pete Sawyer was here tonight & got 300 minnows. I went down to bucks slide with Daves to try to get suckers but none were up. My Suydam called for keys. Mr Russell & Art got $1.00 worth each.

Saturday, May 13 – 80 degrees today
I went up to the lake for more minnows. Mr Galchuck called for more minnows and brought us more smelt. Two men called that had been looking at Coulters ranch. This evening Peg, Toni & Mr Suydam also Lloyd were here. They except Toni went with me to Downs store & Bishops for the eggs. I had to examine Downs cats leg.

Sunday, May 14
It was a lovely day again today, very hot. The teachers were all at S.S. to-day. Lloyd was there to-day. This was Mothers day & Paull & Winnifred were up, had dinner at Coulters, visited around and went to church. A man from Peterborough took the service. He took the wrong road and was about ½ hr late. Mr. & Mrs Aymong were here this evening.

05/03/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, May 1 to Sunday, May 7

Image: A 1986 aerial photograph of the Ferguson farm on North Shore Road.

This week: More hay from the Ferguson farm, the swallows are back, Stubb gets a temporary reprieve, ice is going out, calves are born, and a visit to the Ranger School & to Minden. (Content advisory – Wilfred dispatches a dog on Friday)

Monday, May 1
I worked at the Aymong Paull house 3 hrs this forenoon. This afternoon I went to the Ranger School to see Peter. When I came home to put the cattle in, the white heifer Blossom had a heifer calf shortly after I got her in the stable. I was supposed to go to Bill Cowans to get the little pigs to-night.

Tuesday, May 2
I worked at the Aymong house 2 ½ hrs this forenoon. It is snowing again to-day, melts almost as soon as it lands on the ground. I got the little pigs at noon, they weighed 36 lbs with the bags $10.00 each. I didn’t go to McCrackens to-night as Tillie was restless. She had a lovely bull calf about nine o’clock.

Wednesday, May 3
I cut part of a road for the tractor to woodpiles in the bush. It was cloudy, cool and showery to-day. This afternoon I patched the roof of the Paull house & swept up the rest of the plaster in the house. This makes 10 hrs work total. Hydro man came to read meter.

Thursday, May 4
Swallows are here. Art Welch came before I got the chores done to get me to go up and give his dog Stubb medicine or do away with him. When I finished the chores I went up. He is still alive to-night & improving. I got another load of hay from Fergusons to-day, clover this time & pd him by cheque for the 2 loads. The ice is moving down the lake to-night & should be gone by morning.

Friday, May 5
The ice seems to be out of Boskung lake to-day but it is still in Halls Lake. I went up & shot Arts dog and buried him this morning. I went up to the little lake & put in 6 traps & brought down a few minnows that were in the first trap & sold them tonight to a couple of fellows that have a cottage on Kushog. I cut some more wood to-day & burned brush tonight in lower gardens.

Saturday, May 6
Mr. Galchuck came for minnows and brought us some smelt. I went to Minden and got my hair cut and brought crushed oats & salt from Sam Welches. I took 100 minnows over to Fred Olan and Harold Harrison came in for minnows. Three large flocks of geese went north.

Sunday, May 7
We had a thunder & hail storm about four o’clock this morning. I was the only teacher at S.S. today. Althea was in Toronto at a wedding and Hazel & Iris had the flu. There were 26 out. I went into church here, 8 out. To-night Myra & I went up to see Mrs. Collins.

05/01/2026

This is "Wilfred 1941", according to writing on the back of the photo, but who is this Wilfred? Can you help us identify this soldier? Edit: our first deduction was incorrect. It’s not Willard McPhail, according to a relative. The search for the correct WILFRED continues…

04/26/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, April 24 to Sunday, April 30

Image: A 1953 Kodacolor print of the Lands and Forests building on the Minden by-pass (Highway 35), built by John J. Hewitt. (Courtesy of his grandchildren)

This week: Dinner with cousin Brittie, an A.O.T.S. (As One That Serves) United Church Men’s Club banquet at Maple Lake church, Chief Ranger Cassidy presents two films, a grass fire, and the ice on the lakes is breaking up.

Monday, April 24
The weather is rather cloudy. I cleaned manure out of the housing pen while Myra was getting ready the dinner etc and shortly after eleven we left to go over to Brittie’s & took the dinner with us & had a visit with Brittie while we ate. Abb was away working on the road. I picked up the meat baskets at Thomases on the way home.

Tuesday, April 25
It was a very nice day & quite mild. I piled some of the wood in the bush. When I was finishing the chores tonight I got a phone call to get some men. Leslie came down to tell me. The fire was nearly out when we got there. The usual group were at McCrakens tonight except Betty & Bessie.

Wednesday, April 26
This morning we got a surprise when we got up the ground was white with snow. I went over to Wilsons on Kushog and cut down some trees and cut them in lengths to move. Stanley phoned me to see if I would go as his guest to-morrow night to the Mens Club banquet at Maple Lake.

Thursday, April 27
It was rathe a cloudy showery day & foggy tonight. I got 13 more bales of hay from Oscar, all he had left. This afternoon I fixed fence and tonight I went over to Maple Lake church to the Mens Club A.O.T.S. banquet as Stanleys guest. There were around 30 present. Mr Cassidy chief ranger from Minden showed 2 films, one on fire fighting, the other on tree planting to stop erosion.

Friday, April 28
It rained quite a bit today so I got started working at the Aymong house. I took the partition out between the upstairs bedrooms on the west, cleaned up the mess, put the best in the wood shed, burned some and put the plaster down the old well as directed to do. Worked 4 hrs & did chores the rest of the time.

Saturday, April 29
This morning I went over to Bill Fergusons and got 50 bales of hay averaging 55 lbs @ $17.00 per ton. Got the groceries from Downs this evening & crushed oats from Allcorns. Norman & Muriel were here this evening & Gord Stiver for minnows.

Sunday, April 30
Everybody on the S.S. enrolment was out too-day, but Barbara Howe & Kenny Hone, 32. It was a lovely morning & a beautiful day until evening & clouded over. Quite a few tourists were up this week-end. I went over to Carnarvon church to-day. The ice in the lakes is moving around but still quite thick. Stanley A. says about 6”.

04/19/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, April 17 to Sunday, April 23

Image: A page from the April 13, 1961 Haliburton County Echo advertising the movies at the Beaver and Molou theatres, as well as evangelical minister Arthur Rose’s rally at the Beaver Theatre. (Courtesy of the free Haliburton Highlands Newspaper Archive www.hhda.ca)

This week: Spring cleanup, a bowling banquet & dance at the Archers, preachers and missionaries are in town, and the cottagers are arriving.

Monday, April 17
Elvin was in for a few minutes this morning to see where I wanted some trees cut for wood. Then I went over & got Leigh and we killed the last two year old steer. Francis Thomas is to get half and Peter Barden the other half.

Tuesday, April 18
This morning Leigh & I went to Haliburton & took Bardens meat to the locker, then Leigh came back & split wood. I cut up Thomases meat and delivered it on the way to McCrackens. Phil wasn’t there to-night.

Wednesday, April 19
I went over & got Leigh this morning and we took the chain saw down and cut the white birch tree for Peg & Toni & split it and threw it up on the shore, it took 2 ½ hrs. This afternoon we took the truck out and cut some wood and brought a load in that was on the road side.

Thursday, April 20
Leigh & I cut wood in the spare time I wasn’t doing chores. Leigh split wood here while I was at the chores & getting load of hay from Oscar S. Isabelle & Mr. Tribe were here for supper. To-night I went down to Minden to hear the Rev Arthur Rose at the Minden theater. He spoke real well, there was a real good crowd out. Quite a number went to the front, David & Ray among them. Bob & Miss McA went with me.

Friday, April 21
It was a lovely morning but clouded over and started to rain & rained off & on all afternoon. Hazel Welch phoned to say Art was bringing the dog down for me to treat his ears but didn’t show up. I dragged the lawn & yard with the tractor, snow seems to be all gone from road side & fields & the roads are good this year, best I can remember. I went down to Weinrebs & looked around, including boat house.

Saturday, April 22
This forenoon was mild but cloudy. I trimmed the lilac hedge & raked part of the yard and burned a bunch of junk. This was the night of the bowling banquet & dance at Archers. Peg & Mrs Sexsmith were here for a while this evening, come while I was away to the store. Tom Wilson phoned me last night after I had gone to bed to see what the roads were like as he was coming up today to Kushog cottage.

Sunday, April 23
There were 31 out to S.S. today. It was a beautiful day. This is the third Sunday in a row that Glen & Craig have been away. A lady from China Inland Mission spoke at church to-day. I wasn’t able to stay for the service as there were two calves arrived around church time. I took Abbs girls in & went for them after. The Wilsons were in from Kushog. Elvin & Ruby & the boys were here this evening.

04/12/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, April 10 to Sunday, April 16

Image: 1935 photo of Norman & Muriel (Switzer) Brown at the Welch home in Maple Lake. William Welch & baby granddaughter Marvel and grandson Ray are on the porch. (Courtesy of Karen Eager)

This week: Wood deliveries to Norman Brown, a visit with Mrs Archer, babies are born into two ministers’ families, ice is going out, geese are flying north, and frogs are peeping.

Monday, April 10
It snowed nearly all day. Elvin called in the morning & went to the woods & cut down some trees into drags. I did some skidding. Bob Davies called at noon on his way to Toronto and brought milk pail back.

Tuesday, April 11
Elvin cut some more drags for wood this morning after taking the boys to school, till about eleven when his saw acted up. He was going to Miners Bay to Bob Wunkers on business. In the evening Betty & I went to Mr & Mrs McCrackens to bible study. There were the same group except Ruth, with Betty, Mr McCracken & Bessie extra.

Wednesday, April 12
I went over to Oscars and got a load of hay, this is the fourth load since I paid him. When I got back I had a bit of trouble getting up to our barn as frost was going out. Then I went to Carnarvon & got bag of crushed oats, cut the rest of beech tree for Leigh and had dinner with them. They were going to Ellas after. I called a few minutes to visit with Mrs Archer at Harolds new house (she had a stroke week ago Tue.)

Thursday, April 13
Brenda had a bull calf this morning about 3 oclock. I was up for a while. I went over to do some veterinary work for Harold Harrison. After I did the chores I look a load of wood over for Norman Brown.

Friday, April 14
Minnie, Leigh, Myra & I went to Minden to do some shopping. I got 3 bags of 80lb crushed oats at Sam Welches @ 2.65 each and got my hair cut. We had dinner at Leighs and before we left, went over to see Mrs T. Archer.

Saturday, April 15
This is a lovely morning, sunny and mild, hardly any snow left, ice is getting shaky, open around the shore. I took 2 more loads of wood over for Norman B. Leigh helped me unload 2 and load one of them. Wild geese are going north. Sexsmiths were up & came to see us this evening, were going back to the city to-night.

Sunday, April 16
After quite a strong east wind, it rained nearly all day, then turned to wet snow. Frogs are peeping in the Upton pond tonight. There were only 22 at Sunday School today. The church service is at 4 o’clock now. I went in this afternoon, there were around 15 out. Aunt Rose was there. Gracies had a baby girl & Staples had a baby boy on Friday.

04/09/2026

Look at these cute kids! They are the three oldest children of T.C. Prentice and Jane Pritchard - Alice born 1905, Muriel born 1907, and Lesley born 1910. This photo was donated to the museum by their nephew Sinclair Russell.

04/07/2026

Many thanks to Karen Eager, Tom Welch's granddaughter, for sharing this wonderful photo of these young Maple Lake area men. From left to right: Garnet Dawson, Wesley Welch, Thomas Welch, Milton Dawson & Orma Fader. Based on their appearance and clothing style, this photo was taken in the late 1910s or early 1920s. We wonder what occasion prompted this studio photo.

04/05/2026

65 YEARS AGO IN STANHOPE – 1961 EDITION OF WILFRED MASON’S FARM DIARY
Monday, April 3 to Sunday, April 9

Image: Circa 1912 Easter postcard from Dora Dawson of Maple Lake to Myra Mason of Boskung. “Dear Myra, wishing you all a happy Easter. school has stopped over here. our teacher is going to stay. I hope you have a good time at Easter. Sincerely yours Dora Dawson”

This week: A game of Scrabble, loads of hay and wood to pick up, and the missionaries from the Sudan Interior Mission are at the Minden Gospel Church this week. (See 1961 Haliburton Echo ad in comments)

Monday, April 3
This morning I went over to Oscars and got another load of hay. Glen & Don were there baleing. Mr & Mrs Jull were here for a lunch at noon and had a look at Miss Maus’ cottage to stay in for holidays this summer. Will, Lucy, Heather & nancy were up for a visit. In the Craigs program Peter Carnell & Janice Moorhouse were married today April 3rd.

Tuesday, April 4
Minnie & Leigh went to Minden with Myra & I. We had dinner with them. When we came back after dinner I cut down a big beech tree over by Harolds new house. Harold & Leigh pulled with the pulley to make it go where we wanted it. Tonight I went up to Halls Lake, took the meat for Mr McBride then went on down to Bobs. Tonight we started Hebrews.

Wednesday, April 5
I took the team out & skidded about 11 pieces. In the evening Will Noble, Heather, Nancy & Bill were up and we played Scabble and Myra gave them a lunch before they left. Laurence & Vera Harrison were here to-day.

Thursday, April 6
There were a few snow flurries to-day. After I got the chores done I got the tractor from the lower garage and pulled the truck to & fro till I got it turned around and took it out to the road, also took the car out. Will Noble & Heather went with us to bible study at Hazels. There were 18 out.

Friday, April 7
It is rather cloudy today, an odd light snow flurry. Betty was down today. Phil phoned me to tell me about Paul McBrien having the brain hemorage or collapse. Myra, Betty, Sandra & I went to Minden tonight to hear Mr Percy & Della Watson of the S.I.M. Althea, Iris, Gail, Diane & Susan & Verna Martin were there too.

Saturday, April 8
Bob Davies, also a chap from down Brooks way were here for minnows. Bob McBrien phoned to see if I knew of a ride for Bessie to Minden tonight. I got a load of hay from Oscars & took a load of wood to Normans. Leigh came along to help me. I waited till after eleven tonight when the ground was hard to take the load to the barn then tonight I took the car & went to Downs & Allcorns. I ordered a pair of pigs from Bill Cowan.

Sunday, April 9
It was a beautiful day, there were only 25 out to S.S. this morning, quite a few not home yet from their holidays. We went to Minden again to-night to hear Mr. Percy from S.I.M. Betty & Sandra went with us & both went to the front and signed pledge cards.

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