Kearns & Virginiatown, Ont.
Mostly Photographs

Updated February 4, 2012.

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1988, 2006 & 2010 REUNION PHOTOGRAPHS I hope everyone enjoyed the Kearns-V'Town reunion. See the 2010 reunion page -- 82 photos so far, so please send me your best (or worst, for that matter). The 2006 reunion photo page has almost 100 photos posted, but there is room for lots more. Also see the 1988 KLCVI reunion page, with 18 photos so far. or you can snail-mail them to me as well. My postal address is at the bottom of the main history menu page.

KIRKLAND LAKE : KLCVI YEARBOOKS & REUNION

• In this collection of yearbooks I've scanned all of the text and photo pages (not including advertising pages). All names have been transcribed as published, but I'll gladly correct errors if you tell me about them. In a terrific response from website users, I've been offered, or have on hand waiting for transcription, all yearbooks from 1956 to 1978, but it will be some time (possibly years) before they are done. If you have the skills and the time to spare, I would welcome some help.
• 1955 KLCVI Yearbook. Many thanks to Ron Ross for sending me this book to scan.
• 1962 KLCVI Yearbook. Many thanks to Peter Jovic for sending me this book to scan.
•   1964 KLCVI Yearbook. Many thanks to Peter Jovic for sending me this book to scan. (Corrected October 7, 2011)
• 1965 KLCVI Yearbook. -- Paul LaDuke emailed me this: ". . . I was on the yearbook committee that year, and in subsequent years. As I recall it the publishing company had a sales rep going around to schools all over Ontario collecting manuscripts and photos. The rep also began collecting money in advance on the sales of the planned book. Apparently the company was not aware of this money being collected. The school year ended and everyone expected the books to be available in the fall. When we inquired about them the company informed us and several other schools that the sales rep had absconded, apparently out of the country, with a ton of cash, their car and all the photos and manuscripts. I believe they returned the money but could not provide the books as the pictures and pages were gone. "
• 1973 KLCVI Yearbook. Many thanks to Mike Molotkin for sending me this book to scan.
•  
• Some former V-Town students at the KLCVI reunion in 1988. Most photos were taken at the dance in the V-Town arena and others at a private residence. Eighteen photos so far.
• Helen Wattie, former teacher at KLCVI, died Oct. 22, 2009. Obituary, two photos and details of the celebration of her life on Nov. 7, 2009.

2006 VIRGINIATOWN REUNION :

•   2006 Reunion Photo Collection. 95 photos posted so far, and counting -- mostly taken at the Kiwanis BBQ. Better check because you may be there with your face hanging out. (Updated January 16, 2012)

2010 VIRGINIATOWN REUNION :

•   2010 Reunion Photo Collection. 82 photos so far, plus a link to a collection of 102 more photos on Picasa. (Updated January 5, 2011)

CHEMINIS & CHEMINIS MOUNTAIN :

• Picnic on top of Cheminis Mountain, July 1948. Six photos. Surnames are Dobie & Hawkes. But who is the other family?
• Aerial photo of Cheminis Mountain, August, 2003
• Photo of Cheminis Mountain, September, 2005
• Two photos taken on Cheminis Mountain, September, 2005
• View from Cheminis Mountain, Aug. 2010. Thanks to Vicha (Ostapiej) Hajdamowicz for this photo.

EDDIE DUKE POST CARDS :

• Most of these Eddie Duke postcards were sent to me by Ron Ross.
• Cheminis Mountain, 1940s-1950s?.
• Kerr Addison Gold Mines.
• Virginiatown Public School. This card seems to be 1950s or 1960s by the look of the school bus.
• Virginiatown view showing public school, etc.. This photo was taken from the hill at the base of the water tower so it almost looks like an aerial view.
• Almost complete view of Virginiatown. Taken from a very high vantage point. Shows the town looking south-west.

KEARNS :

• Officials at Chesterville Gold Mines, July 1939 The occasion was the pouring of the first gold brick, July 29, 1939. Surnames are: Barkley, Cross, and Johnston.
• Chesterville Gold Mine, 1939, from a postcard.
• Three friends, about 1945/47. Kenny Walker, Donald Cook, Ron Ross. Thanks to Ron Ross for this photo.
• The Denny family in Kearns, c. 1946/47. Thanks to Gary Denny for these two photos. One was taken at their house on Cheminis Road and the other at a house they rented in town.
• Chesterville School Bus, 1947. This bus took the Kearns and Cheminis kids to school in Virginiatown. Thanks to Ed Owens for this original photo.
• Chesterville Gold Mine Employees' Hall in the early days This building has been completely renovated and is now Cheminis Lodge. However, this photo shows it as I remember it as a child in the 1940's and early 1950's.
•   An Award or Presentation, 1947-48. Thanks to Jo Anne (Pedersen) Ahronson for this photo. Six men at some sort of function possibly related to Chesterville Gold Mines. Can you help? Names so far: Helge Byberg, Bill Dobie, Val Pedersen, Wilfred Mayhew. (Revised February 1, 2012)
• Kit Dobie, Geordie & Bobby Hammond, Kearns, 1947/8.
• Dora & Kit Dobie and Lois Brown, about 1949. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Birthday party about 1950. Earl Turcotte, Ojar (Peter) Bikaunieks, Kit Dobie, Jim Row, Wayne Moline. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Four playmates, about 1950. Hope McCrea, Dora Dobie, Carol & Betty Comisky. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Birthday party, 1950. Surnames are Brown, Comisky, Dobie, Nickerson, and Robinson. Three more names needed. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Informal social gathering, possibly 1950. Surnames are: Dobie, Gervais, Grozelle, and Judge.
• Beautiful downtown Kearns, about 1950, from a postcard.
  • Same postcard but enhanced by Bill McGrath. Bill has added his recollections of the various buildings in the photo.
•   Pugliese Family photos, 1950-60's. Many thanks to Ferio Pugliese for these six photos. Ralph, Guy & Flora Pugliese ran Ralph's Superette grocery store in Kearns from the 1940's until 1986 when the business was sold. (Added January 4, 2011)
• Headframe of Chesterville Gold Mine, about 1950, from a postcard.
• Birthday Party, Kearns, Feb. 1950. Brian McEwen, Geordie Hammond, Kit Dobie. Can you identify the others?
• Nora & Brian Mayhew, Margaret & Dora Dobie about 1952.
• Dora Dobie & Brian Mayhew about 1952.
• Birthday party, September 1952. Christine & Jean Nickerson, Ruth Berard, Lois & Marian Brown, Betty Comisky, Patsy Robinson, Dora Dobie, Brian Mayhew, Marian Gillis, Sonja Kucyk. This is a link to my genealogy website.
• Claude & Jean Seger, Margaret & Dora Dobie, picnic on Larder Lake, about 1952.
• The Gallina Family about 1958. I received photos and a query from Giuseppe Gallina in Italy who is researching his grandparents (shown in the photo at right). His father was born in Kearns in 1958, and his grandfather was killed in a mining accident only six months later. Giuseppe says: "I know my grandfather only from these photos, so it's very important for me know something about the places where he lived."
  Amazingly, two of the photos were taken on Kearns Avenue, in front of the house where I lived between 1947 and 1953.
• View looking up Kearns Ave., 1967. The blue house with the cut-off tip on the roof was our house, 1947-1953. Compare this view with the top photo in the Gallina family photos, above.
• Dobie's old house on Kearns Ave., 1967. With a boy on the porch staring at the weird photographer.
• View looking up the hill on Kearns Ave., 1967. With several children trudging up the hill with their lunch buckets.
• Ruins of a boathouse on the Kearns River, 1967. To me, this was the big tragedy of my 1967 trip to Kearns -- in only 14 years our boathouse had disappeared and the one next to it was a ruin. Don't people put their boats on the river anymore?
• Kearns Arms Hotel 1967-68 Broomball crest. John St. Pierre sent this photo. The hotel has since been turned into an apartment building.
• Hill on Kearns Avenue, looking towards Cheminis Mountain, 1981.
• Colour photo of Kearns & Cheminis Mountain, taken July, 1983
• Aerial photo of Kearns, August, 2003
• Wide view of Kearns taken September, 2005. This one and the three below taken by Peter Bikaunieks.
  • Closer view showing downtown & Cheminis Mountain.
  • Stunning night photo of Kearns, Thanksgiving, 2006.
  • Same view as above in daylight.
• Photos of the Kearns area, June 2009. Nine photos taken by Ron Ross. Shown are: a panorama of Kearns Avenue; downtown Kearns; the Kearns Arms Hotel; Lynch Ave.; Bear Creek; Kearns Beach.

	JOE NICKERSON, FOLK ARTIST	Joe Nickerson has lived all his life on the same street in Kearns. Formerly a railway worker, he is retired and took up sculpture about 10 years ago. His medium is white PVC tubing. . . . See photos of Joe's art and a short description by Peter Bikaunieks. Photos by Peter Bikaunieks, Lloyd Hart and Andy Ross.

On the evening of August 21, 2007, Joe Nickerson's house was destoyed by an arsonist and he barely escaped with his life. I'll let Peter Bikaunieks tell it . . . " . . . we visited Kirkland Lake Aug. 20/07 and stopped at Joe's place in Kearns Aug. 21. . . . Stayed an hour and had a good chin wag. Interestingly, Joe loves tropical birds and lets a number of them fly free around the house. He also has a large aquarium where he keeps several large, green turtles. After leaving Joe's we climbed Mount Cheminis and drove home next day. That evening we learned Joe's house had been torched while he slept. He had, it seems, barely escaped alive. According to an on-line news item, police were, and still are, investigating the fire. Ironically, the day before, Joe had remarked how well some of his neighbours treat him. I noted that because Joe is a bit of an eccentric, as you well know. Both the house that was burned and his studio across the street, which was not burned, were extensively decorated with his PVC art objects. Though every one in Kearns seems friendly, I always sensed, and likely Joe also sensed, that some folks might be irked by his eccentricity. Our immediate difficulty was that there was no way to contact Joe. We finally called the McGarry municipal office in Virginiatown. While Joe had survived the fire all right, he had simply vanished. . . . . Finally, early in October, Joe called us. . . . We learned he was staying with friends in Quebec. He said that on the night of the fire he was awakened by a loud explosion near his head and quickly learned the house was on fire. He had just enough time to save himself and a couple of his birds. The rest and the turtles perished in the fire. He got out with the clothes on his back, a bird cage, and a suitcase of his important documents which he kept packed for an emergency. Otherwise everything was lost in the fire, which also engulfed the abandoned house next door. . . . He's thinking of returning to Kearns after the winter with the view of rebuilding his place. I asked if he had any suspicions about how the fire was started. He said many suspicions but no proof. Still, he plans to come home to Kearns where he has lived for 60 years. "

KERR-ADDISON GOLD MINES :

• Two photos, 1936-37. Office & core shack and a group photo. Surnames: Healy, Hotchkin, Lynch, McPhee, Muir, Ogryzlo. Photos submitted by Joe Joyner.
• Closing in No. 3 Headframe, 1938. Photo submitted by Joe Joyner.
• Steve Peicheff, hardrock miner, early 1940s. Thanks to Ed Peicheff for this photo which was taken underground at Kerr Addison.
• Doug Hart clearing snow with bulldozer, Kerr-Addison, 1949.
• Ed Owens sent me a nice collection of photos:
  • Kerr-Addison Gold Mines, about 1949. Ed says he thinks they were taken when the mill was being expanded to 4000 tons per day. Surnames: Hart, Martin, Simmons.
  • Virginatown buildings.
  • Virginatown people. Surnames are: Cesnek, Desrosier, Laporte, Lasseline, Mulligan, Peloquin, Pigeau, Rivet.
• Kerr-Addison from Kearns beach, about 1949.
• Kerr-Addison, original employees present at pouring of 5,000,000th ounce. October 9, 1958. Surnames are: Andersen, Baker, Barstead, Bousquet, Cavin, Chartrand, Curtis, Dorfman, Gardiner, Gravelle, Hart, Hilder, Latimer, Little, Malane, McWaters, Morrison, Row, Sagin, Slater, Sudol, Wickham, Yule.
•   Kerr-Addison banquet, 1959. The occasion of the banquet is unknown. Thanks to Doug Beggs for these four colour slides owned by his late father, R.J. Beggs. Photographer is unknown. Many people are unidentified -- surnames so far are: Baker, Beggs, Bosquet, Byberg, Gardiner. (Updated December 9, 2011)
• Ker-Addison Basketball Team, 1970s? Surnames: Curtis, Doria, Gusmanis, Haggerman, Morrison, Smith. Group photo submitted by Joe Joyner.
• Kerr-Addison from Kearns beach, winter of 1981.
• Kerr-Addison Gold Mines, July, 1983.
• Another view of Kerr-Addison Gold Mines from Barber Lake, July, 1983.
• Ten-year party, 1985. Surnames: Charlton, Cross, Kowbassa, Little, McDonaugh, Merhar, Morrsette. Group photo submitted by Joe Joyner.

"I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER . . . ." :

In this section some people have put their writing skills to the test and written their recollections of their childhood in Kearns and/or Virginiatown. Please keep these items coming in!

McGARRY TWP. SCHOOLS : STUDENT LISTS & CLASS PHOTOS

This section has mostly class photos of Virginiatown Public School, with only one of Kearns Public School. They are arranged by year, then by grade within year, to help you find your class. This is a very popular section of this website, so if you have photos of any of the missing classes I would love to get a copy from you. It doesn't matter if you've forgotten everyone's name, website users will identify most students very quickly.

VIRGINIATOWN and KEARNS STUDENT LIST 1936-1986.

This list of about 3,800 names was transcribed from the McGarry Township 40th Anniversary booklet. The students listed are from Virginiatown Public School starting in 1936, Kearns Public School (see school photo) starting in 1950 (although this is an error, as Kearns classes started in February, 1955), and Ecole St-Louis starting in 1956. Names are listed alphabetically with all three schools combined. Click on a letter below to find a surname. (Updated December 15, 2011)

A B C D E F G H  I  J K L M N O P Q R S T V W Y Z

•   Grade Four Girls, McGarry Public School, 1941. Thanks to Mance (Potvin) Delahunt for this photo. Twenty-three girls and teacher Miss Wright. Only three identified: Frances Lauren, Joanne Postal, Lorraine Potvin. (Added October 5, 2011)
•   Grades One & Two, McGarry Public School, about 1941-43. All but one are identified. Surnames: Clark, Denduck, Didyk, Farrell, Francoeur, Gravelle, Johnson, Laroque?, Manchellanko, McGrath, Miers, Musial, Nault, Oehring, Oreskovitch, Palmer, Proctor, Ross, Sampson, Slater, Storie, Walker, Wilcox. (Corrected October 23, 2011)

  Public School Yearbook for 1945. A 32-page booklet published by the Public School Area of McGarry. Includes class photos of all grades. Many thanks to Brenda Belmonte for sending me the page scans. (Added July 18, 2011)

•   McGarry Public School teachers, 1945. An original of the photo which appears in the 1945 Public School Yearbook (see box above). Surnames: Brewer, Ford, Heard, McMorine, Nelson, Seaborn, Stratford, Whalen, Wilkie. (Corrected July 18, 2011)
• Miss Seaborn's Grade One Class, 1945. An original of the photo which appears in the 1945 Public School Yearbook (see box above). 21 students, all names needed. The only surname so far is Denny.
• Miss McMorine's Grade Two Class, 1945. An original of the photo which appears in the 1945 Public School Yearbook (see box above). 38 students, several names still needed. Student surnames so far are: Bake, Barnard, Bassett, Buckovetsky, Collison, Denny, Duguay, Evans, Francoeur, Frazer, Gavin, Gervais, Gray, Gunsinger, Hanlin, Lameroux, Laporte, Moses, Nelson, Peicheff, Poulin, Radakovich, Rodeleau, Sampson, Spack.
• Mrs. Nelson's Grade Two Class, 1945. An original of the photo which appears in the 1945 Public School Yearbook (see box above). 26 students, most names needed. Surnames so far are: Brown, Collison, Denny, Laporte, Little, Nickerson, Pollock, Poulin, Slater, Stewart, Walker, Withers.
• McGarry Public School students, about 1946-1949. Thanks to Bill McGrath for this photo which was taken outside in the schoolyard. Can you identify any of the kids? The only surnames so far are Fulkerson, McGrath.
• Private kindergarten class in Virginiatown, about 1951. Three photos. Jean Robinson and another woman had a kindergarten class, possibly for just one year, in the basement of the Anglican Church in Virginiatown. Most of the kids are unidentified. The only names so far are: Dobie, Mayhew, Robinson.
• McGarry Public School, Grade 5 operetta, 1951/1952. 37 students, many in western costume. Most are identified, but there are still one or two names missing. Surnames so far: Arthur, Basich, Cyr, del Bosco, Cadieux, Croshaw, Dobie, Draper, Eagle, Esser?, Fenton, French, Hilder, Innis, Little, MacAuley, Moline, Nickerson, Nugent, Oehring, Patterson, Pederson or Peterson, Pollock, Radakovich, Row, Russell, Sampson, Sauer, Stewart, Szabuna.
• McGarry Public School in Virginiatown, most of 6th grade, 1952. I snapped this photo of my class because we were moving away and I knew I would never see these kids again. I've forgotten most of their names. Surnames so far are: Fellesco, Hilder, Little, MacAuley, Moline, Nugent, Oering, Row, Sampson.
•   Virginiatown Public School, Grade 2 class photo, 1954/5. Thanks to Dave Miner for this photo of 33 students and their teacher, Miss Carlson. Seven yet to be identified. Surnames so far are: Armstrong, Budden, Carlson, Curtis, Davies, Draper, Graham, Kukulis, Locke, MacIntyre, McLellan, Miner, Minion, O'Reilly, Skanes, Smith, Soon, Stanga, Straford, Swetlowsky, Watson, Wirzman, Yandeau. (Added December 4, 2011)
•   Kearns Public School, Grade 2? about 1955. Thanks to Teresa Bagyan for this photo. Most of the students are not identified so your help is needed. Mrs. Hunter was the teacher. Student surnames so far: Dasovich, Lees. (Added February 2, 2011)
• Virginiatown Public School, Grade 3 class photo, 1964. Miss McMorin is the teacher. Surnames are: Aspinal, Audziss, Baker, Caverly, Hyatt, Kirby, Lowe, MacAulay, MacIntyre, McLenachan, Owens, Pacey, Patterson, Paulina, Pender, Prest, Skorey, Stevens, Williams, Wilson, Zendroy.
• Virginiatown Public School, Grade 4 class photo, 1964. Mrs. Michaels is the teacher. Surnames so far: Caverly, Chalifoux, Cox, Croteau, Hagerman, Hederson, Hums, Jacko, Knieriemen, Locke, Lopata, Main, McLenachan, Owens, Prest, Sue, Tabaka, Theriault, Viegalais, Weis, Willard, Wilson, Zendroie.
• Virginiatown Public School, Grade 5 class photo, 1964. Thanks to Jean (Bock) Tennant for this photo. Surnames: Able, Abramson, Audette, Bock, Budden, Chalifoux, Crocker, Croteau, Girbig, Gramoli, Gubala, Gutmanis, Hedderson, Hums, Locke, Main, Mann, Markowich, Morrison, Sear, Stoughton, Sue, Tabaka, Wilson, Wright. Teacher was Miss Mackie.
• Kearns Public School, Grade 5 or 6, 1965. All students are identified. Surnames are: Acton, Beaton, Bellrose, Campbell, Czura, David, Gillis, Godmaire, Greaves, Jeffery, Johns, Johnston, Kozak, Laframboise, McMillan, Moses, Pascoe, Pugliese, Spadetto, Turcotte, Vaudry, Yakimczuk.
• Virginiatown Kindergarten class and "choir", 1966. Thanks to Ann Aaviku for these two photos. Surnames: Aaviku, Baker, Bugiel, Culhane, Denner, Doria?, Hart, Hums, Lamont?, Lowe(?), Massicotte, McLenachan, Moses, Neill, Reynolds, Richer, Sampson, Schultz(?), Spack, Sue, Turner, Zubernick. Teacher was Miss McMorin.
• Virginiatown Public School, Grade 5 class photo, 1966. Mrs. Michaels is the teacher. Surnames are: Acton, Allen, Baker, Caverly, Gibson, Hopkins, Hyatt, Jugulis, Kellington, Kirby, Kirky, Kneirman, Kobassa, Lowe, MacAulay, MacIntyre, McClennahan, Owens, Pascoe, Patterson, Prest, Quinton, Reynolds, Sear, Smith, Stevens, Theriault, Thomas, Vosdingh, Weiss, Wilson, Yule.
• Virginiatown Public School, Grade 7 class photo, 1966. Thanks to Jean (Bock) Tennant for this photo. Only one name is missing. Surnames: Abramson, Audette, Baker, Bock, Crocker, Croteau, Gauthier, Girbig, Gramoli, Gubala, Gutmanis, Hums, Leclair, Lowe, Main, Mann, Morrison, Owens, Pascoe, Sear, Teal. The teacher was Marilyn Byers.
•   Virginiatown Public School, Grade 8 class photo, 1966. Thanks to Dianne (Poulin) Bush for this photo of 33 students. Mr. Aceti was the teacher. All but one student identified: Aaviku, Aceti, Acton, Baker, Bugiel, Cook, Curtis, Davies, Doherty, Gillis, Gusmanis, Hrushowy, Hums, Hutchinson, Innis, Jacko, Kirby, Kowbassa, Lafrance, McWaters, Michiel, Patterson, Poulin, Prest, Skorey, Spadetto, Stevens, Thomas, Turnbull, Vaudry, Weiss, Yakimchuk, Yule. (Updated July 20, 2011)
• Three photos of McGarry Public School. Taken in September, 1967 or 1968. A link is also provided to a panorama of the three photos which is about three screens wide. Also a link to a closeup of the students playing outside. Can you recognize any of them?
•   Virginiatown, probably grade 3 class photo, 1968-69. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Surnames so far: Archibald, Armstrong, Cookish, Culhane, Girbig, Kellington, Kirby, Kitty, Lacroix, Laframboise, Neal, Orlando, Owens, Pugliese, Reynolds, Rusak, Salvona, Shepherdson, Stransky. The teacher was Joan Massicotte. (Revised September 27, 2011)
• Virginiatown, Grade 4 & 5 class photo, 1968-69. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. One student is unidentified. Surnames: Aaviku, Adam, Armstrong, Bergeron, Byers, Chalifoux, Culhane, Curtis, Daoust, Dunne, Godmaire, Hums, Jeffery, Johns, Ludgate, McLaughlin, Moses, Owen, Owens, Pang, Prest, Riche, Richer, Rose, Salvona, Smith, Stransky, Vosdingh, Zielinski. The teacher was Mrs. Michiel.
• Virginiatown, Grade 8 class photo, 1968-69. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Surnames: Baker, Beaton, Daigle, Gillis, Godmaire, Hyatt, Kirby, Laframbroise, Massicotte, McAulay, McIntyre, Moses, Noel, Noyes, Pascoe, Prest, Stevens, Vieglais, Vosding, Willard, Wilson, Yarkie. The teacher was Margaret Stratford.
• Virginiatown, Kindergarten class photo, 1969-70. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Surnames: Hums, Isich, Prest, Reynolds, Shepherdson, Turcott, Zapotochny. The teacher was Miss Manseau.
• Virginiatown Grades 5 & 6 split class photo, 1969-70. Thanks to Ann Aaviku for this photo. Surnames: Aaviku, Adam, Byers, Chalifoux, Chilinski, Culhane, Curtis, Daoust, Godmaire, Harney, Hums, Laframboise, Ludgate, Masching, Molotkin, Moses, Owens, Pang, Prest, Riche, Richer, Salvona, Smith, Spack, Stransky, Sue, Teal, Tiedke, Zielinski. Teacher was Miss Winger.
• Virginiatown, probably Grade 8 class photo, 1969-70. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Surnames: Baker, Chalifoux, Corbeil, Gibson, Harney, Hopkins, Johns, Kiernieman, Kowbassa, Kozak, Ludgate, Owens, Patterson, Prest, Pugliese, Reynolds, Selvona(?), Smith, Stratford, Theriault, Thomas, Tiedtke. But who was the teacher?
• Virginiatown Kindergarten class photo, 1971-72. Mrs. Manseau is the teacher. Most students are identified but a few names are needed. Surnames are: Baker, Callahan, Cookish, Derion, Francoeur, French, Hachey, Kirby, Sampson, Spack, Vaudry.
•   Virginiatown, Grade 4 & 5 class photo, 1971-72. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Surnames: Chalifoux, Cookish, Culhane, Daoust, Doria, French, Gelinas, Girbig, Kirby, Kitty, Lacroix, Laframboise, Moses, Orlando, Ramsay, Rusak, Steige, Thompson, Turner, Vanalstine, Vaudry, White, Woods, Young. The teacher was Mrs. Michiel. (Revised September 27, 2011)
• Virginiatown, Grade 7 class photo, 1971-72. Thanks to Ann Aaviku for this photo. Surnames: Aaviku, Armstrong, Baker, Bugiel, Chalifoux, Chilinski, Culhane, Curtis, Hart, Hums, Jenson(?), Jenson, Johns, Keith, Lauzon, Masching, Massicotte, Molotkin, Moses, Nadon, Neill, Owens, Richer, Rose, Smith, Stransky, Sue, Teeple, Thompson, Zielinski. The teacher was Mr. Sheehan.
•   Virginiatown Grades Seven & Eight class, 1976-77 Thanks to Teresa (Sowinski) Bagyan for this photo. Teacher is Jaan Lees, and Margaret Stratford is also in the photo. The class list, supplied by Ellen Watson, is included, but the names haven't been matched to more than two or three of the students. (Revised July 20, 2011)
•   Virginiatown, Grade 7 & 8 class trip to Toronto, 1977. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Surnames: Begin, Boucher, Chalifoux, Daoust, Dougan, Edge, Effenberger, French, Isich, Kitty, Lamb, Lauzon, Levesque, Little, McVicar, Owens, Ramsay, Reynolds, Richer, Rusak, Sampson, Sarapuk, Shepherdson, Smith, Spencer, Teeple, Tiedke, Turcotte, Turner, Vanalstine, White, Woolner, Yerkie, Zielinski. The teacher was Margaret Stratford. (Updated January 21, 2011)

VIRGINIATOWN :

Please note that the school class photos have been moved into a separate section immediately above.

• Photos of George Edward Moody and children. He was an engineer at Kerr-Addison 1938-44. Four family photos.
• Two downtown stores, 1940. Street view showing Jeffery Hardware, Post Office and Paquette & Grennon Grocery Store. Photo submitted by Joe Joyner.
• Emile Denny across from the Barber Larder Mine site, about 1941.
• Mary Rose Denny across from the Barber Larder Mine site, about 1941.
•   Confirmation group photo, 1943. Thanks to Mance (Potvin) Delahunt for this photo. Taken in front of the McGarry Public School. Thirty-one people, all unidentified except for Eleanor "Pidie" Malane and Mance Potvin. (Added October 5, 2011)
• Anna Carlson, Ruth Cox, Margaret Dobie, about 1944.
• Billy Lalonde and Kit Dobie, Virginiatown, about 1944-5.
• Mrs. Lalonde, Coville St., about 1944.
• Coville Street, Virginiatown, about 1945.
•   Virginiatown Girl Guides, 1945-47. Thanks to Mance (Potvin) Delahunt for this photo. Thirty women and girls with many identified. Surnames so far: Brewer, Cutler, Durham, Gravelle, Greer, Latimer, Lauren, Malane, Muck, Potvin, Storey, Wickham. (Added October 5, 2011)

  Collison Family Photos. Thanks to Leona (Collison) Belmonte for this collection of 10 photos taken from about 1945 to 1953. Surnames: Allen, Bell, Burke, Cameron, Collison, Eagle, Garvin, Gray, Hamelin, Jewell, Lacoeux, McLennan, McPhail, North, Oehring, Palmer, Robinson, Ross, Scott, Stori, Stoss, Turner, Webb, Wilcox. (Corrected July 20, 2011)

• Linda & Robbie Smith, Kit Dobie on Larder Lake, c. 1946.
•   Girl Guide Stage Play, 1947. Thanks to Mance (Potvin) Delahunt for this photo. Thirty-four women and girls, some in costume, with a few identified. Surnames so far: Brewer, Caverley, Cutler, Gravelle, Lauren, Potvin, Watson, Wickham. (Added October 5, 2011)
• Christmas Play in the Anglican Church, about 1947. 15 children, most names needed. The only surname so far is Peicheff.
• McGarry Township Fire Department, 1947-1949. Surnames are: Armstrong, Bannister, Barnard, Bassett, Bousquet, Brewer, Brown, Caverly, Cottrell, Curtis, Emerson, Fulkerson, Hart, Hrushowy, Hubbard, Locke, Mann, Mayhew, McEwen, McWaters, Montgomery, Paterson, Perron, Ross, Sampson, Stewart, Woodrow, Yandeau.
• Two Jewell Family photos, summer of 1948. Johnny, Michael, and Norine Jewell, as well as Dinny (Ross) Nelson.
• United Church opening service, January 1949. A full house, but the photo was taken from the back of the church so it will be very difficult to identify anyone. Photo submitted by Joe Joyner.
• Trinity United Church Choir, Virginiatown, 1949. Two boys are unidentified. Surnames are: Brown, Cook, Draper, Eagle, Felesko, Fulkerson, Larocque, McGrath, McLennan, McLeod, Moore, Ross, Sauer, Slater, Turner, Webb.
• Virginiatown Community Orchestra, 1949. Twelve players, but only George Hawkes is identified. An undated news clipping mentions Mrs. Georgina Gray, Janet Hawkes, Ted McCall. Photo & clipping submitted by Joe Joyner.
• "The Advance", fourth issue, February, 1950. Seventeen pages.
• Black Hawks Lions Bantam Hockey League, Virginiatown, 1950-51. Three, including the coach, are unidentified. Surnames are: Bjarnason, Brown, Collison, Dasovich, Fulkerson, Hargraves, Lamoureux, Monette, Poulin, Swirza(?), Wilkie.
• Boy's baseball team, Virginiatown, about 1950-51. All but one are identified. Can you identify the remaining player and/or date the photo? Surnames, including the coaches, are: Ayotte, Brown, Carmichael, Draper, Eagle, Hart, Jeffery, MacAuley, Murphy, Peicheff, Poulin, Russell, Turcott.
• Searching for Heinrich Schewe or Schwebe, c. 1951 - 1955.
  • Heinrich was born in 1928 in Konitz, Germany. He immigrated to Canada in 1951 and worked at Kerr-Addisson. He was married in Toronto in 1955 and his address was listed as Virginiatown. A grandchild in Germany is trying to find him.
• Dodgers -- Lions Softball Champs, Virginiatown, 1951. Surnames, including the coaches, are: Basich, Brown, Byberg, Draper, Fulkerson, Hargraves, Hart, Kenrick, Lacroix, Little, Pearson, Peterson, Wilkie.
• Lions Club Ball Tournament in North Virginiatown Arena, 1951. Surnames, including the coaches, are: Arthur, Basich, Benoit, Brown, Byberg, Draper, Eagle, Fulkerson, Hargraves, Hart, Kenrick, Lecroix, Little, Pearson, Peicheff, Peterson, Poulin, Radakovich, Rodgers, Shelp, Walker.
• Trinity United Church Choir, Virginiatown, 1951. Two still unidentified. Surnames, including minister and choir director, are: Bjarnason, Brown, Byberg, Cameron, Collison, Del Bosco, Draper, Eagle, Fulkerson, Hill, MacAuley, Pollock, Russell, Sauer, Soutar, Webb, Withers.
• Bruins -- Boys' Hockey, Virginiatown, 1951-1952. Two still unidentified. Surnames are: Arthur, Brown, Caverley, Jewell, Lamoureux, Little, MacAuley, Peterson, Poulin, Withers.
• Lions Midget Hockey Team, Virginiatown, 1951-1952. One still unidentified. Surnames, including coaches, are: Bassett, Brewer, Croteau, Darragh, Del Bosco, Farrell, Felesko, Gunsinger, Judge, MacLennan, Murphy, Radakovich, Turner, Vincent, Walker.
• Lions Midget Hockey Team, Virginiatown, 1952-1953. Surnames, including coaches and manager, are: Beggs, Brewer, Cook, Farrell, Felesko, Gardiner, Gunsinger, Judge, Lacroix, Lamoureux, MacLennan, Poulin, Radakovich, Turner, Walker.
•   Lions Pee Wee Copper Kings, 1952-53. Thanks to Derek Curtis for this photo. He says: "The boys are 4 or 5 years older than me so I don't have a lot of names but I am sure there are others out there to help". Surnames so far (some of them uncertain): Beggs, Budden, Campbell, Curtis, Del Bosco, Draper, Nugent, Poulin, Smith, Szabuna. (Updated January 10, 2011)
• McGarry Home & School Association Charter Certificate, 1952. Shown also is a list of the charter members. Surnames are: Dobie, Draper, Glendinning, Hilder, Hill, Jewell, Lowe, Oliver, Olson.
• Dora Dobie, Patsy Robinson, V'Town beach? 1952.
• Six great white hunters, 1952. Thanks to John Baker for this photo of six V-Town boys who have somehow managed to kill a partridge. Surnames: Arthur, Baker, Hargraves and one unknown.
• Nine girls at a dress-up tea party, summer of 1952. Thanks to Norine Jewell for this great photo. Surnames (positive id's): Bullock, Jewell, Scott, Watson. Possible id's: Downey, Furlong, Minion, Murphy, Wilkie.
• Town Hall, probably 1953. With fire truck, ambulance and OPP cruiser parked in front.
•   Medard, Mance & Eva Potvin, 1953. Thanks to Mance (Potvin) Delahunt for this photo which was taken January 1953, a few weeks before Medard Potvin suffered a fatal stroke. (Added October 5, 2011)

  Poulin Family photos. Thanks to Dianne (Poulin) Bush for this collection of 34 photos. They were taken between about 1953 and the 1970's in both Kearns and Virginiatown. Most people are identified but some, especially school students, are not. Surnames: Ayotte, Beltrame, Breen, Briand, Camden, Cameron, Cook, Coté, Daviau, Drummond, Falardeau, Fortin, Gauthier, Grimard, Gusmanis, Hull, Lavoie, Lemire, Locke, Lowe, Malloy, Morin, Oehring, Poulin, Prest, Roy, Sagin, Spadatto, Stratford, Sudol, Tardif, Timmerman, Turnbull, Vieglas, Young. (Updated February 4, 2012)

• McGarry Legion Band, 1953-1954. There are 22 people in the photo but the only two identified are Ivan Czestiakow and Tadeusz Gilbutowicz.
•   Swimming group, mostly unidentified, about 1954. Thanks to Art Brown for this photo. Surnames so far are: Ayotte, Bagyan, Beggs, Brown, Dasovich, Guerin, Lafrance, Laporte, McCrea, Musial, Nugent, Slater. (Revised February 2, 2011)
• Royal Canadian Legion Parade, Nov. 11, 1954. Can you identify anyone? Two photos submitted by Joe Joyner.
• Lions Midget Hockey Team, Virginiatown, 1954-55. Mr. Murray MacAuley was the coach. Still one player is unidentified. Surnames are: Brown, Budden, Dasovich, Hart, McLennan, Murphy, Rogers, Sauer, Shelp, Slater, Yandeau.
• View of Downtown Virginiatown, 1950-55. Thanks to Mary Lane for this photo which looks down Webster Street, across Connell Ave. and up Reddick Ave., with McGarry Public School in the distance.
• Lane Family photos, 1950-55. Thanks to Mary Lane for these two photos. Her father Harry Lane was a geologist who worked at Kerr Addison from about 1950 to 1955. Her mother, Gladys Patterson, taught grade school in Virginiatown from about 1945 to 1950.
•   Junior Hockey Photos, mid-1950s & mid 1960s(?). Thanks to Marty Budden for these four great hockey photos, and to my handy list of "old-timers" who have identified many of the players. But two kids are still without names; can you help? Surnames so far: Aaviku, Arthur, Baker, Berard, Bourne, Budden, Campbell, Cousins, Doran, Draper, Fulkerson, Gore, Goulet, Graham, Henderson, Jacko, Jeffery, Khume, Lafrance, Little, Noel, Owens, Patterson, Poulin, Raney, Russell, Shelp, Smith, Stevens, Thomas. (Updated January 15, 2012)
• Air Cadets 1955. Thanks to Gary Denny for this photo. These cadets were based in Sudbury, Ont., but at least a couple of them, Denny and Chrapchynski, used to live in the Larder Lake - Virginiatown area. Can you identify any others?
• The four Baker boys, 1955. Thanks to John Baker for this photo of him and his three brothers.
• Air Cadets, 1953 to 1956. Thanks to Ed Peicheff for these three photos. These cadets were based in Kirkland Lake, but there are several Virginiatown and Kearns kids who were members. Most are now identified but a few are still without names, so help is still needed. Surnames so far: Algar; Allingham; Barker; Bolechowsky; Bourke; Bukowski; Butorac; Bynam; Carrie; Closs; Cook; Davidson; Davis; Dennis; Devereaux; Drummond; Dunn; Fong; Graham; Johnson; Krawchuk; Lees; Lemire; Linton; MacAlpine; Mason; Matson; McCann; McCarthy; McCarty; McCracken; Merrill; Mills; Mulholland; Nilson; Ohlman; Peicheff; Pysklywec; Richter; Russel; Simms; St. Jacques; Stefanich; Sylvester; Walker; Wellsby; Williams; Wilson.
• Virginiatown Arena, March 15, 1956.
• Three friends ice fishing or sitting around a fire. Phil Oehring, Boyd Wilkie, George Oehring. This photo was taken about 1956 or 1957.
• Darzins family photos, 1956-57. Three photos taken in V-Town and at Bear Lake.
• "The Mob". Playmates in North V'Town, 1958. Surnames are: Briand, Gusmanis, Jasutis, Valters, Valtins, Vieglais.
• Anglican Church mortgage-burning party, 1958. Surnames are: Beatty, Turnbull, Tyrell, Wood.
  • Work break at the new Anglican Church site, 1958. Surnames are: Baker, Blaber, Elliot, Pullen, Tyrell.
  • "Design and Construction of the new Anglican Church". A document written in 1958 by Don Tyrell.
  • Installing a floor beam in the new Anglican Church. Photo by Frank Aspinall. Surnames are: Blaber, Elliot, Locke, Pullen, Turnbull and Tyrell.
  • Pouring the basement floor of the new Anglican Church. Photo by Frank Aspinall. Identified so far are Hugh Armstrong and Don Tyrell. Can you identify the two others?
  • "History Of The Anglican Church In Virginiatown" written by Ken Blaber. This document gives the history of the Anglican community in Virginiatown from 1939 up to the dedication of the new church in 1958.
• Five playmates, 1959. Surnames so far are: Caldwell, Skanes, Tyrell. Can you identify the other two children?
• Christmas caroling by the United Church "Hi-C" youth group. December, 1959. Two color photos, all but one person is identified. Surnames are: Darragh, Fredeen, Hrushoway, Kuhme, Kukulis, Male, Moline, Oliver, Olson, Rathwell, Schaetzler, Tyrrell.
• Peter Jovic and Friends. Thanks to Peter Jovic for this photo, taken about 1960. Names: Jim Abramson, Fred Czestiakow, Peter Jovic. More photos are still to come, right Pete?
•   Three V-Town Hockey Teams, 1960's. Thanks to Richard Goulet for these three photos of the Blackhawks, Bruins and Numbers. The only names so far are Maurice & Richard Goulet, Murray Stevens. (Added January 24, 2012)
•   Army Militia at Bear Lake winter exercises, 1961-62. Two great photos, lots of names needed. Surnames so far: Chilinski, Cote, David, Daughtery, Graham, Larmond, Lopata, Morrison, Moses, Oehring, Turnbull, Vieglas, Zucs. (Updated February 1, 2012)
• Lions Bantam Hockey, 1962. Seven players and Bob White, their coach. Surnames so far: Ayotte, Curtis, Gusmanis, Pedersen. More names needed.
• Pedersen Family photos, 1963 & 1988. Thanks to Jo Anne Ahronson for these two family group photos taken 25 years apart.
• Mr. & Mrs. William Budden, 25th Anniversary. This undated clipping is probably from the Northern Daily News, November, 1964. Surnames mentioned: Aaviku, Baker, Budden, Caverly, Crocker, Curtis, Furlong, Hedderson, Reynolds, Savoie, Shelp, Sparks, Thorpe.
• V-Town Boys' Hockey, mid-1960s. Thanks to Rob Thomas for these two great photos. Many missing names or missing first names. Surnames so far: Armstrong, Aaviku, Baker, Begin, Curtis, Daoust, Gibson, Johns, McIntyre, Owens, Quintin, Smith, Spack, Thomas.
•   Bowling award photos, mid-1960s. Thanks to Jo Anne (Pedersen) Ahronson for these three bowling award photos, one of which has now been dated 1964. Most people are unidentified. Surnames: Ayotte, Gauthier, Hyatt, MacIntyre, McIver, Mann, Pedersen, Pretty, Ryan. (Updated February 4, 2012)
• Skating Carnival, 1965. Thanks to Jean (Bock) Tennant for this photo of seven girls in skating costume. Surnames: Bock, Girbig, Gusmanis, Hums, Owens, Skory.
• McGarry Twp. Volunteer Fire Brigade. These two clippings from the Kirkland Lake Northern Daily News of June 24, 1965, were sent to me by Martin Budden. The photos were taken during preparation for a fire brigade competition to be held July 1 in Cochrane Ont. Names: Bill Budden, Bob Caverley, Butch Hart, Fern Legault, Tom Owens.
• Skating Carnival, circa 1966-68. Two photos sent to me by Ann Aaviku. Surnames: Aaviku, Denner, Hums, Jacko, Lamontagne, Stransky, Zubernick.
• Wendy Lamb's birthday, about 1967. Photo sent to me by Ann Aaviku. Surnames: Aaviku, Baker, Curtis, Eastman, Jacko, Lamb.
•   V-Town Legion Midget Hockey Champions, 1967-68. Thanks to Richard Goulet for this newspaper photo which is probably from the Northern Daily News. For some reason the front row of players was not identified. Names so far: Jaan Aaviku, Ron Acton, Tracy Arbuckle, Harry Curtis, Richard Goulet, Terry Gregory, Roger Guitard, Bob Jacko, Dereck Lalonde, David Murdock, Germain Noel, Phil Owens, Tom Owens, Tom Rosko. (Added January 24, 2012)
•   V-Town Bantam Hockey Interprovincial Champions, 1968. Thanks to Richard Goulet for this newspaper photo from the Feb. 13, 1968 Northern Daily News. Names are: Rick Acton, Eugene Audette, Terry Baker, Patrick Bigiel, Gill Corbeil, Richard Goulet, Martin Croteau, Bob Jacko, Terry Massicotte, Claude Noel, Tom Owens, Fred Prest, Robert Wain. (Added January 24, 2012)
•   V-Town Legion Midget Hockey Champions, 1968-69. Thanks to Richard Goulet for this newspaper photo which is probably from the Northern Daily News. Nobody is identified. Only name so far is Richard Goulet. (Added January 24, 2012)
• Adult Lacrosse Team. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Possibly taken in the 1960's. All names and the location are a mystery.
• Girls in skating carnival costumes, about 1970. Photo sent to me by Ann Aaviku. Surnames: Aaviku, Massicotte, Molotkin, Owens, Sampson.
• Hockey Photos, 1971-1974. Two colour photos of the V-Town Legion team, about 1971-74, sent to me by John Tiedtke. Everyone is now identified. Surnames are: Clement, Clermont, Denner, Francoeur, Gray, Kowbassa, Laframboise, Lefebvre, Masching, Moses, Owens, Smith, Spack, Stransky, Teeple, Tiedtke.
• McGarry Beach Staff, about 1975. Photo sent to me by Ann Aaviku. Surnames: Aaviku, Croxall, Francoeur, Gauthier?, Tardif.
•   Anglican Church Volunteers, mid- to late-1980's. Thanks to Ellen Watson for this photo. Names: Sylvia Chappell, Helen Gray, Jane Kitty, Kathy Mann, Susan Moses, Tommy Sheldon, Grace Stewart, Annie Watson. (Added December 20, 2011)

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, AUGUST 30, 2003

• In July 2006 a website user emailed me a set of aerial photos of Kearns, Virginiatown and Cheminis Mountain. The headers on the email made it plain that they had been forwarded several times. I enlisted the help of several people to identify the photographer, but the original sender could no longer be contacted. I hate using photos without permission, but I can't see how it can hurt to show these as no people are shown. I welcome info from users about who took these photos, and why. See others in the Cheminis and Kearns sections above.

Kerr-Addison site	North V-Town	V-Town	Old School site	North V-Town
Click on a thumbnail above to see a larger photo.

• Photos of the Virginiatown area, June 2009. Nine photos taken by Ron Ross. Shown are: Jeffrie's Hardware; Joe's Cafe; Armories; site of Nugen't Drugstore; cenotaph; site of McGarry Public School; site of Pool Hall & Chinese Restaurant; site of Imperial Bank (CIBC); site of McGarry Hotel.

Please see the Larder Lake website for more historic photos.

Also see the Welcome to Virginiatown website.

Website format is © Copyright 1999- by Charles Dobie.
All photographs are © Copyright by their contributors.

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