| CHARLES DOBIE : LOCAL HISTORY KEARNS & VIRGINIATOWN, ONTARIO |
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Updated June 29, 2009.
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Other photos of Kearns and Virginiatown are on my genealogy website.
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 response to my email to regular website users,
I've been offered yearbooks for the following years: 1957 through 1959, and 1966. I also have 1960, '61
and '63 waiting to be transcribed, but with summer coming and a probable house move for me in
the future, it will be some time before they are done.
Evidently the 1965 yearbook wasn't
published because someone stole the money collected for the books. Does anyone know the details of this?
1955 KLCVI Yearbook.
Many thanks to Ron Ross for sending me this book to scan.
(Revised May 4, 2009)
1962 KLCVI Yearbook.
Many thanks to Peter Jovic for sending me this book to scan.
(Revised May 5, 2009)
1964 KLCVI Yearbook.
Many thanks to Peter Jovic for sending me this book to scan.
(Added May 1, 2009)
1973 KLCVI Yearbook.
Many thanks to Mike Molotkin for sending me this book to scan.
(Revised May 13, 2009)
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.
(Revised February 23, 2009)
Picnic on top of Cheminis Mountain, July 1948. Six photos. Surnames are Dobie & Hawkes.
But who is the other family?
(New photo added January 8, 2009)
Cheminis Mountain, 1940s-1950s?.
(Added March 8, 2009)
Kerr Addison Gold Mines.
(Added April 5, 2009)
Virginiatown Public School. This card
seems to be 1950s or 1960s by the look of the school bus.
(Added March 2, 2009)
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.
(Added April 5, 2009)
Three friends, about 1945/47. Kenny Walker, Donald Cook, Ron Ross.
Thanks to Ron Ross for this photo.
(Added March 8, 2009)
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.
(Added March 31, 2009)
Dora & Kit Dobie and Lois Brown, about 1949.
This is a link to my genealogy website.
(Link added September 29, 2008)
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."
Kearns Arms Hotel 1967-68 Broomball crest. John St. Pierre sent this photo. The hotel has
since been turned into an apartment building.
(Updated December 1, 2008)
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.
(Updated June 29, 2009)![]() |
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.
Eight photos by Andy Ross added to this page.
(Eighth photo added March 2, 2009) |
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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
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![]() 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 August 31, 2008) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Steve Peicheff, hardrock miner, early 1940s. Thanks to
Ed Peicheff for this photo which was taken underground at Kerr Addison.
(Added March 25, 2009)
Mrs. Nelson's Grade Two Class, about 1946. 26 students, most names needed.
Surnames so far are: Brown, Collison, Denny, Laporte, Little, Nickerson, Pollock, Poulin, Slater, Stewart,
Walker, Withers.
(Names updated August 21, 2008)
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, Curtis, Draper, Nugent, Poulin, Smith, Szabuna.
(Added April 4, 2009)
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 several kids are still without names; can you help? Surnames so far:
Aaviku, Arthur, Baker, Berard, Bourne, Budden, Campbell, Cousins, Doran, Draper, Fulkerson, Gore, Graham, Jacko,
Jeffery, Khume, Lafrance, Little, Owens, Patterson, Peterson, Poulin, Russell,
Shelp, Smith, Stevens, Thomas.
(Updated April 3, 2009)
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? (Revised March 31, 2009)
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.
(Updated April 13, 2009)
Darzins family photos, 1956-57. Three photos taken in V-Town and at Bear Lake.
(Added September 16, 2008)
Anglican Church mortgage-burning party, 1958. Surnames are:
Beatty, Turnbull, Tyrell, Wood.
(Added July 15, 2008)
Work break at the new Anglican Church site, 1958. Surnames are:
Baker, Blaber, Elliot, Pullen, Tyrell.
(Added July 15, 2008)
"Design and Construction of the new Anglican Church". A document written in
1958 by Don Tyrell.
(Added November 3, 2008)
Installing a floor beam in the new Anglican Church.
Photo by Frank Aspinall. Surnames are: Blaber, Elliot, Locke, Pullen, Turnbull and Tyrell.
(Added November 3, 2008)
Pouring the basement floor of the new Anglican Church.
Photo by Frank Aspinall. The only person identified so far is Don Tyrell. Can you identify the three others?
(Added December 28, 2008)
"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.
(Added December 28, 2008)
Five playmates, 1959. Surnames so far are: Caldwell, Skanes, Tyrell. Can you
identify the other two children?
(Added December 28, 2008)
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?
(Added April 2, 2009)
Lions Bantam Hockey, 1962. Seven players and Bob White, their coach.
Surnames so far: Ayotte, Curtis, Gusmanis, Pederson. More names needed.
(Updated December 1, 2008)
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.
(Added April 7, 2009)
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.
(Added April 5, 2009)![]() Kerr-Addison site |
![]() North V-Town |
![]() V-Town |
![]() Old School site |
![]() North V-Town |
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| 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.
(Added June 26, 2009)Please see the Larder Lake website for more historic photos.
| Other photos of Kearns and Virginiatown are on my genealogy website. |
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Also see the Welcome to Virginiatown website.
| Do you have photos of the Kearns & Virginiatown area? I would like to put them on this website. |
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Website format is © Copyright
1999- by Charles Dobie.
All photographs are © Copyright by their contributors.
Click here to see a collection of my photos on the Flickr website.
Counter started June 2, 2008. |
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