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Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #140 - It is always a pleasure to receive a story or photos related to Sherridon and Lynn Lake, especially from someone who was there. Here is a recent example provided by Robert Milton.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #139 - The world wide web is an amazing source of information and I have found that luck is often involved in coming across articles pertinent to my random searches for Lynn Lake information. Here are several examples related to the rails, trains, and equipment – stories that popped up!

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #138 - The history of the beginnings of Lynn Lake has been written in many ways. Here is another account ­ an excerpt from: METALS AND MEN  THE STORY OF CANADIAN MINING By D. M. LEBOURDAIS McCLELLAND & STEWART LIMITED 1957

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #137 - This week, the third and concluding installment of Elaine Baribeau¹s essay: A Town on Skids.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #136 - This newsletter continues with the second part of the essay A Town on Skids.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #135 - The majority of the newsletters have dealt with Lynn Lake/Sherridon history as gleaned from various newspaper, magazine, technical and company publications articles; but interspersed, there have been several personal accounts as well. The following is another of those special stories.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #134 - As has often been iterated in this newsletter, Lynn Lake is a place held in affection by many who have had the opportunity to spend time there, whether of short or long duration but there is something special about calling it your hometown ­ the place where all your young memories developed.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #133 - This newsletter returns to the topic of the Fox Mine with a chronological history of exploration, development, construction, operation, and demise.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #132 - This newsletter concludes the pages from the 1975 first annual Lynn Lake Great Northern Pike Derby, and to satisfy your curiosity (or rekindle your memory of the event), the following article will be of assistance:

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #131 - Sometimes the reporters reported on aspects of community life that we preferred to turn a blind eye to ­ the problems associated with the overuse of alcohol. It was the liquid that lubricated most socializing, parties, sporting events, you name it. There were plenty of places to imbibe, whether at the Legion, the Curling Club, the hotel beer parlour, Community Club functions, or at home with spirits obtained from the local vendor. For some people though, it was a means of ³escaping² the reality of whatever problems they may have had even if only briefly.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #130 - I can appreciate that the Winnipeg newspapers would be the most likely venue for offering coverage of events and conditions affecting northern Manitoba communities, so it does make an impression when the news comes from further afield. In this particular instance, a full page series of stories appeared in the Calgary Herald back in 1990. Quite possibly a few people in that metropolitan centre even knew where Lynn Lake was, and the bit of history and chronology given would have been enlightening for the Albertan readers.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #129 - The problem with mining is that it most often leaves a lasting reminder of its operations, the least onerous of which are probably the buildings and equipment. These can be salvaged or relatively easily dismantled and removed. Their existence can be erased almost. A case in point is the Fox mine site which I saw last summer. Aside from the wide-open barren swat of reddish-orange ground and a few telltale concrete slabs where the infrastructure once stood, virtually everything is gone. Everything that is except the effluent of the mining process ­ the ubiquitous tailings ponds, fields and piles of waste material deposited from the mining and milling process. The volume of material itself and the unknowns associated with such an expanse of a finely ground and chemically volatile substance become the long-lasting environmental issue. At last, it would appear that progress is finally being made regarding the remediation of these sites.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #128 - The 60s were certainly boom times for Lynn Lake but there were recognized problems and shortcomings related to the well being of the community which needed to be addressed. A submission to the Royal Commission on Northern Transportation in 1968 is an example of those concerns which were germane at the time. Note how some had become outdated and others had been remedied only to return decades later.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #127 - Curling may have been a key winter pastime in Lynn Lake but as the years went by, additional facilities were also put in place to accommodate the growing and diverse interests of the community, which by 1970 was "About to burst its seams":

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #126 - Curling was the premier winter sporting/recreational activity in Lynn Lake right from the early years and was embraced by young and old alike. It is impossible to describe the activities and the commraderie which centred around the curling club over the years but suffice to say that all those connected with the sport remember very well the good times in Lynn Lake associated with the sport, on and off the ice.

Lynn Lake -  A Place to Remember #125 - Strikes are the bargaining tool of last resort when all other negotiations have failed for a group of workers. Unfortunately and through no fault of their own, bystanders and businesses are sideswiped and often endure financial loss and hardship. Collateral damage, so to speak! A case in point is the CNR strike going on at this time and how it is affecting many sectors of the Canadian economy which rely on timely rail freight service for their continued operations. History repeats itself as evidenced by the following articles from 1973 when a CNR strike affected Lynn Lake, its residents and Sherritt Gordon Mines sufficiently to warrant press space. Since the road ³out² was not yet complete, a long term strike could have had devastating consequences for the community at that time, however, that did not come to pass.

Lynn Lake -  A Place to Remember #124 - It seems that the demise of a mining town is never a finality ­ there remains a persistent sense of optimism that another orebody will be found in the immediate area; that something may have been overlooked when the original orebody discoveries had been developed and depleted; that the economics of accessing and processing lower grade ore can become viable in current market conditions. Exploration and diamond drilling in and around the Lynn Lake and Sherridon areas, as an example, would attest to that optimism, but, and there always seems to be a big ³but² will it lead to anything substantive? Only time will tell!

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #123 - Sherritt Gordon issued a number of booklets over the years ­ sort of a diary of progress at the mine(s) as well as a ³snapshot² of the community. This one is from 1957 and appears to be the first of its kind and gives an overview of what mining and milling entailed, the equipment used and a chronology of the life and times of the company to that point.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #122 - Part three of three ­ Mary Cain¹s paper

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #121 - The Mary Cain paper will be carried in three segments, this is the second part of three.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #120 - Lynn Lake lent itself ideally to close examination on any number of areas of research because of its recent existence, small size, relative isolation, and single primary employer. Fodder for people looking at societal, cultural, religious, to mention a few, relationships in a relatively closed community.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #119 - It is commendable that initiative was taken through a school project to interview a number of the Lynn Lake Pioneers a few decades ago. I have come across only five such interviews but hope there might be others, as many other Lynn Lake citizens had stories of their own to tell.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #118 - I discovered the following story in my files and was quite surprised that I had not included it in a newsletter sometime ago. It is another enjoyable read ­ a collection of remembrances from the early days as put to paper by Brig Young about 1973.

Christmas Greetings 2006 - There are so many people I would like to give special recognition and thanks to for their help and contributions towards the growing data base of information and pictures related to Lynn Lake and Sherridon, however I am reluctant to name names for fear that I will miss someone and cause an unintended slight. Please believe me when I say that I sincerely appreciate what you have passed along to me, and by doing so have shared with so many other. I do try to make every effort to insure that you get credit where due in the newsletters. Thank you very much and please don¹t hesitate in continuing to pass along anything of pertinent interest

Lynn Lake - A PLACE TO REMEMBER #117 - I often marvel at the way information for the newsletters comes to me. Most times it is by way of the generosity of the readers who send me material, give me material, or have material I can copy. Sometimes it is by readers putting me on the right track as to where to look for something of pertinence, such as newspaper article archives or other folks to contact. And then there are the few times where it is complete happenstance. An example of the latter is one of the stories this week ­ Tale of Survival: A Real Fish Story.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #116 - Reflections on the past, particularly during the holiday season, evoke feelings of nostalgia for most folks. A dictionary describes it thusly: a mixed feeling of happiness, sadness, and longing when recalling a person, place, or event from the past, or the past in general; or a longing for home or family when away from either. No doubt many of you recall Christmas and other times of the past spent in Lynn Lake and or Sherridon, even if only fleetingly.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #115 - Many people from all walks of life contributed to making Lynn Lake a good place to be ­ a place to call home. No doubt, all of us could rattle off the names of many individuals who left an impression in our minds in the way they affected us and the way the community developed. One name that comes to my mind immediately when I reminisce about Lynn Lake is Sobie - Tom and Sylvia. I had many interesting visits with Tom in the bakery and always came away impressed with his positive attitude. They supported so many activities in the community quietly and selflessly. They also made the best pecan rolls I have ever tasted!

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #114 - Are you like me when the newest phone book comes out ­ do you check to see if your name is there? I¹ve read that most people do that for whatever reason. Forty years can go by quickly - here is a trip down memory lane for some of you. Is your name in the 1966 directory for the little town of Lynn Lake?

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #113 - The bank was an integral part of a community back in the days when cash money was the medium of exchange for commerce, long before the time of ATMs, debit cards, the use of plastic, and the advent of internet banking...the latter being something which I have not yet embraced.

Lynn Lake List Update (Nov. 24th, 2006) - Ollie Romanow phoned a few days ago to thank me for spreading the message of the Lynn Lake murals through the LL list updates and at the September banquet. Response has been very positive with donations coming from as far as the US. Over $700 has been raised to date and she expressed gratitude to all, for the support shown. At the end of December, she will close off the list of names and dedications/remembrances to be displayed, and will issue the charitable donation income tax receipts.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #112 - The following completes the collection of newspaper articles (to date) covering the progression of the Sherridon strike.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #111 - This newsletter is the second in a series dealing with the 1947 strike in Sherridon.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #110 - I had the opportunity to meet Alexander Sokalski several weeks ago. He is the author of an article which appeared in the Autumn/Winter, 2003/2004 edition of Manitoba History ­ his reflections on the infamous three-month work stoppage at the Sherritt Gordon Mine at Sherridon in 1947.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #109 - Part three of three:  Mr. Hales gave us instructions to proceed to dismantle the Sherridon plant and townsite and move all and sundry by winter freight to Lynn Lake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #108 - Part two of three: I can only tell about Sherridon from 1937 on, although we made several trips there when the mine was first starting. We took a trip by canoe from The Pas with Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Gordon. This was before Mr. Brown took over. Then we went a second time with Stanley Simpson as guide, to visit Mr. Brown and his two sisters. That was before the railway was constructed.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #107 - Part one of three:  Another source of accurate first hand information related to the history of Sherritt Gordon, Sherridon, and Lynn Lake comes from the memory of C. R. Neely in his written recount, to Mary Cain (Company Historian), of his involvement in that part of the history. This document came to me by way of the donation of a large file box of material which George and Sigrid Fast had saved over the years, and which Sigrid passed along to me this past summer.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #106 - I made my acquaintance with Abe Enns in the latter part of 1974 or, at least, that is my recollection of the events. We had purchased the house at 324 McVeigh that year and one of the first ³handy man² tasks I undertook was to build a set of step/stairs from the front of the property down to the road level ­ there was a rise of five feet or thereabouts that had to be compensated for. This bit of construction was neither elaborate nor pretty, but it was functional. Soon enough, the first heavy snowfall came and to the credit of the town crew they were out quickly to plow the roads. Unfortunately for us on this particular occasion, the grader operator was especially diligent and cleared a wide path ­ his blade caught the lower edge of my new steps and, shall we say, modified them! Needless to say I was none too pleased when I discovered this and contacted Mr. Enns at the town office by phone and gave him (the town) a piece of my mind, and wanted the steps repaired. With patience and diplomacy, he explained to me that I had erected a structure on public property and the LGD was not at fault or liable. Round one in favour of the LGD! Soon after, the LGD was doing some waterline maintenance work which necessitated the shut off the water pressure in our area. That in itself was not the problem - the problem was that, without the pressure in the lines, the electric hot water tank in our basement drained down and the heating element promptly burned out when no longer immersed in water. Once again, a call was made to the town office, and once again Mr. Enns patiently and diplomatically explained that water line servicing was a constant and necessary procedure and it would be impossible to inform everyone that such work was to be undertaken at irregular intervals and they, the LGD, were not liable for the resultant damage. Round two to the LGD with a small concession ­ Mr. Enns did make it a point to phone me thereafter if water was to be shut off in our area. It impressed me that he would do that, but in the mean time I installed a one-way valve on the tank and drain-back was never again an issue.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #105 - I can count on one hand the number of times in my life that I have encountered someone with the same first name as I have so I was quite pleased to make the acquaintance of Emil Boe. In fact, it was he who phoned me about a year ago and we have had the opportunity to chat many times since. It was a pleasure to meet him at the reunion. The following week, I drove out to Lanigan to visit him and to fill in more of the history of his life as it involved working at and around both Sherridon and Lynn Lake. Our visit also gave me the opportunity to scan his photos of those early days.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #104 - Without a doubt, one of the major events in the history of Lynn Lake was the official arrival of the railroad on November 9, 1953. Of course there were many write-ups in various publications of the completion of this northern ribbon of steel (many of which have already appeared in previous newsletters), and it was also something that C.A. Pitts could brag up a bit too, and rightfully so.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #103 - The final speaker at the September 10th, 2006 reunion banquet was Rod Johnston. His recollection of various events from the early years in Lynn caused roars of laughter and garnered applause many times. Regrettably, it is impossible to properly convey his enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment of the subject matter in the text transcript from the tape I recorded. I have tried to keep as faithful as possible to his spoken words:

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #102 - The 2006 Lynn Lake reunion has come to pass and I think that all who attended would agree that it was a great success. Certainly the numbers would indicate that – 316 folks had sent in their financial commitment and only a few weren’t able to do make it because of ill health or otherwise.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #101 - Our modern lexicon has come to include the use of the addition of  ‘101’ to a subject to describe a basic introductory class…like History 101, for instance. It would seem quite appropriate then, with this newsletter - #101, to include this talk presented by Eldon Brown many years ago. It is as clear, concise, and accurate a recount of the history of the how it all came to be as one could hope to find.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #100 - The third of three parts. This week, pages 33 through 48.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #99 - HI -DAZE 1957.  The second of three parts. This week, pages 15 through 32.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #98 - Following on the topic of 'firsts' in the last newsletter, I will touch on two more 'firsts' this week.  Del H. passed along a wedding invitation which was, to the best of her knowledge, for the first wedding held in Lynn Lake ­ Dolores Margaret Carr, daughter of Mrs. Birger S. Lund was united in marriage with Rene Joseph Boulet on the 28th day of March 1953, at the Lynn Lake Church. A reception followed at the 'Old School House'. A scan of the invitation is attached. No doubt it was a special event, made even more special by its unique status in community history.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #97 - Communities experience  many “Firsts” and Lynn Lake had its fair share. Fortunately many of these “Firsts” have been preserved for us to enjoy years later – one remarkable example being the Lynn Lake Enterprise from 1948, touted to be the first newspaper in the budding community. Although it begs the question why there would have been the need for a publication when the community was so small and in close quarters, hats off to the people who put their efforts into this endeavour of providing a humourous slant on local affairs and other matters.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #96 - A few days from now, August 6th, will mark the first anniversary of Doc Gallie¹s death, however, his stories of the early years live on. Case in point is an interview from 1988 which I found at the Lynn Lake Mining Museum. I¹m sure that Doc enjoyed the opportunities, such as that interview, to recount candidly, memories of exciting times ­ his early career was a life which most of us would not have dared to tackle, yet he took on the challenges which came his way with apparent aplomb.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #95 - Tucked away in a drawer at the Lynn Lake museum was an envelope, the contents of which proved to be gems to come across ­ several old letters and photos, all to do with St. Simon¹s Anglican Church. The letters show the privations and tribulations of the small church as well as the determination of the congregation, no doubt factors which have always been ever present for St. Simon¹s throughout its existence even more so now.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #94 - A person who was not afraid to try a number of diverse occupations while living in Lynn Lake was Dave Roberts and in this interview which I discovered at the town museum, he recalls some memories from his school years. And while on the subject of school, a few short articles on the Lynn Lake school band are also featured in this newsletter.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #93 - Continuing with the essay concerning two pioneer women of Lynn Lake, this newsletter carries the second portion which tells Madeline Buck¹s story.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #92 - I think it is safe to say that most of us have been less than kind with our comments about PR 391 over the years, and yet, in all fairness to the terrain and weather conditions being dealt with, it has been an adequate conduit of commerce, recreation, and general travel.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #91 - Amongst the many interesting items to peruse at the Lynn Lake town museum is a short essay covering the life and times of Hazel Latimer and Madeline Buck. It is my understanding that the paper was co-authored by Debbie Latimer and Carol Little. Unfortunately it is not dated. As well there are interviews which appear to be a project sponsored by the museum, so this week the newsletter will feature the portion of the essay and the interviews dealing with Hazel Latimer.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #90 - There was actually more there than I anticipated…which is a good thing. Maybe there is still hope that the track is viable and a train may yet come to Lynn Lake again. In fact, that would appear to be the plan if you can believe the article following. The scrap metal from the dismantling of the mill is piled next to the tracks awaiting transportation out via rail car. Will it come to pass? Only time will tell.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #89 - My time in Lynn Lake passed quickly. Most days were taken up with wandering about the community making note of all removed and boarded up houses, taking photos, and scanning photos and documents on display or stored at the town museum. Each day was memorable - on my birthday I spent several hours at the Hillcrest cemetery photographing each of the gravesites!

Lynn Lake - a Place to Remember #88 - The time had come for me to make a journey back to Lynn Lake, especially considering the newsletter – time to see the changes. Nine years had elapsed since the last visit so this trip carried with it many and mixed emotions. It still stirred in me a sense of adventure but this time the drive would be made alone. The adventure, in part, had to do with the distance to be covered from Point A (home) to Point B (Lynn Lake), most often referred to in hours rather than miles or kilometres. Added to this was a side trip into Sherridon, a first time visit for me. Road conditions in the north can be variable but on this drive I encountered some of the best I can recall.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #87 - More Tribune articles dealing with progress in developing the north.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #86 - This newsletter continues with more newspaper articles gleaned from microfilm archives, and a potpourri of photos.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #85 - The ice may be off the lakes around Lynn Lake but snow flurries and cool night time temperatures are a reminder that spring comes fitfully to the north another excuse to stay indoors close to the television with hockey playoffs underway. Of course there was a time when hockey playoffs meant
cheering for the home team.  The Royals Hockey Club  1957 -1961

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #84 - By-law listings for the Local Government District of Lynn Lake/Town of Lynn Lake for 1987 - 2003 inclusive.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #83 - Part three, of four.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #82 - The second part, of four, covering the bylaws of Lynn Lake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #81 - The next four newsletters will deal with the “gripping” subject of the community bylaws enacted over fifty years of civic administration in Lynn Lake. In fact, if one does take the time to peruse them, they provide an interesting glimpse into the operation of the town from the boom times to recently.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #80 - Mark Twain once wrote "The report of my death was an exaggeration." Exaggeration was used in the early 50s to describe the future of Lynn Lake, and likewise in this article from the Winnipeg Sun four decades later.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #79 - Free Press staffer Cory Kilvert, who returned recently from a trip to Manitoba¹s northern mining areas, tells here of the rapid growth of Lynn Lake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #78 - I received an interesting series of articles about Sherridon from Del recently and even though they were written almost twenty years ago, there still exists a sense of optimism that there is mineral wealth to be exploited in the area. Time will tell – it always does!

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #77 - This week begins with a newspaper article which puts meaning behind the names of a number of the lakes we are familiar with in the Lynn Lake area, followed by articles from the same decade reporting on the promising future of Northern Manitoba.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #76 - Manitoba Nickel Work On Schedule/Newmont Issued Lynn Lake Bonds  - Sherritt Gordon Mines today reports that the final $1,000,000 principal amount of convertible debentures have been issued to the Newmont Mining Corporation for payment received. This brings the total issued amount of convertible debentures to $7,000,000.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #75 - Don Burgess sent these fine photos and short story regarding them:

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #74 -  This week, the balance of the photos related to the Granville Lake sawmill and the Snowdy family.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #73 - The Lynn Lake Sherritt operation had a prodigious appetite for wood in the early years ­ cordwood was required for firing the plant boilers as well as for the heating requirements of the early residents; and dimensional lumber was required for shafts and buildings. The former was obtained in the local area while the latter came, in part, from the Granville Lake sawmill.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #72b - Winter Carnivals or similar festivities with various names, curling bonspiels, hockey playoffs, figure skating and other activities were a part of winter life in both Sherridon and Lynn Lake a time to celebrate the season instead of cursing it!
This is all the information on the winter carnival aspect which I have at the moment.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #72 - This week, a brief history of the drugstore in Lynn Lake courtesy of Loretta Clarke and Mervy LaBrash. As well, Loretta sketches out a bit of detail on some of the local businesses.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #70 - Newsletter 70 presents a number of aerial photos of Lynn Lake and area copied from slides which I recently obtained from Lionel’s (Baribeau) collection. As well, there are several photos of the old SGM water tower showing its age and prominence as the tallest structure on the “A” mine site…following the move of the headframe to Ruttan.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #69 - This newsletter is the third of three parts covering a Sherritt Gordon
publication called “Enriching Earth’s Riches”, with text from pages 20 through 29.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #68 - This newsletter is the second of three parts covering a Sherritt Gordon publication called “Enriching Earth’s Riches”, with text from pages 8 through 19.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #67 - This newsletter is the first of three parts covering a Sherritt Gordon
publication called “ Enriching Earth’s Riches”. It would appear to be from the late 60s judging by the photo of Lynn Lake. The text below is from the pages attached – one through six.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #66 - The photos in Newsletter 65 last week garnered several positive responses; however, it occurred to me later that I should have elaborated on them in the event that the
captions weren’t attached at your end. 

This week's Newsletter  the scanned slides again show, amongst other scenes, the seemingly ubiquitous headframe…or two. The mine headframes were a very distinct presence in the community, much as a grain elevator was in the rural agricultural community and high rises in the city – one seemed always to be drawn to include these sentinels in a photo. And at one time in Lynn Lake they were the beacons welcoming you home after a seemingly endless journey through a landscape of evergreen, sand, rock and water.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #65 - As the year 2005 comes to an end, I am reminded of the annual ritual of finding calendars for the house bearing the date of the New Year. Preferably they were ones with a nice scene or scenes – something to enjoy looking at. I seem to remember that the CIBC was a good source, and likely Central Meat and Grocery too. It never occurred to me to save any bearing “Lynn Lake” as a keepsake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #64 - Some timely Christmas letters appeared in my Canada Post mail from two tenacious souls who still call Lynn Lake home and, since Midge Tanasichuk is no longer with us to provide her annual recap of Lynn Lake happenings, I pray that the senders will abide my use of them (albeit slightly edited) here.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #63 - This week¹s newsletter is one with a bit of a difference. It carries with it an appeal for your assistance on behalf of the Abbotsford police who would like to contact the next of kin of an individual who died, of natural causes, in their jurisdiction on November 26. The gentleman¹s name was Norm Carsley and he left no next of kin names or addresses to notify. I was contacted because my name appeared on his computer.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #62 - This week, more from the file of newspaper articles provided by John S.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #61 - Jim P. was kind enough to pass along some information from the early days detailing the beginnings of Sherritt Gordon Mines as written up in an annual mining report, circa 1928.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #60 - I recently had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Jim P. - an individual who has done prospecting in the Lynn Lake area and is delving into northern history and writing about it.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #59 - This is the second portion of the photos of the operations at the Lynn Lake open pit taken by Sid W. in the late 60's.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #58 - Sid W. came across the Lynn Lake website and was kind enough to contact me to share his scanned photos from the time when he, as a young man, worked for Standard-General Construction (International) Ltd. at the Farley open pit operation.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #57 - And once again few more of the old newspaper articles.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #56 - This week, several more newspaper articles illustrating the optimism of the times for Lynn Lake, and recent photos showing the stark reality what awaits the end of a mine.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #55 - In the continuing series of older newspaper articles, here are four more describing the tractor trains, the demise of one community, and the growth of another.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #54 - This newsletter features three more newspaper articles from the past, and one from the present.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #53 - While I was putting together this grouping of newspaper articles (courtesy of the research by John S.) I was struck by the striking similarity of the upheaval that can befall communities ­ Sherridon was faced with the imminent closure of its sole economic engine in the late 1940s and this week Weyerhaeuser announced the closing of its pulp and paper operation at Prince Albert, SK., putting almost 700 people out of work, not to mention all the businesses and trades to be directly affected.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #52 - Several weeks ago I was handed another fine bunch of information ­ John S. had researched, located, and copied numerous old newspaper articles related to Sherridon and Lynn Lake. He has been kind enough to share them with me, to share with you. Here are the first of many to come.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #51 - Doc Gallie researched and wrote these three Northern Star Stories that tie in so well to expand on some of points touched upon in the David Thomas address appearing in - A Place To Remember 49.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #50 - Arnold M., ³Mr. CALM AIR², died on Wednesday, September 7, 2005. He left a legacy of what an individual can accomplish with dogged determination, business acumen, and an uncanny ability to win over people ­ an airline that has survived the ups and downs (to quote David Thomas) of a business that can be unforgiving at the best of times.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #49 - Several months ago Joop L. sent me a cassette ­ a recording of an address given by David Thomas (President & Chief Executive Officer of Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd.) in March 1978 to the annual Prospectors and Miners Convention held in Toronto.  Newsletter also contains scanned pages of the Inaugural Great Northern Pike Fish Derby.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #48 - The Laurie River dams and hydroelectric generators were an integral part of Sherritt¹s operations at Lynn Lake and the Fox Mine. The electricity provided was just enough to maintain the requirements of the mines, mills, and community.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #47 - This newsletter includes the second and concluding portion of the SGM 1979 annual report, beginning with the names of the Toronto Head Office and Fort Saskatchewan employees:

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #46 - Evelyn B. sent me a group of old photos to scan and gave the following comments about some of her recollections and those twenty-one Sherridon photos from her albums.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #45 - A Newsletter briefly highlighting the incredible life of achievements of Mr. "Doc" Gallie, who passed away August 6th, 2005.  Obituary included.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #44 - This marks the tenth anniversary of the remarkable Lynn Lake Reunion held in Winnipeg from August 4th to 6th in 1995.  This Newsletter provides a description about the organization of this celebration along with some photos of attendees and some stories of events.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #43 - Have you ever tried to remember a Lynn Lake name but found that the years have made some fade from memory? Perhaps this will help ­ a list of SGM employees in Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids from the 1979 annual report, and part one (of two) of the report.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #42 -  This newsletter concludes the Sherritt Long Service Awards 1937-1971 booklet. The twelve pages, 59 through 70, which are composed of a montage of photos, bear no information as to dates, locations or names.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #41 - This newsletter will carry on with more short stories and photos from the Sherritt Long Service Awards 1937-1971 booklet, this week P through Y, with the conclusion next week.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #40 - A few days ago 56 years ago, W.L Morton went on a short adventure to see for himself the new mine and planned townsite of Lynn Lake. Some of his journal notes and photos appeared in the Canadian Geographic Journal soon after.

Lynn Lake a A Place to Remember #39 - Pictures and stories of West Lynn Heights School Graduation ceremonies during the late 1970's, and a narrative with photos of the King Miner Competition ran during the July 1st celebrations in Lynn Lake for 5 years starting in 1974 to 1978

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #38 - This newsletter will carry on with more short stories and photos from the Sherritt Long Service Awards 1937-1971 booklet, this week L through O.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #37 - This newsletter will carry on with short stories and photos from the
Sherritt Long Service Awards 1937-1971 booklet, this week ­ D through K, including a the preamble from the booklet:

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #36 - The A, B, Cs of Sherridon and Lynn Lake!  A few short stories on a number of Sherritt people, whose last name started with  “A, B, or C”. Most of the stories are from the: Sherritt Long Service Awards 1937-1971 booklet unless otherwise noted.

Lynn Lake a A Place to Remember #35 - Memorabilia pertaining to the Grand Opening of Fox Mine in 1970.  The Newsletter contains tidbits of information and key pictures of this historic event in the life of Sherritt Gordon Mines and Lynn Lake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #34 - A Newsletter dedicated to the great Lynn Lake Reunion of 1995.  The Newsletter also includes various tourism-related literature created over the years by the Town of Lynn Lake and by the Lynn Lake Chamber of Commerce, summary community demographic information and traces the various mining companies commencing and ceasing mining operations and it's affect upon businesses and people.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #33 - A Newsletter focusing on Mr. Cecil R. Neely who, in 1951, was appointed the very first Resident Administrator for the Local Government District of Lynn Lake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #32 - A Newsletter focusing on the passing of Midge Tanasichuk, a long-time active resident of Lynn Lake.  It includes a few letters describing changes and events happening locally, typical of the kind of letters she wrote for a long time and shared with many persons still connected with Lynn. 

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #31 - Sherritt Gordon Air Transport brought many people into Lynn Lake, and Doug Robinson was one of them. He recounts his few years there.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #30 - A Newsletter focusing on the passing of Mr. Cyril Anderson, a long-time resident of Lynn Lake and a pioneer and legend in cat training in Northern Manitoba.  Mr. Anderson's work brought him to likely every corner of the province and he was instrumental in shaping the northern portions of this province to what it is today.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #29 - A newsletter focusing on the distinguished career of Mr. Darrol Stoness, who was an aircraft mechanic and principal pilot of a Beech aircraft belonging to Sherritt Gordon Mines (SGM), as well as being the Manager of SGM Air Transport.  He also flew other types of aircraft.  A biography followed by stories of Mr. Stoness who flew medivac flights, passengers, search and rescue, Airborne geophysical equipment 450 feet above the ground (An instrument that picks up magnetic variations that can point the way to deposits of nickel, copper, zinc, and lead).

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #28 -  A write-up of the important role that pilots and early planes served in opening up Lynn Lake and Canada's north country.  Short stories recount accidents, near accidents and incredible feats from early aviation pioneers. 

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #27 - A recount of a few more interesting individuals that have left an impression in the north.  Includes remarkable stories about Mr. Dick Madole and Mr. Sidney Augustus Keighley.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #26 -  A digital copy of the Homecoming 84 booklet.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #25 - Stories told by wives whom were among the early settlers to Lynn Lake.  Of groceries for a year, wood stoves and warm northern hospitality to fend off the cold and dark, churches of different faiths, and service clubs, these stories will tickle your funnybone and lift any spirits.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #24 - The story of the railroad linking Sherridon and points south to the community of Lynn Lake.  The newsletter describes the trials and tribulations of constructing a railroad over the frozen tundra through stories in various magazine and newspaper articles.  The stories behind the names of stops along the railine to Lynn Lake are told.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #23 - An enjoyable collage of amazing short stories depicting difficult times faced by early settlers of Lynn Lake.  Includes mention of the claim rushes of the El, health care, freighting in food and other supplies during the great haul, hardships of the weather, and obsolete communications.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #22 - Lynn Lake's Hillcrest Cemetery.  Listed in this Newsletter are plots and descriptions of deceased persons.

 

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #21 - A write-up of the trials and tribulations of the early years in Lynn where grocheries had to be sent in yearly, and stored for use.  Trading and bartering of groceries when they were running out, and what to do with fresh fruits and vegetables were some challenges of the homemakers during this era.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #20 - A description of the Linn Tractors, Cat trains and the "cat skinners" who transported more than 50 homes and equipment the 180 miles from Sherridon to present day Lynn Lake.  With pictures taken during the hauls.  The Newsletter also talks about the infrastructure built and the investment dollars required to built Lynn Lake.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #19  A narration of what life was like in Lynn Lake during the early years, and another issue of the Sherridon High Reports from February, 1952 focused on the death of King George IV.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #18  The Newsletter is a tribute to the life and times of Mr. Doug Ruttan, whose name was given the the mine that built Leaf Rapids, MB.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #17  The Newsletter describes the cat trains and the cat train skinners challenges of hauling equipment and material to the new Lynn Lake town site thru the rugged northern Manitoba wilderness during winter.  Includes pictures.

 

Lynn Lake -A Place to Remember #16  The Newsletter makes mention of the passing away of Mr. G. Douglas Ruttan and a future newsletter will be authored about the gentleman and his accomplishments.  The remaining newsletter discusses the West Lynn Heights School.

Lynn Lake -A Place to Remember #15  A The Newsletter includes among other tidbits of fascinating history, discussion about Patricia Transport who had the contract to move buildings, homes, equipment, etc. to Lynn from Sherridon, surveying the rail line to Lynn Lake, a brief history of Sherridon, and commercial fishing.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #14  Some great pictures of "The Move" (i.e. the bank on a sleigh) and the school being built.  Reminiscing of the school days, school and community dances, and early teachers and students.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #13  Mention of the natural disaster in Southeast Asia, newspaper articles on Lynn Lake's will to survive, acknowledgements of contributors and comments shared in response to previous newsletters, and scanned pages of Lynn Lake telephone pages.

 

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #12 A description of a Christmas spent by Chuck and Audrey Mellon, model railroading, and pictures of Lynn Lake's winter.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #11   A bit of history of Mr. Alan E. ‘Doc’ Gallie, and some pictures of him and others during construction.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #10 Topics discussed include the various Lynn Lake newspapers that have been in publication over the years, and a collage of comments collected from readers of the newsletters.

 

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #9  A fascinating newspaper article written by Peter Newman in 1953 that describes how and why Lynn Lake was built in an entertaining manner, along with challenges and accomplishments associated with building the railroad leading to the community.  In addition, some tidbits of old memories held by former Lynn Lakers of the community; and newspaper articles and pictures of key figures involved in the construction of the railroad, the "A" mine headframe construction, Laurie River Hydro Dam construction, and a successful invention used by the railroad for laying rail track..

 

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #8  A narrative of the importance of Zinc related to the Fox Mine's production, pictures of Fox Mine construction, SGM 25 year service photo, and Elaine and Frank Bement, 1989.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #7  Includes discussion of collectors' pins of Lynn Lake groups.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #6  Includes Remembrance Day history and snowmobile trip with M. Ladouceur.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #5

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #4

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #3  Includes newspaper articles of Mr. Carl Sherritt's death.

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #2 Includes a newspaper article of Mr. Fred Chiupka .

Lynn Lake - A Place to Remember #1 by Emil Szekrenyes.