Old Fashioned Picnic 1914

     The following comes from Allan MacRae's "From the Past" column in the July 29, 2015 edition of the West Prince Graphic.  I believe the house mentioned in the write-up is the Crockett Home at 262 Marchbank Road (aka Jack Donald Rd) in Montrose, beside Marchbank Pond.  This area was in the district of Alma Post Office.
     Information correction from the Crockett family: Lorne and Mae Crockett bought this house from Allie Marchbank back in the 1940's.  Lorne and Mae had two children Nadine and Orvie.  Today Shane Crockette lives here, he's the son of Orvie, grandson of Lorne.

 Old fashion picnic at Alma, Lot 3, enjoyed by everyone in attendance, 1914.

     "On Saturday, 27th of June 1914, the Greenmount Ball Club was invited by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Alley to hold a picnic at the Abeqweit Silver-Black Fox Co.'s ranch at Alma, Lot 3.  Sunny weather, field games, hot chocolate, a basket lunch, home-made ice-cream and ginger tonic were enjoyed by all in attendance." "Summerside Journal," 8 July 1914.
     "The long piazza of the Alley Ranch was prettily decorated with large tissue decorated with large tissue paper plumes of colors of the rainbow.  A hammock and easy chairs on the piazza and lawn made the guests very comfortable.  The prettily arranged parlours and den were opened all day and were enjoyed by everyone."
     "Field games were played and all enjoyed the ball game for hours, the ladies doing extra good work at the bat as well as making many home runs."
     "At 4:30pm our hosts served delicious hot chocolate, together with basket lunches and three large freezers of home-made ice-cream, washed down with a case of ginger tonic furnished by members of the ball club.  Altogether we spent a most enjoyable hour.  After lunch we returned to the ball grounds where we passed the rest of the day in games."
     Messrs. Perley Haywood and Arthur Carruthers, the Misses Estell Haywood, Ella Rennie and Fannie Ramsay from Tignish; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rayner, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Rayner, James Rayner and daughters, the Misses Ruth and Amanda; Mrs. Brenton O'Connor, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hammill and son Frank and daughter Iona from Greenmount; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Platts, and Mr. and Mrs. William Leonard from Kildare Capes.  The invited guests were Mr. Lynch and Mr. John Rayner from Greenmount, Dr. Lynch from Brookline, Mass., Mr. Trask from Boston and Master Gordon Ramsay from Alberton."
     "The day was an ideal one and party broke up at 7:00pm with the declaration that his was the most enjoyable picnic of the season!"

Gordon-Barbour House, Montrose

     I was out to Montrose the other day and took these photos of the Jack & Kay Barbour home.  The house is located on Rte. 152 leaving Alberton, between Huntley and the Montrose Bridge.

     The following information cf. http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=1815

     This large "Fox House" (more commonly known as "Four-Square" style) was built in 1914 for Robert Hudson Gordon, one of the local pioneers of the fox farming industry on Prince Edward Island.  The carpenter was Robert Rankin.  

     The very large (one of the largest in western PEI) 2-1/2 storeys house has a hipped roof complete with large dormers on each side.  There are shallow bay windows and a partial wrap-around verandah with round columns.  This house always been well maintained and today is in excellent condition.

     During the 1930's the house came up for offer and was purchased by Roy Barbour and his family - Roy's son Jack and his family remain here today. 

     The large barn and out-buildings are also in very good condition - always well maintained.  The property is large with mature trees all around.

Pridham House, Montrose - destroyed

     The old Ken & Lois Pridham House, located on Rte. 152 in Montrose, was destroyed by fire on Sunday evening past, Nov. 18th - a control burn by the local fire departments.  The house had been abandoned for many, many years and in poor condition.
     Here are a few photos I took on June 28, 2012.

      Above/Below: The house sat atop a south facing hill with a distant view of the beautiful Montrose River.  This view faces west and Rte. 152.

      The house dates approximately back to the 1870-80's and features a steep gabled dormer on the front with two square bay windows below.  There was a kitchen wing to the rear.

Below: Pridham House Control Burn. cf. Facebook

"PHOTO REMOVED OUT OF RESPECT FOR FAMILY'S LOSS"

CIHB - Fred Ramsay, Hardy Rd., Montrose

     This is an interesting house in that it's a bungalow - the CIHB card notes that the second floor had burned.

CIHB - Charles Ramsay, Hardy Rd., Montrose

Here's another in the CIHB collection - it's a grand house dated 1870's.  The Hardy Road connects Kildare to Montrose - my PEI Map doesn't show a route number on it.

Dunbar House, Montrose - 2nd update

I was uphome (Alma, PEI) this past weekend and saw the banister and two doors from the recently torn-down Dunbar House in Montrose, PEI.

Dunbar House, Montrose - update

The old house was demolished yesterday - they say there were batts flying everywhere.  I learned more about the house.  This was the Montrose Presbyterian Manse and sold to Stephen McNeill 1893-1984 (son of James and Elizabeth (Jeffery) MacNeill) of Alma.  Stephen operated a cobbler shop from here - he learned the trade from his father.  Stephen sold it to Eric Dunbar who later sold it to his brother George Dunbar.

In the Wednesday, June 29th, 2011 issue of the West Prince Graphic, page 3 (see below) - is an article about the demolition of this house.  When someone came in to take the mantle before demolition Mrs. Pedersen, the owner, found four old photos (one a tin-type) I'd say dating from the 1870's - they don't know who the people area.  There was alot of history here in this old house.

Dunbar House/Store, Montrose, PEI

This old house will be torn down today.  It's located on the corner of the Centerline Rd. (Rte. 151) and Rte. 153 in Montrose.   When I was young the house was owned by George Dunbar.  Following WWII he operated a store from here in an addition to the rear - torn off years ago.  The house has been much modified over the years, especially in the windows.  The present owners offered to my brother Kerras of Backroad Folkart ( http://www.birchgate.ca/kerras/furniture%20show/furniture%20show.html ) to come in and strip out architectural features before demolition.  He took out the complete stair banister ( I will get photo later), a few doors, door knobs, trim, etc.  he said there were alot of square nails in the house.

Meachams 1880 Atlas shows two building on this property and notes a store owned by Donald Montgomery.  On the 3/4-acre lot adjacent ( north/behind )  was a forge owned by Benjamin Bowness.

Above/Below: a door knob and plate from this house - Kerras was impressed with the detail and substance of the knob.