Written by PEGGY FLETCHER, for the Sarnia Observer

(2002)  History excites me. It is not just dull words in an old textbook but a living ledger of those who have gone before. It speaks of those who built the world in which we now reside. It is the Alpha and Omega of all our lives, the subtle reminder that someday we will be part of these pages. It makes us think about how we want to be remembered.

My husband, John, also has a keen interest in history. He was recently approached by a woman seeking information on a pastry shop that was located on the corner of Mitton and Wellington Streets. For the last few years, he has gathered a small collection of photographs related to the Mitton Village area. She wanted to know if he had a picture of the original Williams Pastry. She also was interested in the knowledge that this was the famed Red Store corner where 19th-century coaches arrived from Petrolia and Oil Springs.
This sparked a conversation about Plank Road, one of the last toll roads in Ontario, of the Goodison Factory where many tractors and farm machines were produced, of Thomas Dougherty and his endeavours, of how people lived in an era when there was no indoor plumbing or any of the amenities we are used to.

Whenever I encounter the past, either local or otherwise, I try to picture myself living in those times. Imagine, for instance, being able to witness Canada’s second prime minister, Alexander Mackenzie, going about the stone mason’s job in the construction of local houses. Later, when he was involved in federal politics, there was a heated debate between him and John A. MacDonald in the old market building downtown. Today, his gravesite in Lakeview Cemetery marks his importance in Canadian history.
A fascinating group of photographs depicting Sarnia’s past was recently shown in Bayside Mall. As I looked at a wonderfully clear image of Front Street, I could almost hear the clip-clop of horses’ hooves and the clank of carriage wheels going over the cobblestoned street.
There were still remnants of the commercial strength of downtown when I arrived in Sarnia in the mid-’40s. I remember a wonderful old hardware store where a series of pulleys carried receipts up to the second-floor office. Large department stores and specialty shops thrived in post-war days. Christina Street was bustling with many shoppers.
There were graduates of local schools that went on to honour Sarnia-Lambton with their accomplishments. Most notably among them was Pauline McGibbon who had many firsts on her record. Writer Marian Engel won the Governor General’s Award and today remarkable people like Canada’s famed astronaut Chris Hadfield and award-winning professional golfer Mike Weir are enriching our history with their exciting contributions.

Out in the county, rural history was also remembered. The oil industry and its colourful past brought many adventurers to Petrolia and area. Whenever I drive down the main street of that town I am amazed by the beauty of Victorian structures in both the commercial and residential zones. The old opera house, which was rebuilt after a disastrous fire, once featured the famed native poet Pauline Johnson on its wide ornate stage.

The beaches of Lambton County, situated on one of the most beautiful lakes in Canada, echo with the laughter of past bathers and the romance of the past.
Large dance pavilions and lakefront hotels drew tourists from far and wide. Places like Grand Bend, Ipperwash and Bright’s Grove were favourite cottage sites.

When I first moved from Newfoundland, I remember feeling a little insecure about my knowledge of Canada and local history. Everything in Sarnia-Lambton seemed foreign. I was anxious to find out about my new home. The fact that it was located right across from the United States excited me, as did the little ferries that scooted back and forth across the river to Ferry Dock Hill.Sarnia was a port that welcomed everyone. It was on the verge of becoming a worldwide industrial centre. Its history has always intrigued me. I hope it always will.
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Heart & Soul is published weekly in this space, written in rotation by Writers In Transition members John Drage, Hope Morritt, Peggy Fletcher and Norma West Linder.