THE BLUE AN YELLOW TOUR
Friday Aug. 11, 2023
1:30 PM
Nipigon Historical Museum
Greet and sign in
(photo)
We will start your Blue and Yellow Tour at the World Record
Brook Trout Display.
As our Federal Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-
Superior North, you represent us to
Canada and the World.
Having a World Record Brook Trout that has retained its
World Record status for 108 continuous
years since it was caught in our mighty Nipigon River July 21, 1915, is a
unique feature of your Riding.
After the Fur Trade frenzy FISHING the Nipigon became a
world enticement.
As you can see from the wall map, the last Hydro dam built
at Pine Portage took out every lake, rapid and waterfall including Virgin Falls
as its flooding created Forgan Lake 73 years ago.
So, that is why it is so important what Fred Dean and Rob
Swainson are doing to establish a solid
history of the Nipigon River that was when it ran wild , untamed and free.
Fred has pixel painted 100 historic black and white photos to create the Nipigon River in Colour
as a lasting tribute for our mighty River that was, but is no more.
As Rob Swainson says it is recognized that without the Indigenous guides’ knowledge of
the River and their amazing paddling and portaging skills likely no fisherman
nor photographer would have reached the
upper Nipigon.
(Moving to the round table)
Some years ago a young man named Warren came to the museum
with an Ojibway language Hymn book published in Nipigon in 1931. He was very
proud of it and left it as a loan for display in the Nipigon Museum. A short while later he died in a train
accident.
In July of this year we received an Ojibway language hymn
book , Published in Nipigon 1931,in the mail from Mary Turk in Haines Junction,
Yukon Territory. She was sorting through
the shelves of Bishop Hectors small church when she came across this hymn book.
She thought it best that it be returned to its source, Nipigon. Thus Nipigon
Historical Museum was chosen for its safe keeping and display.
On the wall here and assorted places around the museum you
will see the Woodland Art of Isadore Wadow.
(Move to the Rock Images)
Rock Images have been found in about 31 locations in and
around Nipigon Bay. The most famous of
them, The Maymayguishy is slowly wearing away.
What they depict may be Spiritual; tell a story; give
directions or be just artistic creations.
(Move to Archaeology cases)
Another unique
feature of your Riding is the McCollum Collection which dates back 3500
years.
The uniqueness comes
from the inclusion of lithics and copper in an (assumed) grave site.
The copper dates back to a Culture 3500 years ago. Two pieces of this copper originated from the
Isle Royale copper pits.
In the other case the lithics are from an island in South
Lake Nipigon and they date into the Archaic period of 5000 years ago.
The Pottery sherds range over 1200 years of occupation in
one area of South Bay, Lake Nipigon.
As you can see there were a few different Cultural names
assigned to this pottery.
(Move to Paddle to the Sea case)
Coming forward in time we have the children’s book “Paddle
to the Sea” first published in 1941.
82 years later it is still published.. The author Holling
Clancy Holling visited Nipigon in 1939 researching his book.
The National Film Board made a movie of this book. This is a still from that movie . The
daughter of Director Mason donated this
to the Nipigon Historical Museum.
Children at a Waterford Michigan school studied the book and carved little
“Paddles” which they sent to St. Edward School and that class threw them in the Nipigon River off the
Morning Star. Another little boy
celebrated the 50th anniversary of the book by carving his own
“Paddle” and flying to Thunder Bay with his family and driving to Nipigon to
throw it in the Nipigon River. He lived in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.
NIPIGON can still entice the World.
(End Tour)
