Along Memory Lane with Hagerman People
1868-1972

Settlers moved into Parry Sound District's Hagerman Township around the time of Confederation, and from then until well through the twentieth century, this compilation of records, family stories, notes on farming practices and logging operastions, accounts of young men leaving for wars, changes in methods of transport and means of communication led the authors of this local history to say, in 1974, "Times are vastly changing."

That times have even changed so much more since makes this rare book all the more valuable as a record of the social and cultural history of settlements on the Canadian Shield.

Although a great deal of credit for this book rests with Pearl MacLennan, curator for the Dunchurch Women's Institute, the fact is that "as many people as possible" were involved in writing up these accounts of people who lived in Hagerman Township.

The result is that seemingly everything is here between the covers of this book. Along Memory Lane's 220 pages are traced "the essence of rural living" -- with homespun stories, rhymes, reminiscences, true tales, yarns, and illustrations. Members of the Dunchurch Women's Institute researched, composed, and reconstructed the book's contents, then felt constrained, or perhaps inspired, to note in their Preface that Along Memory Lane "is different from the usual run of history books."

Richly illustrated with photographs, this book was published by Robert J. Boyer in 1974 through The Herald-Gazette Press, Bracebridge. Only several copies remain.

AUTHORS

Mrs. Pearl MacLennan, a member of one of Hagerman Township's early families, was curator for the Dunchurch women's Institute. In addition to records she kept, which form much of the basis for this book, countless others in the Village of Dunchurch and surrounding Hagerman Township collaborated in wiiting sections of Along Memory Lane.

DETAILS

Publisher: Herald-Gazette Press, 1974
Category: Biography, autobiography, and reminiscences
BookID: Serial248054Reg77
Price: $29.95 CDN/USA paperback
Format: 219 pages 6 x 9 in
Features: B&W photos