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Welcome to the Gatineau Valley Historical Society

We're pleased to welcome you to our website. Bookmark this home page and return regularly to check out our continually expanding site. Members and others can read the Society's current or past newsletters, or view photos of recent Society events on our linked Flickr account. Researchers or family historians can learn more about the Society's archival holdings, its Image Bank and publications, or directly access an extensive list of digital resources. See event archive for past events.

GVHS Archives open
The Gatineau Valley Historical Society Archives, on the lower level of the Chelsea Municipal Library, has reopened on Monday, January 16, 2012. See hours of operation.

Highlights

See Newsletter
Number 2012-01
January/February/March 2012 (pdf)

2012 Meeting & Event Schedule

To celebrate our 50th anniversary, the Society executive has put together an ambitious calendar of events for 2012 which is focused on celebrating the Society's roots by connecting with some of the historic places, contributors, and organizations that have donated their time and expertise to make GVHS a viable and significant local institution since 1962.

50th Anniversary Celebration Kick-off - see poster
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Wakefield Mill, 60 Mill Rd., Wakefield QC
Additional information available at Maison Fairbairn House.

Archives Open House & AGM
Remembering Pat Evans - Exhibition of Historic Photos - Cantley 1889
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Chelsea Library, 100 Old Chelsea Rd., Chelsea, QC

The Great River Project
with Ottawa Riverkeeper Meredith Brown
Monday, March 19, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Wakefield Community Centre, Great Hall

Heritage Ottawa's Seventh Annual Bob and Mary Anne Phillips Memorial Lecture: Full Circle: Conservation and "Adaptive Use" in Restoring the Jeanne d'Arc Institute on Sussex Drive
Location: Ottawa Public Library Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe St., corner of Laurier Ave. W.,Ottawa.
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2012, Time: 7:00 pm
Designer/developer Ian Johns and author Sarah Jennings recount their adventures in bringing new life to five historic Sussex Drive buildings through a private, subsidy-free development agreement with the National Capital Commission. This first leasehold project of its kind in Canada's capital has taken buildings dating from Bytown's earliest days and the more recent Jeanne d'Arc Institute, between Clarence and York Streets, to form a commercial/residential development that provides a lively and thriving full city block on Ottawa's "Mile of History".
This lecture will be in English.

Recent Events

Radon in the Gatineau
Dr. Don Hogarth, geology professor and author, spoke to GVHS members and friends on November 21 about radon and radioactivity in the Gatineau Valley. He also distributed colour maps and displayed part of his rock collection. Most interestingly, he detailed how he solved the 1957 mystery of the case of the missing uranium (which he recounted had disappeared as it was absorbed by the dark, peaty soil in which it was found). See the photos on Flickr.

Remembrance Day Feedback
Mr. T. Robert (Bob) Fowler communicated with the GVHS recently, after attending our 2011 Remembrance Day ceremony. An author and historian, he has a strong interest in the military. After writing about Private Richard Rowland Thompson in his 2009 book on Canadian soldiers, Fowler visited his grave at the Chelsea cenotaph a few summers ago, vowing to return one November. He writes that he was impressed by the peaceful nature of the cemetery and its fine condition, and congratulated the GVHS on its Remembrance Day ceremony. Check out his blog and related photos on Flickr.

Ottawa Ski Club Newsletter archive
As ski season quickly approaches, check out a new link called the Ottawa Ski Club Newsletter archive. It's found on the Guide Gatineau website, created and run by Gatineau Park enthusiast, Charles Hodgson. In addition to updates on current Gatineau Park goings on, Guide Gatineau has just added scanned copies of original newsletters from 1921 to 1942. As well you can read Hodgson's version of the history of the Ottawa Ski Club. Great reading!

Remembrance Day Ceremony
On Friday, November 11 the GVHS hosted a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Chelsea Cenotaph. The event included a thrilling fly-pass by a vintage Harvard aircarft from Vintage Wings of Canada. Photos and a video of Chelsea Elementary School children singing at the event can be viewed on our Flickr account. As part of this year's ceremony, two poems were read; Mayor Caryl Green read the late Doug Cowden's poem "It's Just a Piece of Cloth" and Chelsea Elementary School pupil Valerie Kapsa read a poem she wrote.

Interpretive Hike to Brown Lake in Gatineau Park
On a perfect fall day about a dozen keen hikers joined Ken Bouchard on his guided walk to Brown's Lake. Brown descendant Debbie Dunn St. Jean provided added interpretation as the group walked along trails next to former farmland and viewed stone foundations of long-gone homes, expropriated by the federal government for Gatineau Park. See photos on our Flickr account, courtesy Debbie Dunn St. Jean.

Researching a Family Military History
On October 17, Carol Reid from the Canadian War Museum spoke to an interested group of GVHS members and friends about military genealogy. She provided a comprehensive introduction to on-line resources relating to Canadian military service records. See the photo on our Flickr account.

Gatineau Valley Postal History
On September 19th, Pascal LeBlond of Library and Archives Canada presented a Postal History of the Gatineau Valley, and outlined the various reference documents available to any member of the public interested in researching this topic. His presentation will be posted shortly. See the photo on our Flickr account.

Union Mission Church Park Dedication
The Gatineau Valley Historical Society and the Union Mission Church Committee held a dedication ceremony and reception to celebrate the installation of the Union Mission Church Park in Kirk's Ferry. The ceremony took place on Sunday October 2nd at the site at #16 Brown Road in Kirk's Ferry. Thanks were given to Municipal staff, elected officials and Heritage Committee members for their support and vision in creating this memorial to Chelsea's past. See the photos on our Flickr account.

Interpretive Hike from Larrimac to Meech Lake
GVHS Director, Allan Richens, was the guide for 25 enthusiastic walkers plus one dog, ranging in age from 8 to 80, on his annual interpretive hike which took place on a glorious Sunday, September 18. This popular hike starts at the Larrimac Golf Club and follows old farm lanes and bush trails, from Cooper's Trail to O'Rourke's Clearing, and past the former Carbide Willson Mill, ending at Meech Lake. See the photos on our Flickr account, courtesy of Heidi von Graevenitz.

48th Annual Auction of Antiques and Collectibles
Read about another successful GVHS auction that took place on Saturday August 20, led by GVHS Director R.J. Hughes. See details in our Fall newsletter and photos in our Flickr account.

Browse images from Gatineau Valley Historical Society events

Want to contribute? Become a member? Contact us at info@gvhs.ca or any member of the GVHS Executive.