The pioneers of Canoe Point were an eccentric bunch. They were drawn together despite differences in education and language. The Woods family were the closest neighbour farmers and were well known for their ingenuity. They developed a "phone system" between the houses which allowed for basic communication. They also created their own electricity by channeling Blackwood creek into a power house. The farmhouse had a pulley system which allowed the Woods family to choose to route the power either to the house or to the dairy barn. The dairy barn itself was a beautiful structure and the parlour had a system installed for cleaning the floor as well as an automatic watering system. The Ranch did not have such a watering system until 1995.
The Herald Family lived 11 kms. to the west of the Ranch but despite the distance the families shared pasture and labour. Dundas Herald graduated from Queen's University Medical College in 1891. He immediately moved to British Columbia and worked in Vancouver for a number of years. He then moved to Quesnelle Forks where he practiced for five years. He married Edith Walsh of Corona, Ontario and moved to Bonnie Bray which is now the famous Herald Park. There he lived a very isolated existence with his three children. Jessie Herald lived her whole life on the farm after she sold it to the B.C. government in 1975.
It appears that the residents of Canoe Point began to object to their isolation. In 1948 they began to try to pressure government to build a road to Canoe Point. The road fell short by about ten miles. There are two letters dated both in March, but one in 1948 and the other in 1949. They were addressed to the Editor of the Salmon Arm Observer. Evident in the letters is the frustration of having endured the winter in challenging conditions. The letters were written by Renee Miege, representing the people of Canoe Point, referring to a petition that had been sent for support for a road. Renee writes in the letter that "small farmers need and must have a chance to live properly and decently. Their biggest drawback is the lack of road leading to a town....personally, I am concerned about the road, first because I now live here, and because most of our neighbours want a road very much. Then my son has studied to be a farmer and circumstances made it happen to come to this Canoe Point. Now if the young who want to be real farmers making a living on it, having studied all the modern methods are impeded by one vital point - NO ROAD - how in the world will they keep going? Youth has not much patience when it says an easier way out elsewhere and the young men will not stay on in such a job but will look for a job in the city. And the big world cry is for more farmers! Renee claims in the letter that the residents feel that they "live further than the North Pole in winter" as the lake completely freezes right to Salmon Arm. In the winter of 1948/49 the lake did not freeze enough to be used as a crossing for three months which Renee stated was a "very big pill of ice to swallow". Renee goes on to describe the challenges of crossing the lake on the ice, trying to determine if it is strong enough to support an animal or even a sleight to assist in transporting the goods. At times the only way to carry the cream to Sicamous was on their backs as the lake could not support a sleigh. The other problem encountered that winter was that the feed became low on farm, necessitating a purchase of hay from Salmon Arm. Renee describes how the farmer has to walk across the lake, take the train to Salmon Arm to order the hay. Then the hay is shipped by freight train and dumped along the tracks opposite the farm. Renee writes that "two old men and one young one have to do the job if they do not want their cattle to starve before the grass is grown". Three tons of hay is moved, using the risk of a sleigh in fluctuating temperatures. Renee states that one day it rains so hard that "not even a duck would go out". Renee ends the letter claiming "it may thaw, it may freeze again, who knows? It is in such suspense that people have been living on the Canoe Point all winter".
Click on letters to view (click on image until letter is magnified)
The Herald Family lived 11 kms. to the west of the Ranch but despite the distance the families shared pasture and labour. Dundas Herald graduated from Queen's University Medical College in 1891. He immediately moved to British Columbia and worked in Vancouver for a number of years. He then moved to Quesnelle Forks where he practiced for five years. He married Edith Walsh of Corona, Ontario and moved to Bonnie Bray which is now the famous Herald Park. There he lived a very isolated existence with his three children. Jessie Herald lived her whole life on the farm after she sold it to the B.C. government in 1975.
It appears that the residents of Canoe Point began to object to their isolation. In 1948 they began to try to pressure government to build a road to Canoe Point. The road fell short by about ten miles. There are two letters dated both in March, but one in 1948 and the other in 1949. They were addressed to the Editor of the Salmon Arm Observer. Evident in the letters is the frustration of having endured the winter in challenging conditions. The letters were written by Renee Miege, representing the people of Canoe Point, referring to a petition that had been sent for support for a road. Renee writes in the letter that "small farmers need and must have a chance to live properly and decently. Their biggest drawback is the lack of road leading to a town....personally, I am concerned about the road, first because I now live here, and because most of our neighbours want a road very much. Then my son has studied to be a farmer and circumstances made it happen to come to this Canoe Point. Now if the young who want to be real farmers making a living on it, having studied all the modern methods are impeded by one vital point - NO ROAD - how in the world will they keep going? Youth has not much patience when it says an easier way out elsewhere and the young men will not stay on in such a job but will look for a job in the city. And the big world cry is for more farmers! Renee claims in the letter that the residents feel that they "live further than the North Pole in winter" as the lake completely freezes right to Salmon Arm. In the winter of 1948/49 the lake did not freeze enough to be used as a crossing for three months which Renee stated was a "very big pill of ice to swallow". Renee goes on to describe the challenges of crossing the lake on the ice, trying to determine if it is strong enough to support an animal or even a sleight to assist in transporting the goods. At times the only way to carry the cream to Sicamous was on their backs as the lake could not support a sleigh. The other problem encountered that winter was that the feed became low on farm, necessitating a purchase of hay from Salmon Arm. Renee describes how the farmer has to walk across the lake, take the train to Salmon Arm to order the hay. Then the hay is shipped by freight train and dumped along the tracks opposite the farm. Renee writes that "two old men and one young one have to do the job if they do not want their cattle to starve before the grass is grown". Three tons of hay is moved, using the risk of a sleigh in fluctuating temperatures. Renee states that one day it rains so hard that "not even a duck would go out". Renee ends the letter claiming "it may thaw, it may freeze again, who knows? It is in such suspense that people have been living on the Canoe Point all winter".
Click on letters to view (click on image until letter is magnified)
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