Moosonee, ON

Revillion Freres of New York and Montreal established a trading store where the Hudson’s Bay Company Transport is presently situated. Mr. Hardisty advised Revillion Freres to move from that location owing to the floods that often occurred there during break-up. The company then moved its establishment to the banks of Store Creek on the property now owned by Mr. And Mrs. Bishop Hennessy. Mr. Gus Gunner was the first local man to be employed by Revillion Freres.

Fred Gunner was the first child to be born in Moosonee.

The first school was opened and the teacher was Mr. Fred Mark.

A sawmill was established by Revillion Freres two lots north of the Polar Bear Lodge. The lumber was used for the building of staff houses.

The Hudson’s Bay Company bought Captain Scott’s ship the "Discovery" and used it in the bay. It had a solid oak hull for the South Pole expedition, which was removed to permit more cargo space.

Two oxen arrived by ship from Montreal for the purpose of hauling wood for Revillion Freres.

Mr. Leduc brought the first outboard motor to Moosonee. It was a 1 ½ HP Faro.

Reputedly Moosonee/Moose Factory had the highest percentage per capita of volunteers to the Armed Forces, of any district in Canada.

In the spring the first horses arrived from Rupert House. They were driven down on the ice by Mr. Joseph Hunter.

The first privately owned house was built on the south side of Store Creek by John and Sarah Hunter. The glass for the windows was brought from Montreal by ship at a cost of $600.00. Revillion Freres owned all the other houses.

The first airplane landed on the river in front of the Polar Bear Lodge. The plane belonged to Canadian Aero Film Company and was piloted by Captain Maxwell. This plane departed from Moosonee on August 20^th for Cochrane. On board was the first mail ever to be delivered by air. At their first glimpse of an airplane, one local resident started singing "There is a happy land, far far away", thinking it was Jesus arriving on the Cross; and another resident started shooting at the plane.

The first sod was turned for the construction of the Cochrane to Moosonee railway. The Honourable EC Drury, Premier of Ontario, turned the first soil for the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway. During this year an explosion of unknown origin caused black smoke to rise and the long rumble shook the windows of the buildings. Mr. Joseph Hunter brought in an Elto outboard motor, which was run on battery and steered by a rudder.

N Johnson outboard motor was used by Mr. Joseph Hunter to bring him down the Albany River from Pagwa to Moose. It was a 2 ½ HP magneto type with rope starting.

Mileage 44.4 completed by Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway.

Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway construction to mileage 68 completed (Fraserdale). A government subsidy gave a monthly mail service to Moosonee, except during break-up and freeze-up.

The first Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment was established at Moose Factory by Constable RL Truelove. John Hunter was the first local child to travel south to attend school in Cochrane. The canoe trip took one week.

The Dominion Construction Company commenced building the railway bridge at Moose River crossing.

The first bank was in the Revillion Store. The safe for the bank was brought down the river from Moose River Crossing in a canoe by Mr. Joseph Hunter. The Moose River Bridge was completed. On July 19^th the last passenger and mail canoe arrived. An inspector from the Department of Education arranged for a school to be opened in a boxcar and he appointed three persons to the school board. Roman Catholic Church services were held for the first time in a rented house. On August 1^st, Colonel and Mrs. Charles A Lindberg landed their airplane in the gutway between Charles Island and Sawpit Island. Local resident Mr. Willie Moore gassed up Mr. Lindberg’s plane, using horses and a two wheel cart to carry the gas to the canoe. Mr. Moore described Mr. Lindberg as tall, handsome, with curly hair and he did not wear shoes.

Construction was commenced for a Roman Catholic Church. A branch of the Imperial Oil Company was established. The Hudson’s Bay Transport Division came into being in Moosonee. On the 15^th of July the "last spike" ceremony took place for the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway at Moosonee. The Honourable George S Henry, Premier of Ontario, drove in a Gold Spike; and an iron spike was hammered in by Mr. George A Lee, Chairman of TNO Commission. The first street lighting was from the railway station to the hotel, which was situated on the south side of Store Creek. The power plant operator was Mr. John Elliot.

During the month of June, the Earl and Countess of Bessborough, then Governor General of Canada, visited Moosonee. Accompanied by the Honourable Charles McCree of the Ontario Government and Mr. George A lee, the visitors gave a garden party in the grounds of the hotel. (The hotel no longer exists having been destroyed by fire).

Mr. JW Anderson of the Hudson’s Bay Company visited the Revillion Freres posts on James Bay, which he reorganized under the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Moosonee store (presently used as the Staff House for Austin Airways Ltd.) was one of the stores taken over.

Staff houses for the Federal Department of Transport employees were erected.

The Roman Catholic Church and the Assumption Hospital were constructed. The hospital was destroyed by fire in July 1969.

A great deal of freight arrived in Moosonee for the construction of the Moose Factory Island Hospital, which began this year. An office for the Department of Lands and Forests was established.

Moose Factory Island Hospital opened this year, giving the population of Moosonee better medical facilities.

The first helicopter came to Moosonee in search for the missing Mr. Hudson and Mr. Barilko, the Maple Leaf hockey star.

Mr. Vince England opened a restaurant named "The Lunch Bar".

Construction started on the Mid-Canada Line.

Tractor trains travelling out of Moosonee for the Mid-Canada Line, the sleds were called "Wannigans".

The last steam locomotive was driven on the railway line to Moosonee.

A polar bear was sighted south of Moosonee on the railway track. This was confirmed by trappers who were in the vicinity.

On December 15^th, Royal Canadian Air Force personnel arrived to commence the operation of the Air Base.

Ontario Northern Railway Communications installed a dial system for the telephones for Moosonee and Moose Factory.

The Mid-Canada Line closed down completely. Dredging began in the Moose River.

In December the Federal Department of Transport had the weather station moved to a different location. Previously it was adjacent to the staff dwellings. In September, four houses were constructed for some of the Moosonee Public School staff. An addition was built on to the Moosonee Lodge which was formally called the Ontario Northland Log Lodge.

February 9^th was the coldest day ever recorded in Moosonee –51 degrees F. January 18^th students moved from the Old Public School (which has since been renovated for the Polar Bear Lodge) to the new Public School on First Street. Construction commenced on the Moosonee Education Centre.

The Polar Bear Lodge was opened in June.