THE WAY WE DON'T LOOK AT HISTORY-
DOES BRACEBRIDGE HAVE AN IDENTITY CRISIS - NOT REALLY - BUT SOME FOLKS THINK DIFFERENTLY - A DEFICIENCY OF CHARACTER? WHO SAYS SO?
I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE RECENTLY CIRCULATED SURVEY, REGARDING BRACEBRIDGE'S IDENTITY……AND ITS FUTURE. EVEN THOUGH I'M PRESENTLY DWELLING IN GRAVENHURST, WHERE WE HAVE LIVED FOR NEARLY A QUARTER CENTURY, BRACEBRIDGE IS STILL A CHERISHED HOMETOWN…..WHERE MY FAMILY JOYFULLY ARRIVED, WITH GREAT HOPE AND ASPIRATIONS, BACK IN THE WINTER OF 1966. IT WAS WHERE I MET MY WIFE SUZANNE, A TEACHER AT BRACEBRIDGE AND MUSKOKA LAKES SECONDARY SCHOOL, WHERE MY BOYS ANDREW AND ROBERT WERE BORN, AND WHERE OUR PARENTS, NORM AND HARRIETT STRIPP, AND TED AND MERLE CURRIE PASSED AWAY. I HAVE BEEN A REGIONAL HISTORIAN FOR DECADES, AND I APPRENTICED WITH THE TOWN'S MOST PROMINENT HISTORIAN, ROBERT BOYER. MY OWN SON ROBERT IS NAMED AFTER MR. BOYER, WHO MENTORED ME IN BOTH THE NEWS BUSINESS, WITH THE HERALD-GAZETTE, BUT HELPED ME IN MY EARLY DAYS AS A FLEDGLING HISTORIAN WITH THE NEWLY FORMED BRACEBRIDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND WOODCHESTER VILLA AND MUSEUM. IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, I WAS THE FELLA WHO GAVE THE RINK RATS HOCKEY TEAM ITS NAME, AS WELL AS THE LOVABLE LOSERS HOCKEY TOURNAMENT……NOW LEGENDS IN MY OWN TIME; STILL A BRIGHT LIGHT OF ACCOMPLISHMENT EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN RETIRED FOR MOST OF CLUB'S HISTORY NOW. FOR THOSE WHO THINK I DON'T DESERVE THE RIGHT TO COMMENT, I WAS ALSO CURATOR OF THE BRACEBRIDGE SPORTS HALL OF FAME FOR 12 YEARS, A FORMER EDITOR OF THE HERALD-GAZETTE, THE MUSKOKA SUN, AND THE MUSKOKA ADVANCE, ALL PUBLISHED, DURING MY TENURE, IN THAT OLD WHITE STUCCO BUILDING ON DOMINION STREET.
SO I THINK I'VE GOT A RIGHT TO AN OPINION ON THE MATTER OF BRACEBRIDGE'S ENDURING LEGACY AND IDENTITY. IT'S JUST ONE OF THESE MODERN DAY MISSIONS OF DISCOVERY THAT THROWS OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, ABOUT THE TOWN AND TOWN LIFE, AND TOWN ATTRIBUTES, THAT FRANKLY ARE UNNECESSARY FOR ANY ONE WHO HAS LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY MORE THAN A DECADE. I CAN'T IMAGINE BOB BOYER, CHIEF TOWN HISTORIAN, LOOKING AT THESE QUESTIONS AND SUBSEQUENT ANSWERS, FEELING THEY WILL, IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY, CREATE FOR POSTERITY, THE CONTEMPORARY TEMPLATE OF WHAT RESPONDENTS WANT BRACEBRIDGE TO BE. AS IS MY GOOD FORTUNE, THE SURVEY ADMINISTRATORS ALLOWED OUTSIDERS TO COMMENT ON THE TOWN IDENTITY THING, AND SO I DID. IT WON'T BE HARD TO FIND MINE IN THE MIX. I'M THE GUY THAT SUGGESTS LEAVING WHAT IS ALREADY SOLID, AND SETTLED, TO SHOULDER THE LOAD FOR THE FUTURE. I'M NOT A STATUS QUO HISTORIAN EITHER, AND IF YOU READ MY PAST BLOGS, YOU'LL KNOW THAT FOR SURE. BUT WHAT BRACEBRIDGE HAS, IS A HISTORY THAT CAN BE MADE CONTEMPORARY IF TOWN COUNCIL EVER DECIDED TO USE WHAT IT ALREADY POSSESSES…..BUT SEEMS AT A LOSS ABOUT HOW TO USE IT. I KEEP NAGGING ON ABOUT THE TOWN'S WASHINGTON IRVING CONNECTION AND IT IS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS I CAN'T EXPLAIN……BUT THERE IS NO APPETITE TO ADOPT THIS INTERNATIONALLY REVERED, LITERARY PROVENANCE, OF WHICH THE TOWN IS FULLY ENTITLED TO USE, EXPLOIT, AND FINANCIALLY BENEFIT FROM……YET FOR UNKNOWN REASONS COUNCIL WON'T MAKE ANY EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY RIGHTFULLY OWN. A CONNECTION TO A GREAT AUTHOR, A HUGE VAULT OF LITERATURE WRITTEN BY THE MAN……AND THE INHERENT RIGHT TO HAVE THE BEST HALLOWE'EN PARTY IN CANADA, WITH CONNECTION TO THE AUTHOR OF "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW."
Just before the turn of the present century, I had begun work establishing a loose arrangement for future negotiation, with the Washington Irving Museum, at Sunnyside, in New York, and with the Irving societies elsewhere in the United States, thinking that it might be a good network in the future. I had this whacky idea that the town council, the Chamber of Commerce, and the local Business Improvement Association would want to embrace this huge literary connection to one of the world's best known authors. I offered to attend meetings to pitch this idea, and was blown off at every approach. They would listen to what I had to say, but I would be allowed only a tiny slot at a regular council meeting. As far as enthusiasm, there was none. I wrote a book about the Irving, Bracebridge connection, and while it sold well, the only time it was of any interest to a single council member, was when the mayor asked for a copy, to show a group of British visitors, a band I think, demonstrating the town's connection with England. Irving's "Bracebridge Hall," was written about Squire Bracebridge's estate in England. I never got it back, so I presume he either gave it to the group or tossed it on some dark shelf at town hall. That's okay. It was actually a milestone in the whole two year project.
How poor was the response to what the town has owned as provenance since 1864? I gave a lecture at the Muskoka Lakes Museum, in Port Carling, about reasons why Bracebridge, Ontario, had no interest in Washington Irving, or the literary connection they were entitled to use as a tourism resource. I got a good response from the audience. And there were folks from Bracebridge in attendance. Now I should footnote, that there have been numerous Christmas season events, celebrating "Bracebridge Hall," but not enough that it ever truly becomes a lasting characteristic of a proud town, with a booming literary connection to the rest of the world. I even intervened once, when the town was looking to the citizens for suggestions, to name new streets in a recently opened subdivision. How about using names penned by Washington Irving? How about Irving Lane? Sleepy Hollow Boulevard? Well, as I'm used to by now, there was no response……but then I really wasn't expected one either.
This is only one small area of annoyance for me, when it comes to the quest for identity. The problem really, stems from the fact, historians are rarely asked to participate……well, some select few are…..but let's just say there has never been a meaningful conference of local historians, to work out some of these alleged deficiencies in community identity. I guess they know, in advance, we wouldn't feel there was any great necessity to spend a dime looking for what already exists in plentiful supply. It's awfully frustrating to be ignored time and again, just because we're not always the most agreeable folks……but we know what we're talking about, because we've walked the walk. I have never once, ever, been sought out for any advice on matters of local heritage, by municipal authority. While it's true, I am a pain in the ass, I also know what I'm talking….or as presently, writing about……and in my mind, experience and a willingness to express it, (for free) should be considered enthusiasm…..not a threat to any one's agenda. It has long been seen in this way, thus I don't get disappointed any more because I'm not asked to participate where I'm most experienced. As an example, whatever you will read about the future of Woodchester Villa, and its present state of deterioration, and the future examination of its future……my name won't be associated with any of the solutions found. That hasn't stopped me from making comment, via this blog, and in a letter to the editor of the Bracebridge Examiner, over the past year, and making suggestions about its future……based on the truths of its past. You can go back to the extensive Woodchester Villa file on this blog site, which had five or six entries. I did offer the town my willingness to volunteer, as one of few members of the original museum board, and one of the founders of the Historical Society. I'm not expecting an invitation to speak on the subject, which is fine. As with my protest about the sale of Jubilee Park, councillors know what kind of sand I can put on the proverbial slide. Hey, that's just me.
So I've participated willingly, to the recent survey, and I suggest you do the same. I have made it clear that Bracebridge is an integral community, in one of the most hauntingly beautiful places on earth, Muskoka, and all my answers had something or other to do with the realities of history and environment……resources that have always served the community well, and with responsible stewardship, will equally benefit the future.
