Page 73 - Searching for the Pioneer Log House

ISSUE : Issue 48

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1988/6/1

three examples I've mentioned. His conten? tion at the time, and when he wrote to me on the topic, was that they were intended to be as they appear now, or at least ap? peared before they started to fall apart. In other words, they were intended to be covered in. (With boards. And shingled.) Yeah. And his opinion was that perhaps here we have a version of the mountain cabin of Appalachia, southern Appalachia--Maryland, Delaware, that area. Which is interesting. They're interesting possibilities. At first mention, so to speak, you might think, "Wait a minute. That's a long, long way away." Certainly the surviving examples we know--we're talking about Scottish immi? grants, and Highland Scottish immigrants, in Cape Breton. Although really, for all intents and purposes, we could call it Nova Scotia, or northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. Where did they pick up this idea? Now, there are a number of general miscon? ceptions about building techniques. Some of the latest thinking would point to--for in? stance, the venerable--presumed venerable-- "black house" (of) the Hebrides may, in fact, not date earlier than the 19th centu? ry. May, in fact, be a 19th-century devel? opment. Which is interesting, because what it may mean is that many of the immigrants came here before the black house developed. Now, that's purely speculation. But it cer? tainly has been shown, for a variety of re? search projects--particularly in the High? lands- -that (some of) these ruins or remains (in Scotland), which have an air of hoary antiquity, aren't necessarily all that old. In fact, some of the traditional stone forms don't date back beyond, say, about the mid-18th century. And in fact, some of the stone forms come in only about that time or thereafter be- J. M.'s Car Care Clinic Ltd. 191 BrooksldeSt. Glace Bay, N. 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And of course the corol? lary is that they were completely unused to CAPE BRETON COUNTY DAYS '88 Enjoy the Various Celebrations, Food Festivals, Cultural & Sport Events, Picnics & Parties & Morel!!! LIVEN UP YOUR SUMMER WITH COUNTY DAYS.... CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS June 30-July 1..District 8 County Days..Westmount Fire Hall July 1..Mira Auction & Beef Barbecue-Recreation Centre, Marion Bridge' July L.Scotchtown Canada Day Celebrations..Scotchtown Ball Field July 1..Canada Day Celebration..Birch Grove Ballfield July 1-2..Grand Lake Road Carnival Days..Mayflower Mall July 1-8..Florence County Days..Playground & Sullivan Jr. High School EDIBLES.... July 2..Strawberry Festival..MacMillan Memorial Church Hall, Catalone July 6..Strawberry Festival..Brooks Haven Recreation Centre, Dutch Brook July 9..Breakfast..Bethel Christian Education Centre, Marion Bridge July 9..Strawberry Festival & Milling Frolic.Gabarus Lake United Church Hall July 10..Old-Time Country Supper..St. Mary's Parish Hall, Frenchvale July 15-16..Mira Festival Days (fish cake supper)..AIbert Bridge Fire Hall July 16..Strawberry FestivaL.Bethel Christian Education Centre, Marion Bridge July 16..Home Baking Sale..Sylvan Hall, Mira Gut July 16..Dance of the'40s & Lobster Supper..Port Morien Legion July 30, Aug 13 & 27..Breakfast..Bethel Christian Education Centre Sep 11..Mira Blueberry Festival..Mira Community Pasture CULTURAL EVENTS July 8-10..Craft Show & Sale..AVTC, Sydney-Glace Bay Hwy. July 16-Aug 6..Festival on the Bay..Savoy Theatre, Glace Bay July 22-24..Craft Show..C.B. School of Crafts, Sydney Aug 6..Coxheath Flower Show..St. Mark's Church Hall, Keltic Drive Aug 24..Westmount Rower Show..Westmount United Church Hall PICNICS & PARTIES.... July 1-8..Florence County Days..Playground & Sullivan Jr. High School July 15-16..Mira Festival Days (dances)..Albert Bridge Fire Hall July 24..Brooks Haven Community Family Picnic.Two Rivers Park, Marion Bridge July 30..St. Margaret's Summer Picnic.St. Margaret's Parish Hall, Grand Mira Aug 6..Lingan Road Community PicnicJohn Golemic's Farm, Lingan Road Aug 13..Albert Bridge Firemen's Picnic.Albert Bridge Fire Hall Sep 3-5..Main-a-Dieu Credit Union Labour Day Events..Main-a-Dieu Sep 10..Marion Bridge Community Fair..Mira Community Pasture, Marion Bridge Sep 10..Coxheath Family Day..Coxheath Recreation Park Sep 11..Mira Blueberry Festival..Mira Community Pasture SPORTS.... July 4-Aug 26..Swim & Tennis Program..Various Locations July 23..County Days Road Race..Recreation Centre, Marion Bridge ' July 28..Special Olympics Race..Tartan Downs, Sydney July 31..1st Annual Coke Classic Celebrity Slalom..Mayflower Mall i Aug 8-13..Bras d'Or Tennis Tournament/Rally-a-thon..Bras d'Or Aug 14..Cape Breton Drag Racing Mock Race..Mayflower Mall Aug 15-17..Jr. Tennis Tournament..Sydney River Tennis Courts Sep 3-5..Main-a-Dieu Credit Union Labour Day Events..Main-a-Dieu ' For more information on COUNTY DAYS '88, contact: CAPE BRETON COUNTY RECREATION DEPARTMENT 865 Grand Lake Rd., Sydney, Nova Scotia BIP 6W2 . TELEPHONE 564-5541

Cape Breton's Magazine