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The Prehistoric Economy: A system not based on money
First, we need to eliminate cash or any semblance of cash from our memory. Ah no, I don't want to hear about shells or whatever. There is...

Art Duval
7 days ago3 min read
21 views
0 comments


Drummond islanders: an Origins document
I don't often write specifically Metis, as it only opens me up for trolls and current political agendas, which influences the history of...

Art Duval
Jan 143 min read
504 views
0 comments


Those who must not be forgotten!
One ancestor, a very early arrival to Canada, Jean Adam was with Charles Lemoyne who travelled down south to Big Bone lick on an...

Art Duval
Nov 11, 20244 min read
76 views
0 comments


Travelling the Forgotten Portage into Penetanguishene
Penetang has long been a destination for all sorts of visitors. Way back in the day of the nomadic aboriginal peoples they would portage...

Art Duval
Oct 27, 20249 min read
422 views
0 comments


Council Rock: Part Three, Wendat Beliefs
Council Rock is in the territory of the Wendat people, and where it would be easy if it was in the area of the People of the Stone, it is...

Art Duval
Jul 10, 20244 min read
147 views
0 comments


Penetang's Railway and an Unusual layout in the Bay
In the 1870's Penetang got the railroad to come to town. This was more important than perhaps we can understand today. At the time, cars...

Art Duval
Apr 14, 20244 min read
269 views
0 comments


Penetanguishene, where's the sand?
The name of our small community is one that goes back as far as the late 1700's. Almost without fail the bay is called some form of...

Art Duval
Mar 2, 20243 min read
628 views
0 comments


Drummond Islanders: Penetang, what did it look like?
We fortunately have a pretty good idea of what things looked like in the early years of Penetanguishene. It may have been a little more...

Art Duval
Feb 22, 202411 min read
941 views
4 comments


The changing face of food.
Seems I used the hamburger we were supposed to make meat pies with, I could always go to the store. Well this century, and last but...

Art Duval
Jan 14, 20246 min read
223 views
0 comments


The Historical Role of Women on the Great Lakes
We know from the history of this country that men paddled canoes and traded furs and opened up this great country. Dig deeper and we find...

Art Duval
Mar 8, 20237 min read
360 views
0 comments


Louis Chevrette, comes to the Community of Penetang
In 1828 many families came from Drummond island to Penetang. One of them, stopped at LA cloche. LA Cloche post was locally known as...

Art Duval
Mar 5, 20237 min read
753 views
0 comments


Labatt Homestead it's architectural value
Last year I did a post on the Labatt homestead located in Thunder Bay, Tiny township Ontario. At the time it was threatened with...

Art Duval
Jan 22, 20235 min read
611 views
2 comments


The Men of Penetang: Dr John Morris Nettleton and the #3 Stationary Hospital
Of all the men who went to war in World War 1, one had a distinguished career that we know little about, Dr John Morris Nettleton who was...

Art Duval
Nov 11, 20226 min read
248 views
0 comments


Scaling lumber, cording firewood
How would they calculate a forest's worth in Pioneer times? This tool. It is made by Lufkin Rule company in Michigan. People involved in...

Art Duval
Oct 17, 20223 min read
357 views
0 comments


David Davidson's, Mill owner in Penetang
The following letter was written by Lumber Baron David Davidson to the Northern Advance and dealt with the issues involving running for...

Art Duval
Oct 7, 20228 min read
294 views
0 comments


Honoring Hypolite Brisette, war of 1812 veteran
War of 1812 Veteran Hypolite Brisette. Hypolite deserves better than I can do here. I will continue to work on him, but as I was asked to...

Art Duval
Sep 17, 20225 min read
1,022 views
1 comment


The Iron Canoe
In the history of Penetanguishene there is a legend of an iron canoe. The pattern having been set by a native, Taw-ga-wah-ne-gha, and...

Art Duval
Jul 30, 20224 min read
323 views
0 comments


Chapter 11 The Men of Penetang:The Final days
Fall 1918 The 116th was off the line for a couple of weeks. They were in new territory in Belgium. For most of the two years previous...

Art Duval
Apr 9, 20228 min read
483 views
2 comments


Andrew Borland:Officer, captain and fur trader
There is a few small mentions in the history of Penetanguishene to a Captain Borland. Seems he captained a steamship, a paddle wheeled...

Art Duval
Mar 20, 20229 min read
452 views
0 comments


NAIAHoF Elects Liz Duval as a Member for 2022
NAIAHoF Elects Liz Duval as a Member for 2022 Liz Duval who was born in Toronto but raised in Tiny Township has been elected to the North...

Art Duval
Feb 4, 20224 min read
188 views
0 comments

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Welcome to Pipesmoke of the Past
A historical Blog
I have been researching the history of my area, Penetang, Lafontaine and Georgian Bay and find my self with too much on my mind. So I am blogging to free up some space and share the rich history of the area.
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