Around Town

…Antigonish, although a small town, was quite busy, since it was also the county seat. Consequently, people who lived in small country villages and far apart farms did their major shopping and banking in Antigonish with its three banks and three drugstores, plus grocery, clothing stores etc. There was also a fine blacksmith available. The County Court House was on Main Street, plus the Royal George Hotel was just behind out large postoffice. The weekly newspaper was, and still is, the CASKET. Lest their be any question about the name, there is a large treasure chest pictured with jewelry spilling out.

The Chinese Laundry

There was even a Chinese laundry with the sign “no tickie, no washie” on Sydney St…Another building on Sydney St was the firehouse…There were several tailors in town since many men had clothes custom made and some women had suits made to order and also coats. At first we had two millinery stores, later three. Men could go to clothing stores for their hats but women and children went to millenary stores. It was so much fun to pick out the shape of hat you wanted and choose decorations, and ribbons to hang down if you were young…

For many years we did not have ice cream parlors…Finally, Mr [Brine] opened a real ice cream parlor and at the grand opening ladies received a carnation. We felt this was high living, and there were sundaes and ice cream sodas besides…

…Around 1910 or 1912 there were only a few cars in town…No roads were paved in those days and even in the early twenties care owners put their cars up on blocks for the winter, after removing batteries. No one could drive again until after the ‘mud season”, about the first of April when all front was out of the ground…

Streets were not plowed or even oiled for many years, so a big spinkler, pulled by one horse, went up and down the Main Street all summer to keep the dust down. In the winter the only snow plow was made of three planks in the form a triangle with the pointed end fastened to horse’s harness and a seat on the cross pieces for the driver. They never plowed too deep as there had to be plenty of snow for sleighs and sleds with flat beds. It was dangerous, but we kids sometimes tied our sleds to the back of the flat beds and hooked a ride…

The roads in those days were dirt roads and motor guides were very specific: “When you reach the corssroads in Merigomish where there is a big maple tree, take the road to your left,” or “When you get to James River there is a fork in the road by McKenzie’s red barn. Keep straight ahead.” Flat tires were frequent and everyone piled out while the tire was changed. It was bad luck if you didn’t have a spare tire; you had to get our your patch kit…