Miners’ Bay 1914

MINERS’ BAY c. 1914

This photograph shows the Miners’ Bay property as it appeared at the beginning of WW I. David Galloway moved from Norland to Miners’ Bay in the 1870’s, and set up a saw mill in the creek. Around 1875 he constructed this farm house – likely out of lumber cut at his mill. It had both vertical and horizontal boards, with newspaper insulation in between, and was covered with clap board siding.

He took a patent out on the property on January 29th, 1881 and was issued “35 acres free grant” on Lot 18, Concession VII, Lutterworth Township. He had earlier operated a store in Norland, and likely did the same at Miners’ Bay early in his tenure. He became Miners’ Bay’s first Post Master in 1908. In those days, this building served as residence, store and Post Office. He also constructed a barn on the property.

In 1906, Galloway sold a small portion of his land to the Trustees of the “Miners’ Bay Regular Baptist Church”. By 1911, he had sold his remaining property to the Hopkins’ Brothers and James Mark of Kinmount.

The John Percy family of Toronto arranged to rent the property from “Hopkins and Mark” shortly thereafter – beginning a family tradition at Miners’ Bay that has lasted for over a hundred and five years.

This building, now known as MBL staff cabin # 5, is an atypical Victorian structure, as the roof gable is not centered on the building. Perhaps Mrs. Galloway demanded that one of the upstairs bed rooms be larger than the other! Originally, the structure sat where the MBL Tea Room is now situated. It was moved to the current location when the MBL Winter House was erected in the 1930’s.

This explains the special relationship between the house and the barn, (now the MBL Recreation Hall), in this picture. The lean-to structure at the rear may simply be a wood shed, or could have held a summer kitchen, or outdoor pit toilet. While no one is sitting on the porch, a dog keeps a watchful eye on the photographer.

Russ Wunker

January 2019