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Old photos of Antigonish
Heather MacAdam, heathermacadam@thecasket.ca
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This photo of the bridge and river, near the old rail station, on the east end of Main Street in Antigonish was taken in 1915. This photo is one of almost 450 currently posted on the Old Photos of Antigonish Town and County is a Facebook group. (Photo courtesy of McCord Museum of Canadian History)
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A group highlighting Antigonish’s past has garnered lots of interest on a popular social networking site, and anyone interested in learning more about the town’s past in encouraged to join.
Old Photos of Antigonish Town and County is a Facebook group Peggy Thompson started on Jan. 9.
“I have always been interested in history, genealogy and old photographs,” she said. “Although I did not grow up in Antigonish, both of my parents did. My father’s family has been in Antigonish for many generations.”
Thompson said she moved here 26 years ago and to raise her three children.
Over the years, Thompson said she has found a number of old photos of Antigonish through various mediums, including personal photos and on websites.
“I thought it would be nice to share them with others – to have a collection on one site,” she said.
“I also thought it would be an opportunity for others to look through their old albums to see what treasures they were hiding and hopefully they would post their photos to the Facebook group as well to share with all their family, friends and neighbours.”
After uploading her photos to Facebook, Thompson said she sent an email to about 20 friends inviting them to join the group.
“Within the first 24 hours the group had grown to 500,” she said.
Now, the group has more than 2,300 members. Almost 450 photos have been posted to the site.
Thompson said she is really pleased to see all of the positive comments and great photos people are posting.
“There have been posts on the site thanking everyone because they have found a picture of their grandparents or great, great grandparents. The discussion board is very interesting and it is fun to watch the comments posted to each photo.”
Thompson said the site has turned into a wonderful “community group” for Antigonish town and county.
“I hope it continues to grow and people continue to search in their old photo albums, finding all of the treasures hidden there and continue to post them to the group for everyone to enjoy.”
Group member Karin Fleuren said she really appreciates the initiative Thompson took starting this group.
“I enjoy the social history unfolding here,” Fleuren said.
“I also think it is incredible to note how some people – especially younger people – are seeing old photos of their own grandparents, great-great-grandparents as well as other relatives for the first time.”
Some people are even realizing that they have relatives they never knew about, or are connecting with classmates from fifty years back or longer, she said, as well reconnecting with former co-workers, colleagues and neighbours.
“This technology is making to possible to look in the face of your ancestor for the first time, and that is amazing. It's quite a history lesson. It's also interesting to see how the Main Street changed and where old businesses stood.”
People are also fascinated with the many interesting anecdotes that shed such light on our local history and provide insights on the greater social history of an era, Fleuren said.
“Bernadette Richard has posted some old photos – and much information – of her family and the Cloverville house that my daughter now lives in,” Fleuren said. “We never knew the fascinating details of its history.”
Some comments on the photos are coming from the younger generation who have gone away to work, she said.
“I see such respect, also, for the older generations that have passed on and for the memories that these photos bring out.”
Anyone interested in joining the group can do so by visiting www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=235872939619. A link has also been posted on the Casket’s Facebook site.
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