Years ago in the days of Arrowhead, Sidmouth ('Poke' Vigue, ferry operator), 12-mile (Emil Rockert, ferry operator), Galena Bay, Beaton, Wigwam (Clarence McLeod, sawmill operator of note) and other ghost and flooded towns, we had forest fires to beat the band. My Dad and Grandfather fought them and suffered the respiratory consequences. (Eric Wallmark, forestry lookout man up Sproat Mountain in those years...memory...son John lives in Kaslo.)
Yet when my Mother heard from her sister Anna in Argenta, the absence of fires in this area was remarkable. Such is the case this year. Read Jan's article in the latest Valley Voice for a great summary of the fires burning in the Kootenay and Arrow Lakes areas.
Interesting to read of the 'accidental' evacuation of Halcyon Hot Springs Resort. It brought back a flood of memories of the day the original old resort burned to the ground. I was five at the time, and watched the entire thing from our front window in Arrowhead. A pity it is gone. I remember the visuals well.
Also brings to mind, my good old Dad and his friend Jack Tillen, who used to refer to Halfway River on Arrow Lake as Halfway CRIK, Henry and Big CRIKS east of Arrowhead, and Pinkston CRIK south of Arrowhead. Funny things, memories.
There was a reunion a few weeks ago in Revelstoke and part of it was a kind of sub-reunion of people from south of Revelstoke. I never got there but son of Jack, Bruce Tillen now of Cranbrook, remarked to me on the phone, “this might be the last Sidmouth-Arrowhead reunion...the old (timers) are all gone now, and WE are the old (timers)”. Good laugh from a funny man, perhaps the next mayor of Cranbrook.
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