Postcard Memories is a weekly series of historic postcard views and photos submitted by Marcel Rousseau.
Some were previously published by the Orillia Museum of Art and History and in the book Postcard Memories Orillia.
The Orange Lodge is the oldest fraternal lodge still in existence in Orillia and dates back to 1841.
For many years nearly every small community in the area including Udney, Sebright, Severn Bridge, Uthoff, Warminister and Hawkestone also had an Orange Lodge and meeting place.
For many years, the annual parade held to celebrate the 12th of July was the highlight of the year. The whole town turned out to watch the members of the Orillia and area lodges march down the main street, usually accompanied by a local band.
One of the lodge members representing “King William” can be seen riding his white horse down Mississaga Street to Front Street.
Turning north on Front he would lead the parade to Couchiching Beach Park to celebrate the day with speeches and music from the bandshell.
This photo is not dated but the businesses shown indicate the late 1930s. Shown at the northwest corner of Front and Mississaga Streets is H. L. Andersons Garage. West of Andersons, on Mississaga Street, is Leatherdale Tire Service, then Fred Johnson Confectionery and next is the Calvert and Maynard Printing Shop.
