Postcard Memories

In the early 1900s, the Butler family, who owned a cottage on Helen's Island, enjoyed time on the water with their dog and their unusual boat

Close to 90 cottages and a dance hall are located on 88 acres of Lake Couchiching waterfront north of Orillia

Postcard, with a personal message written on the back dating it to 1952, shows six double cabins and a large main building with Texaco gas pumps

Crews loved to practise their craft with a 50-mile paddle from Orillia to Sparrow Lake and back ... often while wearing 'trousers, stiff collars and button shoes'

The 70-foot-long, double-decked boat was built by William Thomson, owner of Geneva Park and Longford Lumber Company

According to a 1912 newspaper account, one of the first attempts at water skiing in the area occurred during the popular annual regatta at The Narrows

Postcards were popular during a period when receiving a light-hearted, humorous note was a most welcome relief from the sobering events of the day

Orillia's iconic Opera House, gutted by a fire that burned out of control for hours, was rebuilt within two years at a cost of about $60,000

In 1908, an article in the Orillia Times said the Methodist Sunday School orchestra was of 'a very high order ... and evoked loud applause' at the Opera House

In the 1940s, the camp consisted of several modern cabins, a general store, lunch room and a dance hall known as the Rose Room