Air planes and Mining towns

Mining towns are generally located in the middle of “nowhere”. If you really want to know exactly where “nowhere” is located, just follow a map to mining towns or read my blog: Mining Towns In Canada by littlepatti

Central Patricia, Northern Ontario. Snow Lake, Northern Manitoba. Chibougamau, Northern Quebec. In the early days roads could not be built fast enough and were weather sensitive, to say the least. Snow and mud ruined the gravel roads frequently and freeze-up, break-up on the lakes dictated the flow of goods and services to people who were brave enough to work and live in those remote communities. The military referred to those areas as “isolation”. As children of the mining town pioneers, we were well fed and cared for, so we were oblivious to our precarious living conditions. Our greatest hardship may have been that we didn’t know the luxury of fresh milk and rarely had lettuce. We drank tinned Carnation- (ugh) and canned peas & corn were the most popular vegetables. We are living proof that kids don’t need lettuce, lettuce is not real food. Everyday living took lots of planning, not to mention special occasions like Christmas and Easter. The Sears catalogue was priceless. We would be carefully measured, our foot prints drawn on paper and then we would hold our breath waiting for that big box to arrive a couple of times a year, containing new shoes, winter boots and school clothes along with our gifts. Keep in mind, in those days no one had a credit card so even saving money regularly to make an order for necessities was an achievement!

The towns, the mines, the people depended on air planes. In the early days, some of the planes were rudimentary to say the least.

Here are some photos of aircraft that flew into those mining towns in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s.

I don’t know who the pretty lady is pictured with one of the planes. I suggest the photo is circa 1940(?) I guess her dress & shoes would be “sports clothes” of that era.

I would appreciate any comments on these aircraft. I found these photos among Elmer & Mary’s old photos. The cargo planes flew from Sioux Lookout and Pickle Crow to Central Pat, and a friend commented that the oldest plane looks like something that was flown by Gaby Hayes. That’s funny if you are old enough…

Here’s a Snow Lake site, you will enjoy.

http://members.gillamnet.com/mjaxon@gillamnet.com/website

Tags: life