Alma Children at Alma School - Summer 1965

     Here's a few great photos taken by Donna (Barbour) MacPhee on the Alma School grounds in the summer of 1965 - they're amazing!!  We're fortunate she had the foresight to document everyday goings-on in our little community!

Above: Alma Children

Back: Judy & Verna Smallman, Mary McNeill, Debbie Bowness and Gwenda Barbour.

Front: Kevin Kelly, ? McAssey, Carter Jeffery, Gordon & Margaret McAssey, ? Shields.

In the background you can see Alvie Mountain's Homestead at Alma Corner.

Above:  ? Girl with Ralphie Clark peaking around from behind.

Note the buildings in the background -

Will & Sadie Mountains house on the far left; and rear view of Rennie's Store & sheds.

Above: Anne Marie Murphy, daughter of Wilbert & Geraldine (Gavin) Murphy.
Behind Anne the boys are playing with Blanche Crocket's dog, Laddie (far left).
In the background on the left is 'Con' Cornelius & Jennie O'Brien Homestead
at the corner of the Western and Centerline Roads.  On the right is Art Rennie's house.

Frank Mountain's Barn, Alma Corner

     We all remember the old barn at Alma Corner belonging to the Mountains.   The farm was sold and abandoned in the 1990's - it was demolished on August 6th, 2007 when the Department of Highways re-worked the intersection.  

     The Mountain House was likely built by Alvie Mountain or his father.  Alvie was a blacksmith and operated a blacksmith shop here on the corner.  

     Alvie married Millie Mountain (1871-1971).  They had six children:  Frank, Leslie, Janey?, Margaret, Lillian *Lilly* ( m. Ken Matthews ) and Georgie ( m. Henry Oliver ).  Frank, Leslie and Margaret never married and lived here well into their elderly years. 

     The Mountain's old barn came from Jimmy Dunbars on the Centerline Line Road - it was originally attached to Jimmy's big barn.  Wilbert Jeffery thought the swap was made in 1945. Leslie Mountain swapped the 50-aces of land for the barn.  The land was located on the west side next to Louis Jeffery's farm in Lauretta.  
     When Wilbert was young Dick Kinch (Frank Kinch's brother/ Margaret Kelly's uncle) and his large family of a dozen children lived here - later the Kinches moved to St. Louis sometime in the late 1930s. 

Above:  Front, south facing side of the barn.

Above: Southeast side of the barn, facing towards Montrose.

 Above: Northeast corner of barn - there aren't many windows in the barn.

     The old barn with the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in the background.  Photo taken on June 13, 2007 - the barn was demolished two months later.