If you have a genealogy-related project
which would be of interest to Albert Co. researchers, please
send me the details and I will give you space to advertise
it. Please send me an email with the words Genealogy-related
Project in the Subject field. If you wish to
get more information on any of the projects below, you are
encouraged to get in touch with the person named as contact
in the project descriptions.
Camp Whisong - Girl Guides of
Canada - Albert Co. Project
Our heritage campsite in Elgin has been
the centre of camping activities for Girl Guides from Albert
County and the surrounding communities of Petitcodiac,
Salisbury and Moncton for almost 40 years. Camping and
outdoor activities are enjoyed by all of our members. The
property is approximately 103 acres of open fields and
woodlot, ideal for residential, wilderness camping, day camps
and/or environmental and nature activities. The property is
divided by the Elgin Rd resulting in forty acres of open
fields for camping and sixty-three acres of woodlot. The
fields border the Pollett River on the east with easy access
to six trails for hiking. The site is ideal for environmental
and nature activities that are important to our youth. These
activities provide skills in self reliance, self esteem,
independence, compromise, problem solving and outdoor skills.
The camp committee began researching
the property's history for interest sake and to qualify for
funding from organizations. The house is structurally sound
with the roof and basement requiring priority attention. The
building has been inspected three times, since 1997, with
repairs, renovations, updates being identified by qualified
building consultants. Other repairs recommended include
updates of plumbing, heating, electrical systems, painting,
new storm windows, addition of wheelchair accessible
bathroom, and upgrading the entrances to allow wheelchair
accessibility.
Facilities include a two storey house
with phone, electricity, and oil furnace. There are five
rooms, plus two half baths, and a large activity room
upstairs, a fully equipped kitchen (no hot water or
dishwasher), diningroom, office and storage space are
downstairs. Each of the two established campsites can
accommodate 40 - 50 campers with a storage building, outdoor
bathroom, environmentally friendly waste water disposal, fire
wood, eating/program shelter, fireplace, cooking areas, cold
water and access to the Pollett River for swimming and other
water activities. Space is available to accommodate 250+
campers in a wilderness setting (additional latrines and
eating/program shelters are necessary).
The campsite is funded through minimal
payments included in campers fees, rentals, occasional
donations and bequests. The camp committee receives a yearly
donation of $30.00 from each of the sixteen units and $2.50
per member from the registration fee. This money (~$900.00)
is used to help finance regular maintenance. Additional
revenues are obtained through an annual fundraiser. Funds
acquired through the Guiding organization barely meet our
obligation for insurance, grass cutting, replacement of
equipment and general upkeep of the site. It does not allow
for the major repairs that are now required. At present the
camp is used only during late spring, summer and early fall.
A finished basement and plumbing updates would allow
organizations access to year round residential camping at a
reasonable cost.
Our fields, (~30 acres) are rented to a
local farmer for the cultivation of hay providing a yearly
revenue of $300.00. We are actively pursuing opportunities of
cooperation with other volunteer organizations. This has
resulted in manual assistance from Riverview Venturers, Boy
Scouts of Canada doing minor repairs, and rental of the
campsite to nonprofit, charitable organizations. Our own
members, adults and girls, maintain an active participation
in camp upkeep doing many minor repairs in the house and
property (ie. installing smoke alarms, painting, replacement
of appliances, landscaping, updating the flooring and general
maintenance). We also replant and maintain seedlings and
immature trees as replacement for diseased and damaged trees
on the agricultural grounds. This is done under the direction
of SNB Wood Cooperative Ltd.
Our most ambitious project is the
selective harvesting of our woodlot and acceptance of a long
term woodlot management plan also under the direction of SNB
Woodlot Cooperative Ltd. This will provide a continuing
source of income in the future and excellent educational
opportunities to increase awareness in conservation, and the
preservation of the natural environment. In 1998, council
realized that repairs and renovations of the historical house
that sits on the property were necessary. Quotations for
repairs were obtained and options of available funding were
explored. The idea of having the property declared a
provincial historical site is also being explored. The
proposed renovations and updates will ensure a facility that
will be well used and enjoyed for the next forty years. To
assist us in these endevours we are requesting anyone with
knowledge of the history of the campsite, or can identify
sources of assistance, please contact us.
Kathryn Henderson Girl Guides of
Canada, Albert Division Camp Advisor, Camp Whisong henders@nbnet.nb.ca
HISTORY OF CAMP WHISONG The original
land grant given to George Miller, in 1828, was for two
hundred acres and was shared with Robert Colpitts. The
property had originally been petitioned by a John Jonia(?)
many years before and had passed through many hands. We have
obtained copies of George Miller's original petition for a
land grant and the land grant. He served two years nine
months in the "New Brunswick ~~ Infantry in Captain
Gibbons Company under the command of General Coffin." He
was discharged in 1816, when the corps were disbanded. The
petition for the land grant was made before William Scott,
Justice of the Peace, stating he was a married man "with
the means and abiliity to cultivate the land." and that
he had already cleared (?) acres of land. It is interesting
to note that on the copy of the original land map, the
Pollett River, which is the present boundary line for the
west side of the property, is written as being
"Paulette's River".
The land presently covers 103 acres.
The property has had the following owners - George Miller
(1828), the Bleakney family(1898), Carl Olsen (1931),
Canadian Farm Board (1931), the Arthur Harrison family(1936),
the Colpitts family (1947), and finally Albert Division Girl
Guides (1960).
The original house was the back porch
and campfire/activity room and is thought to be 150+ years
old. The window in the porch looking into the kitchen is an
original window frame and was the front window of the
original structure. Two of the panes of glass in the porch
side window and some of the panes in the upstairs window are
the originals. When you look through these panes, the
landscape seems wavey, rather than the clear view glass
gives. The main part of the house was added on later,
estimated construction date 1854 - 59. All 5 bedrooms had
built in closets (most area settlers didn't have funds to
build rooms large enough to contain closets), gingerbread
woodworking decorates the roof peaks, high quality wood was
used in the construction, unique types of wood used. The
stairway was constructed as a half spiral and constructed of
oak and walnut; the walnut being shipped from Philadelphia ,
decorative plaster work at the ceiling level of most rooms.
All the original floors have "graining" done to
them. To help with the upkeep and maintenance of the
property, Carl Olsen, nicknamed "the Dane", was
employed. It is said that material, workman and craftsmen
were brought in from England, as were many of the
furnishings.
The Bleakneys had one son, Otto. When
his parents died, he had financial difficulty in maintaining
the propery. The caretaker, Carl Olsen, took over ownership
of the land and house in lieu of default of payment in
Jan'31. Carl subsequently lost the property, in May'31 to the
Canadian Farm Board by defaulting on his mortgage ($1400.00).
Otto, at some point, moved to Moncton where he lived in the
Salvation Army Eventide Home, on Church St. Moncton. He died
in this residence many years later. Otto had his own moment
of fame when on Jan. 6, 1936, while cutting wood on the Lake
family property,located in Painsec Junction, he discovered
three bodies in the snow. The entire Lake family, except the
infant daughter, had been murdered in a successful attempt to
kidnap the four month old baby. This crime was called the
Painsec Junction murders. Suspects were arrested and
successfully convicted. Two of them were hanged Sept. 23,
1936.
In 1936, Arthur Harrison purchased the
property from the Canadian Farm Board for $1800.00. His
daughter, Marion, lived there with her husband Ian and family
until the late 1950's. Guiding members of Albert County were
invited to camp on the property as they wished.
The Colpitts family left for Ontario in
the late 1950"s - leaving furniture, etc. in the house.
Guiding members continued to make use of the property with
the Colpitts permission. Shirley Stiles, a leader from Elgin,
suggested Albert Division Girl Guides ask the Colpitts family
if Girl Guides could purchase the property. To obtain the
money for the renovations necessary Girl Guides held haybox,
bean hole suppers, etc. as fundraisers. In 1960, members of
Guiding who resided in Albert County, became the proud owner
of "Camp Whisong" at a price of $1.00 (according to
the deed).
Members of Girl Guides in Albert County
take great pride in their campsite. Adult and girl members
can recall many fond memories in their experiences at Camp
Whisong and wish the tradition to continue. The folklore that
has developed over the years has given campers with active
imaginations many avenues for mystery and intrigue. The
resident ghost "Otto" provides the basis of many
stories. The cedar grove in front of the house is referred to
by the girls as the "Monkey Trees" due to the
trees' unique growth and formation. This area serves the dual
purpose of an outlet for physical energy and quiet place for
reflection.
Any recollections of the history of the
property would be greatly appreciated. We are also requesting
identification of possible funding sources. I can be
contacted via email henders@nbnet.nb.ca
Kathryn Henderson
Girl Guides of Canada
Albert Division Camp Advisor
Camp Whisong
Submitted: 5/7/99
