A Few Old Scenes From Milan, Quebec

A Canadian rural way of life that has all but disappeared... subsistence farming on the family farm.

An early autumn scene of George MacDonald's home and barn as they appeared the late 1940's. The house was built on a stone foundation with a dirt floor cellar as a basement. In preparation for winter, a wooden crib was built around the foundation and then filled with dirt. This kept wind, frost and rodents out of the cellar. Following the spring melt and thaw, the cribbing and dirt would be removed.

Grandma's home was always open to expected and unexpected visitors... whether a few hours or a few days... always welcome... and summers brought many visitors. The year of Canada's centennial brought many visitors.

A Sunday afternoon in summer 1967. Showing the same location as the previous image minus the winter cribbing. Back row, left to right: unknown, Olson daughter, Shirley Carney, Ted Morrison, George MacDonald, Lillian Olson of Bury, Quebec (also former Milan resident), Helen MacDonald, Olson daughter. Front row left to right: Olson grandson, Alan Morrison, Katherine Morrison, Olson granddaughter, Olson grandson.

Nothing to really brag about but, yes! Winters really were colder and had more snow that often hung around until May.

The St. Laurent home in winter 1958. Snow was very deep that winter, nearly as high as the second floor windows. The St. Laurent home was on the west side of George MacDonald's home. Both were on the south side of the road and fronted toward the Canadian Pacific Railway main line.

Having fun and playing 500 in the house the locals called the "George D. A." home.

Spring 1965 saw George and Helen MacDonald celebrating 45 years of marriage. George MacDonald is in the foreground, studying those cards in his hand and pondering his bid. Milan residents seated behind George left to right: Jean Ross, Lawrence Nicholson, Eleanor (Doak) MacDonald, and David Nicholson. Except for that telephone on the wall, no electronic devices and distractions were ever in this room.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

(Matthew 24:35)

The room shown above was the dining room where all meals were eaten; the kitchen was only for cooking and didn't even have a table. Every evening after dinner and before anyone left the table, all guests included, Grandma would read aloud a passage from the Bible, then pray aloud for everyone and conclude with the Lord's Prayer.

All the people shown in this last image have passed away, the house and barn later burned to the ground, but the words spoken by Jesus remain. 

In time I too shall pass away and then become forgotten, however the words spoken by Jesus shall surely remain.

Each life is a precious gift from God to be cherished and the journey through life to be remembered only with gratitude to God.

The Oddblock Station Agent

Addendum August 18, 2020

Recently I found this undated photo in some of Mom's papers. Most likely she recorded this scene in the early 1980's when she'd make occasional day trips to Milan and visit with the people she'd known there all her life.

David and Ruth Nicholson on the front porch of their home in Milan, Quebec.

Addendum September 03, 2020

I never though this would ever happen, but it did. By chance I stumbled upon this old postcard photo of Milan, Quebec, online... in a railway enthusiast's Flickr file.

Milan, Quebec, in or around 1910. I've taken the liberty of adding a few notes.

My grandfather, George Macdonald, (George DA) lived right across the street from that CPR section house, but not back in 1910. Although he was 22 at that time, he lived on his father's farm fronting on the railway near mile 16, about a mile out of town.

As two young children in search of adventure, my brother Ted and I once explored inside the CPR section house because it was vacant. The house was demolished in winter or spring around 1960 and Ted and I were in Milan at that time to watch the house being torn down.

I never saw what I always heard the Milan Scots refer to as the "Cook" house. All I ever remember seeing was a concrete foundation. My parents were married in Milan in June 1953, and in the background of a wedding photo the "Cook" house was still there. I know the house was destroyed by fire but I don't know when. Most likely it was soon after my parents marriage.

The D.L. McLeod home was owned by the McLeod family who owned McLeod Bros. store. I visited there many times. Back in the late 1950's Mom used to drag me along when she'd visit Mrs. McLeod and just about everyone else she knew in town. Sadly, in 1960 Mrs. McLeod was killed by a train at the railway crossing in town. Norman McLeod (Duncan McLeod's father) lived there until he passed away in 1967. 

Murdo Murray was my great-uncle through marriage to George DA's sister Edyth. The Murray's resided in Milan until 1959 (may have been 1960) when Uncle Murdo retired from delivering mail. Right up until his retirement, Murdo Murray delivered Milan's rural mail by horse and carriage. The house was sold to the Rousseau family. 

 

Below:

 

This photo of George and Helen Macdonald in front of their home was taken in 1953. The colour photo was taken in the mid 1970's.

 

My grandparents were compelled to leave Milan in autumn 1976 because of age-related declining health. George passed away in June 1977 and Helen in 1989. They are buried in Gisla Cemetery. 

The house and barn burned to the ground a year or two after my grandparents left.

This scene on the front lawn was recorded on a hot summer afternoon in 1958. That's Ted and me (left) pictured with Mom and Grandma.