'The Deserted Village' and the St. Lawrence Seaway

Like any avid genealogist, I often turn to newspaper archives seeking birth, marriage and death announcements, along with anything really, that is relevant to my family. Or not. Especially the to'ing and fro'ing reported in the 'social notes' -- these columns were definitely a precursor to today's social media, gossip websites, blogs and print magazines. Time can pass so quickly when you get lost in the whole 'just one more click' world of trolling old newspapers.

Recently, in one of those research kicks, I came across a lengthy letter to the editor written by my father's older brother.

Montreal Gazette, 3 Mar 1956

This is a truly excellent and insightful letter. Construction of the St Lawrence Seaway and its future impact was evidently causing great consternation for Montrealers and others living along what would become its path, between Montreal and Lake Ontario.

My uncle died in 1962, six years after writing this letter, leaving a widow and five children, ranging in age from 11 to 18. I was so pleased to share this gem with my cousins, who never got to know and interact with their father as adults. Marcus' reference in his letter to the Oliver Goldsmith poem, The Deserted Village, first published in 1770, especially impressed one of his sons. Reading this epic poem, I think that Marcus' reference to it is spot on. Have a read.

The St Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. While I don't believe Marcus' letter had any effect on its engineering and construction, certainly his linking of its effect to Goldsmith's poem was inspired, and I suspect sent many Montreal Gazette editorial page readers hunting for their books of poetry (this was decades before Google searches, after all).

The never ending story continues....




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