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Slide01 Mary Isabel's aunt, uncle Haven, and cousins from Brantford, Ontario, arrive in Charlevoix for a visit (c. 1914).
Slide02 The Canadian visitors and the family gather for an offical photograph on the original green-shingled porch.
Slide03 A view of the Charlevoix house and barn at the time of the Canadian relatives visit.
Slide04 A different view of the Charlevoix farmhouse (c. 1914).
Slide05 A young calf from the dairy herd corraled by one of the children at the watering hole behind the barn.
Slide06 A view of the clay-lined watering hole. Grandfather George tried to make bricks from the clay, but the quality of the clay was too poor.
Slide07 Little sister Myrtle feeding the chickens. Calcium-rich crushed egg shells and animal bones were included in the feed to make stronger egg shells.
Slide08 Bill, the oldest son, demonstrates the new water pump in the cow pasture to water the cows on site. Bill later served in the U.S. Army in England in WW I.
Slide09 Frances, the oldest daughter, checking the pasture water tank serving the dairy cows. The farm produced milk for commercial dairies until the mid--1920s.
Slide10 Part of the dairy herd gathered around the water tank. The farm began to specialize in strawberry crops before the dairying ended.
Slide11 There is little record of sheep being raised at the farm, but the photo indicates there sheep were raised in the early years.
Slide12 The properly dressed Canadian visitors picking raspberries for dinner. Serious pickers would have dressed differently.
Slide13 The gentlemen also joined the ladies in picking fresh berries for family meals.
Slide14 A couple enjoying enjoying a stroll in the "Commons", the woods adjoining the farm property north of present Waller and Mercer Rds. Some Civil War veteran hermits built small shacks in the Commons. There were no other houses in the area.
Slide15 A view from the tope of Mt. McSauba when it was "in the country". Much of the area had been "lumbered out" and it appears barer than now (2009).
Slide16 Another view of the sand dunes at Mt. McSauba.
Slide17 No houses visible from the heights of Mt. McSauba almost 100 years ago.
Slide18 The view of Lake Michigan at the end of present N. Mercer Rd. almost 100 years ago. The lake was much higher, and the big rock is still present today.
Slide19 Another view of Lake Michigan at the end of N. Mercer Rd. The road did not exist in 1914, just a small walking trail.
Slide20 Michigan Avenue in Charlevoix was a beautiful sight in 1914, as it still is in 2009.
Slide21 George Durance's brother William had a farm near East Jordan. The family is paying a Sunday visit to Uncle Will and Aunt Essie's home.
Slide22 A formal portrait of the senior members of the family seated on the front porch. Cameras were a great novelty then, and Myrtle received one from her sister, Margaret, who was a nurse at Providence Hospital, Detroit.
Slide23 The entire family, including small children, in their Sunday-best clothes. Gatherings like this were very special occasions.
Slide24 Strolling to the pond after dinner on Uncle Will's farm.
Slide25 A beautiful photo of haying on Uncle Will's farm. This was an extremely important activity to fill the barn before winter. It was hard, physical labor.
Slide26 Our favorite old photo (c. 1905, by the age of the children). Grandfather George Durance directing the strawberry harvest. Daughter Frances and Genevieve picking and toddler Albin and young son, William, assisting as they can. All farm children were expected to work hard at daily chores.