Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Aug 1 – Remember When?
We had to say goodbye to our German friends. The kids got up early just 
so they could play some more soccer before they left. We then started talking about ideas for today’s activities. Chantal wanted to go to 
Heritage Park which I understood to be some sort of walk-back-in-time “western”-type theme park and I thought that I’d like to go biking. So we decided to compromise … and just went to Heritage Park. I was under the impression that it was a free park so I was a little hesitant when I found out we would have to pay an almost $50 entrance fee for the family. Chantal still really wanted to go and felt that it would be worth it. So we compromised … and I paid the $50. But believe it or not, I’m glad I did. The place was fabulous. The best way I can describe it is an entire village that has been created using authentic buildings from the turn of the century. They actually located buildings that were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s and took them apart, piece-by-piece, then brought the pieces to Heritage Park and reconstructed in their original glory. They had the doctor’s house, the church, the rectory, the Post Office, the Pool Hall, the 
grocery store, the ice cream parlour, the apothecary, the dentist, the hotel, the school (one room, of course), the newspaper, the train station, the wealthiest man in town’s home, and more. It really gave you the feel of walking through a town from that era. They also had a number of other homes that were real houses that simply showed us the different types of house construction that was used as well as the typical size and style of houses that people lived in back then. Each building was fully decorated in period style and the effect was incredible. Every location had knowledgeable staff, in period dress, who would answer your questions and fill you in 
on the different facets of life that took place in that building. All the people who were working there performing regular maintenance were also in period dress, using methods that have since fallen into desuetude, so when you walked down the streets, you would see a number of “locals” going about their business of weeding gardens, delivering goods, et cetera, just like the old days. The most impressive location for me was the newspaper. They actually had a working linotype machine and a printing press from the early 1900s. The newspaper man gave us a thorough description as well as an actual demonstration of how the metal type was created. They actually heated up metal and melted it in the machine which then poured it into a mold of the letters that you wanted to print. Quite unbelievable really and now it makes sense why they only made a newspaper once every week or two … it took that long to prepare it and print it!
The trains were amazing as well. They had two real, functioning steam trains with vintage rail cars for people to take rides. We did a tour of the rail yard shed where they had a caboose, and a couple of snow removal cars from that time. They looked pretty similar to what we are used to seeing. Hard to believe that they were able to design and build machines this big and strong in the late 1800s. The school house was fun for Chantal. The “teacher” there allowed
Chantal sit in the teacher’s chair when he found out that she was a teacher. And he had her sign the guest book … with a quill-type pen and a bottle of ink, of course. Now I know why the call that thing you put on your desk a “blotter”. The school house was authentic right down to the separate BOYS and GIRLS outhouses in the back. And speaking of outhouses, 
down the street they also had the original “two-story” outhouse model there. Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently at this particular hotel, which ultimately burned down leaving only this two-story piece of history, they had the restaurant up stairs and the saloon downstairs. So if any restaurant patrons needed to visit the WC, they would “be seen” walking through the saloon, which was not always a good thing, especially if you were a lady. So the two-story “loo” was created and all was well … at least for the people on the second floor!
The church had the original foot-pedal organ that they purchased around 1900 and my brother would have gotten a kick out of who made it and where. The labeling showed “The Bell Piano and Organ company “ which was based out of “Guelph, Ontario Canada”!
They also had a third engine that used to be a steam engine but got converted to using a diesel engine a few years back. It still looks like a steam engine only with out the stream coming out. It turns out that the park has become popular with the Hollywood set and has been used in a 
couple of movies (i.e. Jesse James). I figured that it was the real steam engines which they could use in their movies that was the big draw but it turns out that they love the converted steam/diesel engine. Why you ask (just like I did when I heard this) ??? Because there is no preparation involved to get it going when they need it. A steam engine requires a very long lead time to get the thousands of gallons of water boiling but not the diesel. And yet it still looks just like a real steam engine. The Hollywood boys simply add in their own “fake steam” and they’re happy.
We ended up having such a good time at Heritage Park that we spent the whole day there. We shut the place down … they had to get the bouncers to throw us out! Then, for the evening, I abandoned the family and it was off to the local Four Points Sheraton to sit in their lobby and mooch some WiFi access so that I could bring you some more installments in the Aylmer Express MoHo Extravaganza.
Today's word:
desuetude \DES-wih-tood, -tyood\, noun: The cessation of use; discontinuance of practice or custom; disuse.
