Sunday July 4th, 2010 Stanley

West of Thunder Bay on the banks of the Kaministiquia River, lies the hamlet of Stanley. This community was once a bustling place. I have family connections with Stanley. My grandparents settled there when they came to Canada from Sweden. There’s even a road in the community that’s named for my family. According to the Stanley Women’s Institute Tweedsmuir History Book, this community was named for Lord Stanley, who visited the area in 1856. And my cat Christopher Stanley was named for this community, as well as for my father in law.

Source: History – Thunder Bay and District #169

Bottling Plant

Prior to World War I, the Stanley Mineral Springs company began a soft drink bottling industry in Stanley. The spring behind the plant was the source of the spring water that they used. They produced a variety of beverages such as lemonade, ginger ale and, of course, water. The springs also supplied water for the hotel, general store and some area residences. When the plant closed, barrels of soda were distributed to lucky area residents.

Source: LF NWO Stanley

Cheese factory

Between June of 1940 and 1956, the Stanley Co-Operative Cheese Company was in operation. It was built on the site of the former bottling plant. Over 400 people were in attendance to see them cut the cheese on June 19, 1940. A dance at the community hall followed the official ceremony. Area farmers supplied the company with 9,500 pounds of milk on a daily basis. John Zatti was the company president and the cheese maker was Stuart Coughlin. Their cheese was sold around the world. In 1970, the former cheese factory was dismantled.

Source: LF NWO Stanley

Source: News Chronicle June 20, 1940

Railway Station

The Port Arthur, Duluth and Western Railway (commonly called the P.D.) once ran through the area. The station was located in the vicinity of the hotel. It was the only station on the P.D. line that housed a telegraph office. The Stanley area was once a popular picnic destination and people from town would come out by train. The last P.D. train was on March 24, 1938, which was long before my time. I do however have a connection to it. We had a cat named P.D., which we found as a kitten on the P.D. Road.

Source: LF NWO Stanley

Stanley Hotel

If you’ve ever had a Stanley Burger, then you’re familiar with the Stanley Tavern. The first hotel built there was called the Park Hotel. In 1906 you could get a room for $1 or $2 a day and accommodations for your horse. Behind the hotel was a large chicken coop and the hotel was known for its chicken dinners. During the days of the P.D. railroad it was a popular watering hole for travelers. The hotel burned down on September 25, 1945. A new hotel was built on the site by the Smith brothers and was first known as Hotel Stanley. It opened in 1946 and is still standing.

Source: LF NWO Stanley

Source: Stanley History. (published by the Stanley Women’s Institute)

General Store

Do you remember the Stanley General Store? I recall going there in the 1960’s. In fact we obtained our first Siamese cat from the owners of the store. I mostly recall that you could go in and have bacon or fresh cheese cut from a slab. The first store was built in the early 1900’s and moved to a new location near the Stanley Hotel in the 1930’s. After the closure of the store it became a private residence.

For a general history of Stanley, be sure to check out the book Stanley History. It’s in our local history collection at Brodie. It has maps and photos, information on schools, farms, area landmarks, organizations, etc. This wealth of information was published by the Stanley Women’s Institute. For information on Stanley or other local communities remember that we have a great local history collection at the Brodie Reference Department.

The next time you’re taking a drive down River Road or perhaps enjoying a Stanley burger think about what a bustling little place Stanley used to be. And enjoy the peace and quiet of the Stanley of today.

Karen Craib is a Library Technician