According to the December 31, 1931 issue of the Peace River Record, the Fokker airplane flown by John Bythell, had the misfortune of being snatched by the rough ice on the Peace River. The mail plane, carrying two passengers on the way to Keg River and Fort Vermilion, was taking off south of the railway bridge (note Our Lady of Peace Church steeple in the background) when its right wing tip succumbed to the result of the thaw and refreezing of the river. There were no human injuries. Read More →

Best One Yet Over 90 grandparents adopted through Peace River FCSS program. In an unprecedented show of holiday cheer the community of Peace River adopted over 90 grandparents this year setting a new record and nearly doubling the number of adopted grandparents from last year. Each year, Peace River Family Community Support Services pair up donated gifts with seniors in need. In its inaugural year the program helped brighten up the holidays for almost 30 seniors, over the next few years it grew incrementally. Last year, with just over 50 seniors adopted, staff began wondering how much more it could grow, to be blunt, TownRead More →

( Members of the Royal Canadian Legion and RCMP outside of the Legion for Remembrance Day, year unknown, source Peace River Museum Archives.) Poppy History & Proper Poppy Etiquette We wear a poppy in the days leading up to Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day, as an outward symbol of thanks, and appreciation to those who fought for our freedom. Noted as a reminder of the enduring flower that grew amongst the graves and fields in the significant poem by Canadian Doctor John McCrae, ‘…the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row…’ These flowers grow wild in northern France and Belgium and watch over theRead More →

This piece is part of an on-going series entitled “Pondering Peace River’s Past,” or “Ponderings,” they’re researched and written by the Peace River Museum Archive and Mackenzie Centre’s researcher Beth Wilkins.  Ponderings appears in print in the Peace River Record-Gazette each week. We Remember Remembering is not always easy – memories not always pleasant – but memories – remembering is part of living – part of being – Lest We Forget. Indigenous men and women joined those of other backgrounds to enlist in the various conflicts in which we have been involved – to fight for – a country we call Canada – a landRead More →