Mary Schindel looks over some of the items of interest Rog. Price $1849 9 AM 1PM $1561 10 AM $1547 | 2 PM 11 AM $1533 | 3 PM $1477 12 Noon -$1519 | 4PM - $1463 5 PM $1459. | 9 Pe. Broghil! Dining Room_ Photo by Greg Middleton STEWART - There was at Himes a lot of criticism levelled at the devoted few who worked to get the Stewart Historical Society’s Firehall Museum off the ground, says Curator Mary Schindel, but she credits the 1910 building and its antique contents with attracting much needed . tourists to the town, “Tourism has played a great part in Stewart in the past two years,” Schindel stated. Pointing. to the momentos of the mining history of a town that has its share of booms and _ busts, Schindel said 3,500 tourists have visited the museum this year, Schindel credits the museum with bringing in the tourists, saying it is the only tourist attraction in the town, which’ has recently experienced a severe depression after the mine there closed oh ‘been a struggl as been a 4 le though," Schindel said. She cited a lack of money as the biggest hurdle, noting that materials to build anything have to be shipped or trucked into the remote northwestern ‘town, located about 307 kilometres from Terrace. Schindel wanted mentioned that it was the Local Initiatives Program grants which paid the wages of the Staff who put together the - collection which’ traces ‘the development of the gold and silver mining town back to the turn of the century gold rush, § The artifacts on display at the museum were not found ‘just laying around town though, Schindel points out. Although many miners and their families have come into Stewart, worked there and gone home again — either with or without the © riches that attracted them — the museum staff. had to track much of the material to other parts of Canada, the United States and even England. Schinde] sald many of the miners and their families took their possessions with them when they left. The first job of the historical society was to write to people such as Sheila Haggart, the daughter of John Stewart, one of the brothers who founded Stewart, "From here we also got The Herald, Tuesday, August 21, 1979, Page 5 Stewart’s museum helps other addresses and once we were registered as a. The present museum was started in 1975 by society people started donating ‘thing: Reverend Tom Arm- strong, an Anglican minister who had. just arrived in Stewart. He was transferred the following year, but the museum has remained a part of the town and is one of the continuing he oath slab , seen t and bankruptcies, : . The Firehall Museum isn't the first project of its kind for Stewart. A museum waa. started there in 1967 a8 a cen- tennial project but never got going. ‘Schindel says the museum is still ex- panding in spite of some difficulties getting enough funds, A $2 foot by 28 foot expansion is planned for this year, The expansion, Schindel atated, is needed to house the growing collection of items such as snowshoes used by the miners’ As well as an addition, Schindel said the building, the Kroehler Love Seat $398 $374 Curie Cabinet JeGra caste "$995" Cr arcare i ‘$315 © Bere $320-| Toulssant 3_pc, Bedroom Suite $559 $535 | $528 Kroehler Swivel Rocker $258 | $255 a RCA Baeeey 26" ‘Célér- TV. $930 | $925 B trsf Kroehler 2 pe. Sofa & Chair $664 | $657 Realistic STA Tuner Amp $299 | $293 town’s go Saturday Only “py Rog. Price $649 original firehall, is in need of repairs and in- sulation. The government grants the society has been: receiving doesn't pay for materials and so the decision has been ‘made to now charge a $1 admission, Schindel said the? soclety is concerned that,; with the election of the; Conservative govern-: “ment, the grants her: organization has sub-: sisted on will he cut back.! While the group has: restored many of the? items of interest, such as: an original hand-drawn: water pump used by the’ fire department and. some of the old Shoriline Railway ore cars, aj sleigh also used by the: fire department and; dating back to nearly the; turn of the century lies in’ the rain outside. =. ¢ “We hope the grants will continue to pay for at east the staff salaries,". Schindel said. “On a volunteer basis we might. aa well shut the doors.’? ‘The museum, Schindel said, was one of the things that brought pee e into Stewart and, pt the other businesses going, Tht 3 Totem, Funiture and Appliances 10, 9AM $609 1 PM’ 9 pe. ‘ . ry Broghill Dining Room $1505 1AM — $604 2 PM TT AM $599 16 Cu. Ft. Moffat Almond Refrigerator $719 3 PM 12 Noon - $594 4 PM Thilbalt 9 Pe. Bedroom Suite $1132 5 PM 7 Admirat Almond © — Self Clean Range $589 Admiral 9 us Saturday only Rog. Price $999 Totem Furniture and Appliances . “ing, 9 AM $945: 11 PM 10 AM $940 | 2 PM 11 AM $735 | 3 PM 12 Noon $930 | 4PM 5 PM _ Clarinett 98. Stereo System $302 Almond Self-Clean Range 13 Cu. Ft, Admiral White Refrigerator $519 RCA 26” Color iv Kroehler 2 Pe. Sofa & Chair “Totem Furniture and Appliances a Saturday only“ _., Heg, Price $999 % 9 AM $683 1 PM 10 AM: $678 2 PM 17 AAA $671 3PM 12 Neon $644 4PM 5 PM $631 -Kroehler 2 pe. Sofa & Chair.