The Taylor Era

The Taylor Family in 2013
At Del Rae Farms to pick apples for Thanksgiving.
Back row: Rod Taylor, Caryn Taylor (wife), William Taylor, Madeleine Taylor, Pam Sheffield (Taylor).
Front kneeling: Jeffrey Taylor and Thomas Kirby.

 “It will always be a beautiful and wonderful place of memories.” –William Taylor

We all cope with change differently. To some degree we want things to stay the same whether we have control or not; we seek some level of comfort when change occurs or is impending by seeking to understand change through explanations or observations.

Jeff Taylor sent pictures of the lodge the first year they were there (Taylor Family Pictures). I shared the pictures with Bill and Janey, Jo’s grandchildren. We all had the same reaction looking at pictures of the cabin and boat: here was a family with friends thoroughly enjoying the cabin during the holidays and summer. Admittedly, it was “kind of hard” to see the Taylors, Serres and Grisdales sitting in the cabin rather than Jo, Betty Dean, Bill, BJ and Jo’s grandchildren.

Some of the kerosene lamps from the lodge safely sit upon the Taylor’s fireplace mantel at home in Sarnia.
(Photo courtesy of Jeff Taylor 2013)

We also noticed changes. The large table, benches and Aladdin lamps appeared to be missing. The JAHOMA was docked at the front of the lodge; this was change as Jo always docked it at the boathouse!

The images were incongruent with our expectations. To accept what we saw, we needed to accept the fact that the cabin no longer belonged to Jo. The changes the Taylors were making were done to make the cabin theirs and there is nothing wrong with that. The cabin and the boat needed to work for the Taylors and how they lived.

Even Jo coped with change. I think Jo looked at his lodge and surrounding property as his sanctuary; it was a place of solitude to get away from other demands in his life. Jo bought the Baker property not as an investment but as means to prevent development and encroachment. He was fortunate enough to have the resources to keep things as they were in Blackstone Harbor; he tamped down change by purchasing the Baker property. (I later read in a book by Claire Campbell that it appeared many cottagers/cabin owners felt the same way; all wanted to maintain the solitude and were against development of Blackstone Harbor.)

The loss of the boathouse, icehouse and barn, the fallen water tower result from change as does the deterioration of the main lodge with its missing bedroom and curling shingles. There is a part of me that wants all that restored so it can be as it was. With respect to the icehouse, Jo sealed its fate once he brought propane refrigerators to the cabin; when I visited in the 1960s the icehouse sat with its door ajar and the forest slowly encroaching, the clock ticking. I’m not sure how the remaining buildings met their demise; it could have been time and nature in combination with neglect.

The Taylors

Celebrating an early Christmas at Canadian Thanksgiving 1972.
Madeleine and William Taylor sitting in front of their tree by the fireplace.
Photo courtesy of the Taylor Family – 1972

I posted my story, informed the Friends of Massasauga and the Ontario Provincial Parks in early to mid-September 2013 of the story’s existence. A few weeks passed before any comments were posted. I’m not naïve, I know the audience for this story is limited (people living in the area and visitors who either have been to or are planning to go to the The Massasauga and/or lodge). I expected few, if any, comments.

Like the day when I snagged the northern pike while fishing from the boathouse dock, the story snagged a surprise. I received a comment dashing “my certainty” of who purchased the lodge. Although both Bill Calhoun and Janey Knight were certain that it was an individual who made the purchase, I was certain as I thought Jo had told me that the provincial government purchased the land. In fact, when I started this whole process, I was so certain the province bought it, I searched the Internet using “Calhoun,” in conjunction with Ontario, Parry Sound, Blackstone Harbor, etc. and, not surprisingly, found information on The Massasauga Park site. Even the park’s brochure did not give me reason to doubt that the transaction was only between Jo and the province: “In 1972 the Judge was in poor health and no one in the family was interested in retaining the property… In 1974, the property was bought by the ministry…” Okay, a couple of years lapsed but thinking there were some outstanding issues I didn’t give it another thought. Feeling vindicated, I went with my version of the sale to the province.

So Jeff Taylor posted a comment on this blog that his parents, William and Madeleine, were the initial purchasers of the lodge. Having contacted Jeff to hear him out, I share his story with a bit of egg on my face…

Celebrating an early Christmas at Canadian Thanksgiving 1972.
Jeffrey Taylor, Lucy Grisdale, Lee Serre, Marshall Grisdale & Ed Serre.
In front of Marshall & Ed: Rodney, Madeleine & Pamela Taylor.
(photo courtesy of the Taylor Family)

“My parents, William and Madeleine Taylor, bought the property from Judge Calhoun… I remember my dad was looking at buying property up north… Dad, Rod and I went up there to see the property. I was floored on how much land my dad had bought. It was like living in another world. The place was made of logs… Calhoun Lodge was something else… With five weeks provisions when we arrived, it was like opening Christmas gifts all the way around. Life up there was with oil lamps and there was a generator, but only used seldom. We walked around with sticks to keep away the rattlers, water moccasins and large garter snakes. There was so much wildlife too. Two wild (feral) cats lived around the lodge, could never get near them.” 

William Taylor confirmed the sale took place in 1972: “I made an offer of purchase in April 1972 and the Calhoun’s made a counter offer. I said, “YES” and closed the deal in the month of June 1972.”

After hearing from the Taylors, I was able to figure out that it was Marshall Grisdale, Jo’s new caretaker, who I met on my last visit to the lodge in 1970 (this was confirmed by Janey Knight). Marshall, Pete’s brother, did not reside on the Calhoun property but on Woods Bay at the end of Healey Lake Road (current map shows the end stretch of Healey Lake Road is labeled Grisdales Road. Marshall remained caretaker for a brief time after the Taylors acquired the property but Jeff’s cousins Ed and Lee Serre, took responsibility. They would reside on the property and remain for a time even when the property was sold to the province. 

The Fate of the JAHOMA

Ed Serre and Caesar (Taylor family dog) by the JAHOMA at the front dock of the Calhoun Lodge.
Note the trees and scrub have been thinned around the lodge (upper right corner) increasing visibility.
Photo courtesy of the Taylor Family – circa 1973

When Jo sold the property, the JAHOMA was included as was the Bee-Jay, a smaller boat with an outboard motor. The Taylor’s first experience in the JAHOMA was quite something else: “…we took the cabin cruiser from Parry Sound. It was an adventure going through all the channels to get to our homestead. It was getting dark and all the shoals were marked, but one marker was changed. Dad ran over it, backed up but we stayed and docked at someone’s place; we were all worried that the boat would sink.” 

Jeff Taylor standing by the flag pole base after raising the flag (circa 1973)
Photo Courtesy of the Taylor Family

Well, the JAHOMA didn’t sink; it lived on. Eventually, the Taylors no longer traveled the Parry Sound – Blackstone Harbor Motor Boat Route using the JAHOMA. With Ed and Lee Serre living on the property, the JAHOMA was important for their transportation. When the Taylors went to the lodge, Ed or Lee would meet the Taylors at Pete’s Place where they parked their car thereby eliminating the motorboat route and shaving a couple of hours off the travel time.

When William sold the property to the province, Ed and Lee stayed on and continued using the JAHOMA for transportation. William asked that Ed and Lee to give the boat to either Marshall or Pete Grisdale. Whatever happened to the JAHOMA after that is unknown.

Taylor Plans for the Property

While Jo saw the property as a sanctuary, I believe, William Taylor saw economic opportunity. This was a large parcel including what was known as Baker’s Landing. The property comprised 400 acres. If facing the property from a point in Blackstone Harbor, the property’s shoreline covered a good portion of the harbor’s northeasterly side as can be seen in the map below.

Calhoun Property with Surrounding Park Reserve (circa 1972)
(Click image to enlarge)The property comprised Conger VIII-39, 40 and VII-38, 39. The property included a significant portion of the Baker Homestead except for the northernmost part which was in Conger VIX-39, a part of the park reserve.
Map courtesy of the Taylor Family; Color enhancements by Dave Nadzam 

William investigated bringing electric power and had “Ontario Hydro stake out the power supply to the Blackstone Harbor area.” Bringing power to the area would allow the sale of “improved” lots. He proceeded with plans to subdivide the property into 36 lots. These lots are shown in map where 22 would have had harbor frontage while the remaining 14 would have fronted Little Blackstone Lake and the Blackstone River. 

Calhoun Lodge Property Plat Map (1973)
(Click image to enlarge)
Map courtesy of the Taylor Family; Color enhancements by Dave Nadzam

Approximately 15 people were extended “offers of sale.” However, the “Provincial Agency for Parks did not approve the request to extend power or subdivide.”

The Lodge is Sold

Frustrated, William sold the property to the provincial agency. In 1977, the agency came, appraised the property, and made an offer to purchase the property. The property would become a part of a park eventually known as The Massasauga. Just as Jo had done, the agency purchased the land and tamped down change.

Just as the Calhouns came to love the place so did the Taylors. The family, especially Jeff, took it hard:

I so remember, when dad said, “I am selling the lodge.”

My reply,”What, this is our place we call home up north.” I could feel a tear wanting to come out. Trying to be a big man, I asked dad continually, “If you need help in paying the bills, I will get another job, just to keep it.”

Dad said,”It’s time.” 

There were lots of tears and our heads hung low for quite some time. I didn’t understand it. I know mom and dad were planning on going up there to bring back treasures. I asked if I could go. I was to told to hold down the fort while they went up there. 

I asked if Ed and Lee Serre would be leaving. Dad said, “There are some arrangements allowing them to stay on for sometime through the transition.” For years I wondered whatever happened to the lodge, but it has now come full circle allowing me to once again to experience it. I know that I will continue to go up there with permission and volunteer if needed through The Friends of Massasauga Park.

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This page added January 14, 2014, updated July 17, 2014