Settlement of Erie Rest

Explore the rich story of Erie Rest, one of Port Stanley’s early coastal communities. Hosted at her home, Laurie Nagge shares personal research and historical records that highlight the lives and legacy of this lakeside settlement.

Heritage Port Stanley 

Thursday, June 26, 2025  1:30

Laurie Nagge’s Home, 468 West Edith Cavell

Attendance 36 ( 35 members and 1 guest)

Chair David Russell opened the meeting at 1:30 and welcomed everyone. 

Nora Sanders shared the reason for land acknowledgements   

Adoption of the Minutes of May 22 meeting: Moved by Bronwyn Fitz-James and seconded by Anne McPhail that the minutes be approved as circulated and the motion carried.

Treasurer’s report: Anne Kent  presented the treasurer’s report: Current balance in the general account is $3970.81 with two GICs of $8000 and $3000. Moved by Craig Cole, seconded by Barb Cookson that the report be adopted as presented. The motion carried.

Executive Update: Nora outlined the work on the web site and that it was progressing nicely and should be up in the next few weeks. Everyone will be notified when it is up and are asked to read through it carefully for errors and suggestions

Report on Oral Histories:  Dave explained that two videos have been edited and we have a proposal to have them edited for $60 each. Motion: That we approve $1000 for the editing of the videos which will cover more than 15 videos. Moved by Bronwyn Fitz-James, seconded by Joan Clayton and carried. If you know others who should be interviewed please email them with suggestions to (dave3000@bell.net or norahome@rogers.com)

Heritage Village Presentations:  All who took part felt it was a success once the rain stopped. Dave thanked the participants and Katie Valentine and Nora Sanders for the lunches provided..

Heritage Question of the Month Question: What was the original entrance to the Erie Rest area? Both Joan Clayton and Craig Cole felt it was the walkway bridge from Fraser Heights. Craig even brought a photo of the walkway bridge. Sally explained that it had still been there until about 7 years ago. The actual entrance was River Road which comes off George Street and used to go right through to the lake. It ran under the walkway Craig and Joan named.

Tentative Future meetings:

Heritage Announcements 

Joan Clayton invited everyone to a Heritage Summer Party at her home on Mitchell Heights on David Russell invited everyone to his place on Canada Day for a party at 6:00 pm Laurie Nagge showed a poster done by Candy McManiman and asked if anyone would be interested in purchasing one if she could get them reprinted. Several expressed an interest.

Feature Presentation: Laurie Nagge

Laurie told the history of the original Pollyanna Cottage which belonged to her great grandfather Charlie McCorckle. Charlie came to Canada from Ireland somewhere between 1898 and 1908 and built his cottage on the hillside below Front Street. Rustico was to the west of it and Dr. Hutchinson’s cottage to the east. She showed the group a diagram of the cottage and its layout. There was a gravel road in front of it. She shared her memories of the cottage and how it got hot water and a bath tub in the 1950s, how you had to go outside to the porch to get to the washroom, and that grey water (wash water, shower water etc. but not sewage) just ran into the ravine beside it through a pipe. Her great grandfather owned all the land to the lake’s edge. It eventually became her mother’s cottage and after her marriage breakup she sold the cottage but in 1980 for Easter she gave Laurie and her sister, Janice the two lots below the cottage where they each built a cottage of their own. Janice eventually sold hers but Laurie and Charlie still live in Laurie’s. 

Minor variances were needed all over the area and places were built without surveys and often crossed property lines.  Others started to build in 1943 using Stanley Park as a place to leave their vehicles and walked to their cottages along the sandy lane towing the food, clothing, etc. in wagons. There are several private right of ways to the lake from the cottages back of the road and much of the land to the beach is privately owned.  The road originally was gravel and ran right in front of the cottages but it was so dusty that it was moved further south. One of the owners put up a gate in 1958 to block the traffic to the east end where the curve is now. West Edith Cavell was paved around 1994.

Laurie shared photos of her early days at the cottage and photos of the cottage. Her great grandfather’s cottage was torn down a few years ago. Laurie invited the attendees to tour her current Pollyanna cottage named for her mother Polly Plastow. 

David thanked her for the great presentation and adjourned the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 2:45. And the tour of the house followed.

The next meeting is July 24 with a walking tour of Moore Water Gardens with Farley See. It will be a tour only with no business meeting.

Secretary: Sally Martyn

Chair: David Russell