This page consists of the photographic memories and memorabilia related to Bigwin Inn. Some have been sent in by the visitors who have been named if desired. For some, the source is unknown at this writing. Harold, Hap Gall, my old Bigwin friend and co-worker of the 60s, provided a number collected from his internet travels.
If you have any shots which you'd like to add to this page, please send them to me and I'll include them on this page. Please note, there is no particular order to these submissions, and the most recently received will be shown first.
Various Bigwin Related Photos
This section is a collection of photos gathered from many sources and locations. The photographers are not known since most arrived via a friend of a friend. If the owner of any image wishes that it/they not be included on this page, those photos will be immediately removed upon their notification, and the provision of their proof of ownership.
The Tower This is of course, the old water tower on the island. After climbing the circular staircase which ran around the outside of the lower part of the tower, you then had to steel your nerves for the climb up the cement circular staircase which was on the inside of the outer walls and which had NO HAND RAIL. Yikes! We did it then without a thought. And then, you had to climb straight up through a hole in the ceiling which became the floor of the upper exterior viewing level.
In the daytime, the view was spectacular. But at night you could see really nothing unless here was a full moon. But of course if you had company and it was a warm summer night, it was a perfect chance to get in some huggin' and kissin' or whatever. :-)
The "white paper wrapped" Bigwin Inn Ivory soaps like this one, were everywhere.
This is of course, some of the china with the Bigwin Inn pattern, from which everyone ate their meals while at Bigwin Inn.
Seeing these photos takes me back to the Officer's Dining Room where band members were served each of the approximately 750 meals we enjoyed at Bigwin, during the two "four month+" summers we were fortunate enough to be there.
Everyone will remember the Bigwin Inn/Moscow Mule copper mugs. I remember my first encounter with one vividly.
Upon arrivin
g
at the main Bigwin dock, after an exciting welcoming ride across
with Bernie Lobraico in that old tubular shaped cedar stripped,
Peterboro Boat, we had to come to his room for a celabratory
drink, launching the new season. I was 19 at the time, but was
saying I was 22 to get the job. I had never drunk alcohol before,
but figured this would be the first. Well, one drink turned into
2, and then into 4 and you know the rest. The next morning wasn't
fun! :-)
Bernie served our drinks in those mugs. Sitting on my desk, I still have that mug, and it looks as good as new.
From Suzanne Kennedy (Hastings-James)
Here's a couple of postcards which were available at Bigwin Inn when she was there, which was in the mid '60's.
From Jack Hauseman
An auction find!!!
A "Bigwin Inn
Pavillion Window" which had been saved by one of the workmen
during the demolition of The Grand Old Pavillion around the year
2000.
It still looks
familiar, with probably the same last coat of that graying white
paint
which I last saw on it in 1964 when I left Bigwin Inn for the
last time.
I seem to remember
some folklore, that the window frames were marked as seen in the
photo on the right, representing Roman Numerals XXXI (31) meaning
1931, as the year it was built? Hap Gall suggests since the inn
was built long before 1931, that it was probably just a marking
meaning simply that was window #31, and that it was thus marked
to make sure the window got back into it's own spot to insure a
good fit. That sounds good to me.
Photos of Eddie Lehman
The first contributor is Eddie Lehman of Haliburton, Ontario. In his accompanying letter to me, he recounted one of his cherished memories, of Louis Armstrong or "Satchmo" and his encounter with him. Satchmo was booked to play at the Pavillion in the summer of '59. Eddie was on the boat that night ferrying many overloaded boatloads of fans to Bigwin Island for the "gig". The boat staff also brought over all of the band members and their instruments and other equipment. At the night's end, they also returned the band and equipment to the mainland and loaded their gear onto their tour bus. Louis Armstrong shook hands with each and every member of the boat crew, and gave a handsome tip and a "bottle" to each of them, as well.
That's a great story Eddie,,, thanks for sharing it with us.
And now, here are 7 of Eddie's photographic memories of his time at Bigwin in the late 50's in no particular order.
Photos of Adele Trapnell
Here are some photos from Adele Trapnell who came to Bigwin Inn from Ireland.
This is a shot of Adele on the left with her friend Beverly Cox (Freeman) who was the resident hairdresser at Bigwin Inn in 1964.
This is a photo of Adele's boss at Bigwin Inn, Nancy Dennis.
This is an example of Adele's photographic handiwork, a beautiful scenic and moody shot of the inn and adjacent area, taken from The Tower.
A Promotional Booklet (1928), from Lynda Watt Millard
This is the front cover - and it's other side - of a promotional piece for Bigwin Inn which was printed in 1928 - see bottom of the page on the right below.
From Peter Harcourt:
A
Poster Autographed by
The Duke Ellington Orchestra for their Appearance
at Bigwin Inn in August of 1959
If you have some
photos or information that you want to share
of any staff, guests or things relating to Bigwin Inn during the
'60's or any other time,
send them to Don Firth and I'll add them to this page.
Please note:
Because of growing
spam problems, I'm showing our email address as a part of an
image below, in an effort to combat the email address gathering
programs of the spammers. If you wish to communicate with me,
please record my email address
from the following image and address your email to me there.
Thank you!
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