I am the grandson of Louis and Jean Ruthven. They had bought the land we call "Ruthven Island" - where Ruthven Road runs - in 1940s. They ran a cottage resort from the 1950s to about 1965. They ran a store and had diner space some of the time.
6 Cottage Country Seasons in 1960s:
When I lived on Paudash Lake in the mid 1960s with my grandparents I would say there were 6 seasons:
Shinny season - when the lake ice was thick enough to make a rink and play shinny until ice breakup
Blackfly season - when the blackflies came out in late may and into june
Tourist season - when all the tourists showed up in july and august
Quiet season - the day after labour day until the day before the july weekend - all the tourists were gone and we had the lake to ourselves
Swimming season - from when the water was warm enough in june to start swimming until it got too cold in sept
Tobogganing season - when there was enough snow on any hill that a toboggan would slide down until there wasn't enough snow - from about the beginning of dec to mar/apr
Drifting on Paudash Lake
1965. Summer. Eugene Ruthven had a way of driftin' away a sunny warm day.
Moving Piano From Ruthven House
1957. Summer. Other pics show the piano on a raft being moved to a new home. Ruthven's tractor and trailer is being used.
