This weekend during Capreol Days, the Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre is digging into the “Tool Shed” and pulling out 26 vintage chainsaws.
This collection of chainsaws was made possible as a result of a generous donation from the estate of Allan S. Cooper, a vintage chainsaw collector from Minden, Ontario.
The exhibit also includes a 1948 International Engineering Ltd. (I.E.l) chainsaw donated by Steve Ames in memory of Pat Ovens, a retired school teacher and collector from the Town of Capreol.
“The exhibit has evolved into much more than a collection of vintage chainsaws” said Derek Young, operations manager.
“The exhibit includes historical information on the manufacturers, a multimedia presentation on forestry and also reflects the region’s lumbering history along the Vermillion River.”
The exhibit represents some of the biggest names in the industry, including Stihl, Mall, Homelite, I.E.L. and McCulloch. The makes and models vary and range from 1946 to 1965.
The exhibit includes the first diesel and the first electric powered chainsaws manufactured. The chainsaw was an important tool in the development of forestry.
The exhibit includes a display from Gervais Forest Products describing the harvesting process, sustainable forestry as well as history on the fourth-generation family owned business, which continues to harvest north of Capreol.
A tool shed has been constructed on the second floor of the Heritage Centre using rough lumber from Portelence Lumber, another locally operated family business in Capreol.
The “Tool Shed” exhibition is included with admission to the museum, which is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily until September 1.
For more information, visit www.normhc.ca or phone 705-858-5050.
