In keeping with the Home-school theme of Lumbering here is a photo Alma Mill. It was quite the operation!

In keeping with the Home-school theme of Lumbering here is a photo of some logs cut in Hebron by William Hoar in 1942.

Back to school Monday, with a trip to to Hastings School,one of the many lost settlements in Albert County. Hastings was located 2.59 km west of Alma on Hastings Hill. The settlement was named for Sir Hastings Doyle (1804-1883), lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick from 1866-1867. It had a post office from 1867-1939. In 1871 Hastings had a population of 100: in 1898 Hastings was a community with 1 post office, 1 church and a population of 110, this included the community of Upper Salmon River. It now lies within Fundy National Park, and the building shown was demolished with the opening of the park, when the families moved into Alma.

Staying in Stoney Creek for our Sunday Drive. This photo of The 114 looking down Scott’s Hill toward Hillsborough shows how the road curved to the left of the present highway in order to cross the small marshy area at the bottom of the hill. Probably taken about 100 years ago. The Balser farmhouse is on the left. The Wright house in the distance on the right.

Here is an interesting shot showing the oil works at the Stoney Creek Field with buildings and various gasoline storage tanks, 1938

Here is a nice shot of a drilling rig in the Stoney Creek Oil Field from 1938.

MicMac gasoline production at the NB Gas and Oilfields started in 1931. A filling station located at the present day site of Doug Steeves Museum operated by Claude and Alonzo Fales ran from 1939 until the mid 1940s. Another was located near the Staples store on East Main Street in Moncton ran from 1940 - 1942. The period pump with the glass bowl, installed in 1937, was used to fill service vehicles on the oil field.

Gasoline had no additives and would ping if you had a heavy foot. Lead additive could only be purchased if production topped 1 million barrels. Initially the refinery was required to remove volatile light distillates so that the remaining heavy fuel could be burned locally. Gasoline production started in 1931 continuing until 1988. What was not used on the station was shipped to the Esso refinery in Dartmouth.

This photo taken c1911 shows a group of American and local investors in front of “the gas house” in Stoney Creek. This was the first house, serving as company headquarters, to have natural gas, November, 1909 from well #5 down the road about a kilometre. This well was abandoned in 2008.

There are 36 people in this photo. Notice the man in the extreme right – a gas lamp appears next to him. A dish towel dries on the line hung there by Bessie Steeves who operated a boarding house. Some names are known. From L-R: 1st E.A. Reilly, former Moncton mayor; 3rd Fred Jones of Jones Lake fame; 7th Capt Masters, business man and future mayor; to right of center post and hatless Sam Winter, prominent businessman.

Searching through the photos available, I came across this photo showing two Mounties at Emery Shaffer’s Garage & Service Station in Fundy National Park in the early 1970’s. To all of the men and women who stand in harms way, know that you’re in our thoughts and prayers.

Back to school Monday, in an “Only in Albert County” moment, with the Weldon Church (up) and School (down). The building was replaced by a one-storey church in the 1960s. There can't have been many church + school combinations like this anywhere!

Hopping in the car for a Sunday drive through the Shenstone Covered Bridge. Anyone have any stories around this bridge?

Saturday is a good day for train watching, here is the Salisbury and Albert Locomotive #5 crossing the Petitcodiac River at Salisbury. This bridge was taken by ice March 1912.