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Kenora's Annual Dog Derby
Vol. 13 No.4
by Lori Nelson

One would think it safe to assume that an annual event would be held each year. Not necessarily so, at least not when it came to the annual dog derby held in Kenora.

Teeing Off: Golf's Beginnings in Kenora
Vol. 10 No.3
by Lori Nelson

While Lake of the Woods was the scene of most of the summer's entertainment for Kenora residents and visitors in the early days, there were those who felt that boating, fishing, and swimming might not appeal to all the potential tourist trade. A wider variety of leisure activity opportunities was considered necessary to boost the area's appeal as a summer resort.

Horse Racing On Lake Of The Woods
Vol. 12 No.1
by Lori Nelson

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, it was not an uncommon sight to see horse and cutter races taking place on the frozen bays around Rat Portage. Half-mile or one-mile courses were cleared on the ice, usually by a team of horses pulling squared timbers. Crowds of gambling enthusiasts would flank the track, and keen competition would follow.

The Thistle Hockey Team Wins The Stanley Cup
Excerpted from A History of Sports in Rat Portage/Kenora Late 1880s to 1940
By Laurie Shaw and Lori Nelson

This is one game that probably has been dearer to the residents of this town than any other. With the old-timers it was almost a religion. A new Bank Manager, unfortunate man, saw no reason why the bank's business should be utterly disrupted at the end of the month and he told his accountant, Certainly, you can't get off to go to Brandon and play hockey. You are required here. What was his consternation when a delegation of the leading businessmen waited on him to inform him that he could take his choice of giving the hockey player the time off or losing all their accounts. The accountant left that night with the team.

The Gold Street Toboggan And Ski Slides
Vol. 17 No.4

The Toboggan Slides on Gold Street (now Seventh Avenue South)-The twin toboggan slides ran north and south allowing almost continuous sliding in both directions. The runs started at the top of one hill, valleyed out in the centre and ended up at the top of the opposite rise, solving the traditionally pesky problem of having to pull one's toboggan back up the hill.

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK: Fashion as Art
A Textile Exhibit from the Collection of the Lake of the Woods Museum

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK
Fashion as Art
May 7 - June 12

Everything old is new again and that holds true for the colour black in fashion. This exhibit draws from the Museum's amazing textile collection. Spanning the decades, the exhibit will feature women's clothing - all in black. A visual delight for fashionistas, artists and textile lover. More info ...

The Museum's newsletter goes out four times a year, and is full of updates on upcoming exhibits and events, museum news, giftshop updates, membership and donor info, as well as a feature article on the history of the Lake of the Woods.