!lpril 24, 1973 Anthropology ifiOl Submitted to Dr. I:Iark rllealin.9; ~Walter Stoochnoff Ooteshenia The Village n Big Sawmilln The History of H~y House I su:9pose there is no better way to begin than to expound.. my clifficul ties • Apart from my inability to t;ype , my org2.nization is catastrophic Originally I had inserted descriptions belo,-, every photo but as new information: was aquired I was forced to make aclditions , plus rearrange the pictures in ord.er to give what w2.s thought to be a clearer explaination. I ended up with little tags everywhere and now have decided. to insert the descrintiorr on full sized. pages following each photo or photo 1 s. I onl;y hope that this arrangement does not :nake for tedious examination. If so,feel free to hex. Hy house's origin; is attributed to the building of the big sawmill after which the village is named. Prior to the construction: of the mill my house was built to house the ,;orkers. It was onl;y meant to be a te.11porary dwelling but due to shortage of space, ·has been:. occupied ever since. The exact date of its construction I was unable to determine , this :-;2.s partially d.u.e to the fact that I 1;rn,s unable to find. anyone th2,t was alive then and. at present to teJ.l me. In my literature rese2,rch I was also unable to find an3~ specific mention: of the house or the saw.r:ill. Irr Woodcock I s book he mentions on page 230, that in 1909 the clerQ'Eian._ James r,Ic:Dougal smr two s2,wmills ancl a concrete reservoir with a capacity of one million gallons. I axn almost certa,in that one of the sawmills Has the 11 Big Sawmilltt so that would elate m;y house c.1909. The informant who '.d8,s able to give me the most inform.2.·tion Has my uncle John T. Stoochnoff , born 1910, so the ea:cly part of my houses history remains a m;;istery to me. Since the construct- ; I ion of the sawmill required manpower and materia,ls , it seeos the village of big sa1·miill was the nucleus of infJ.ustr,y during the early part of Ooteshenis 's develop~nent. In the village the large communal house with the wood siding was built shortls after the erection. 6-f· the sawmill. l:Iy house is s:i tuated at the base of a large alluvial fam and facing the base of the third plateau the foundation. of the steam engine or anchor (ra-.:- sawmill), can:. be found about fifty feet: to ones right. used to skid logs dowru from the third plateau. Also the fan 1-1as Iru front of what v...,0--'5 is now a barn. but what originally, a large blacksmith's shop ,-Ji th /l two sets ( that is t'\'10 sets of everything ie. anvils) , was located a stea~ driven: donkey engine used to pull the logs do,m tb.e 6-ulley formed by the glacier, and:. at the base of the faru was a pond with. water to was~Lthe sand. off the logs before they were taken to the mill. My house is si tu2.ted on lot. ment District. l \ 55 of the Ootishenia Improve- The house faces lTorth East , as it seems all the buildings do , whether this was for some reason I was unable to find out. What I meant is that all th.e communal houses ii:T Oot eshenia seem. to stand relati vel;y facing the sa:11e way. Between my house and the b2,se of the third alluvial platec1-u was the locatiolli of the second J:..ecaLirood ;-;as also sola. to places like the smelter irrTrail. The plant at Brilliant mentioned above ,·1as used to generate po',-rer for the Jam Factor;/ and in the summer it pu:rrpsc1 ,·rater to the reservoir located a:9proz. a thous 2nd. :·2,rds right of the village. In the sprinc the reservoir ,:as filled frorr. streams in the area but the;: dried in the sui71.mer thu2 the :pu;:1p 0 ( was utilized to fill it. Apart fro:n the reservoirs use for irrigating the orcharcls, chilc..ren found ti a ,,;onder:f'ul pl 0 ce to swim. ,( This picture Has taken in 1950 and to me is symbolic of the influence that b.as changed m;y peo::_)les way. It h2-s changed it so much th;:::t if I had to raa};::e a choice or rather if I ,-ras able , it ;;1ould be extreinel;y difficult for me to decide. ( "\ { 1935 - A view of the villae;e from the thircl plate2.u. E;y house can be seen in the top rib·ht hand corner. the right edge are the villace hot beets, a"bou.t I ' '\ (. 2, Ealf ~-,a;s,~ down dozen o-f them. / : I\ Yours trul;y- st&,nding in the doon,a:~ to the later aclcli tion • The aclcli tion can be seen in the previous photo exte11a!ing toward the direction o:f the plateau. The large communal houses seeued to h2.ve remdainecl the same as 1.-.rhen .(_ the;r 1-rere built ie. no additions , not the cc:,.se in m;y house each tenant altered it as he saw f i t and this o_oor ~ is evidence at an attempt. I don't know Hhat is inside the ,Jall but it is a foot thick and possi bl;/ ,-;hen i=;randi·2:ther mad_e the cut he dicl..YJ.' t find it e2.sy thus mJ- head never reall;;-7 heals. Each time I change shoes and alter m;y height Pm concretely re:ninded. ( / '\ 1973 - This was tal:en fro;n the U. W. and shows more additions, three separate ones canoe seen. ,;,1i th On the left cv long chimen;y is the addition that the door in the previous photo leads to. It served as sleeping quarters, two rooms. 'i'he adch tion:. Hi th t,-rn windows facing ;you used to be grandfathers kitchen. The;y had to go outside and around the house to get to their lei tchen. Grandfater and his fw"llil;y lived in the adcli tions and the Rei bin._ (Freet) fauily lived in the rest of the house. Their Kitchen used to have a larce oven (:nade ocf brick like all the co:mm.mal housed. hacl) but as Fred grew old so did the oven_ and one day it burnt the floor. Unable to fix it he trac1ed kitchens with grand- fater 1;:md then the small door was made. The middle addition was called the swnmer kitchen ·Hhere 6-randmother separated' the milk a,rtd haa_ stairs leading do,;m to the rootcellar which rarr. parallel to the main house along side the bedrooms. Reibin's root cellar can partially be seen_ casting a shad•1•j on the extreme rit;ht of p}10to. When. the house ,,;as used for a bunkhouse people used to live in the t-vro rooms upstairs but siuce a long time ago uo one has live up there. The small house inc the right of the picture is the out house. Only recently it h2,,s sneaked up on the house urmally t11ey wer-e built at a distance from the house. ' ( 1948 - Yours truly just having arrived from Osoo;yos to visit granny. N.E. end of house. Wooden sidewalk , which Fae, t;ypical around the houses in the village. Later a favourite material was the tarred boa0¢! from the wooden irrigation. pil)es that ,-rnre once made in Brilliant. Special planers were set up to make the pipes which 1-:ere an:i;-.rhere from 2 to 16 inches in diarn.e-'cer. After they were fitted they were 1-~rapped. d;.:t;h wire, dunked in ( \ tar then rolled: in sawdust to protect the tn.r coat. • 1-1. • ..1. Sl:X:1.,een incrr pipe led to the reservoir. the ends of the pipe we:re ·tar free to allow them to fit into -;-rood.en tar coated couplings. The 11hi te stones seen in the photo ,·rere ornamental and surrounded flower t:ardens. (. 1937 - Grandfather Timothy A. Stoochno:ff, granny Agnus , aunt Nellie an aunt Helen ( the tallest s11allest) cousin John. ( 1954 - Grand father had six children, 4 ;::irls left to rit/ht - (vi11 not add Stoochnoff) Andre,-; is f;rand f·athers brother, Lucy being his wife. Timothy, :..A1:,nus, Belen, John, Eary Gretchin, Nellie, ··grandson Dick Zoobkoff, Fred Gritclc.in, Tanya Zoobkoff, Nellie Harshenin, :Mike Zoobkoff, Bill Harshenin, Eargaret (m;r mom), Andrew, Lucy, Dick ts wife Doris Zoobkoff, 1-rfront ?, sister Diane,?, sister Olien&?. In i:he background can be seen the ravine used for skidding logs. South East side of house ,ri th the bedroom ad.di tion seen more clearly.than previously. Father Pete ,;-,ho was t2.king the picture in the above photo. The above photo merely sho,-;s the children of our i::imediate family plus a fe,, unknown children, un:fortune:tle;y I can't identify them. Other nieces and nephewa ,cousins are absent ', and I couldn't begin to na:ne '"C!lern. 1950 - Nellie Stoochnoff's marriage to Bill Harshen.in. l to r ba,ck ?,:ike Zoobko:ff, Pete Stooclmoff, John, Stoochnoff front Tan:ya Zoobkoff, I,iargaret Stoochnoff, l:fellie Stooclu1off Agnus Stoochnoff, Helen Stoochnoff, Timothy Stoochnoff 1 :Nellie & Bill, Stexre Harshenin, Po!lly 1-Iarshenin, Polly and Sam Holobofr~ . Front front ;falter Stooc11~'1off, girl ? , Larr;7 Stoochnoff 7 Violet Stoochno:ff Olien Stoochnoff. In the background is a haybarn. Location of photo is in front of my house , base of :plateau in: the background. i. 1937 - same location as last photo 1-r Andrew Stoochno:ff, Ziiike Zoo1:ikoff, John, Stoochnoff, Fred Gretchin, Pete Stooclmof:f The building in the ric:ht hand corner is the second location of the blacksmith shop which wa.s formerl:y the kitchen for the horse stable. :~I \ Just above it is ·±he alluvial fan. 1938 Nellie Rebin & Pete Stoochnoff S.W. end of house, the root cellar is visible on the left side 1938 - right photo Nellie Perepolkin & Pete Stoochnoff S • H. end o :f house This cast iron, pot is the same as ones used in the tre.di tio:0.al Banya (b2,th house) , although he1°e it ,•;as used in the earl;y spring to heat water for the Parneek (hotbed) ( (. 1936 - 1-r Helen and Florence REBDI , girls uhom with. their father Fred occupied the house 'di th grandfather and his family. 1952 - new addition to our f2mil;y , sister Diane and Pete ,( ( 1942 - the big blacksmith shop-barrr. in the background. 74 Indian 74 1-r Harley ( 1929 Pete Stoochnoff 1931 George Kootnikoff 1935 - women 1·:0rkin5 commun2.lly shaking the ,rneds fro:71 the earth. The elder plowing is Fred Rebin 1-r Poll;y Kanigan, Anne Lovrenchinkoff, Anesia Sapriken, .Anne rc:arkin AgTms Stoocltnoff, Tan;ya Reibin, Nellie Stoochnoff, J'.:ary Harkin, Lucy Stoochnoff, IJiss Alice Lovrenchinkoff, lirellie Harkin, Front 1-r Iiiiss Helen Rei bin, Eiss Vera Soultoroukoff, ;:,;:iss Nellie Ka:nigan. 0 Top - 1973 -taken from the third plateau to show the area ·where the plowing is being done in the lower photo's and also in the next photo. The reservoir is located in the left h2,nd corner there is a burnt patch of grass on the mound in front of it. 0 'I'he two plowed patches of gT01.mcl in the centre of the photo • u!len i;o show the approximate location of the big Se,iD1ill 7 ..L' the right of that where the new house is situated is the locati•::in where the horse is plowing in the pictures below. 1940 - grandfather ,grand.1:1other and a,unt Helen, horse *Roy .0 ( 1938 - The third plateau shoNing a fenced in garden The village is immediately below 2-nd can not be seen. ( ( \, 1973 - looking doim on the house and 02,rn. On the right is a burnt piece of grass with a small shed with a pole behind. it. If you look carefully in the middle of the burnt patch ;s;ou can see the concrete foundation ,,here the steam engine ·,ras anchored. Immediatel~.c to the left of thres was the hole -in the ground where the logs were -~•;ashed. Now in the left corner (bottom of photo) there is a clark speck in the field. the kitchen for the stables stood. there. If you look at the barn ~ou can see an acldition, T:,ell it's not an addition but the storehouse for the coa,l for the forge in the blacks~ith shop. ( (- 1973 - In the right ha.:1.d corner can be seen the s2me c1ark object identif;;,ing the kitchen. To the left of it , all the wa;y to the row of trees vias the location of the l2_rce stables mentionecl in the intriduction. The house is irr. the J.e ft edge of photo. ( ( (- 1973 - The blacksmith shop , the window above 1·ras for the temporc:.r;r qu2.rters of t,·ro or three fa"'.lilies that resid.ec1 the:ce h·hen the village ,,;as short of' room. In the foreground there used to be a warehou.se ,d1e:re the threshin,§; machine and other equipment ,-Jas ker,t. Later it ..-ms converted into a ha:y barn and some children :pl::.:.;yinc with :n2,tches burnt it clo,;n. ( 1937 - John Stoochnoff Jr. spot 7 leaning 2:,g2,inst the hay b2rn previousl~, :nentionec:t but the;; didn I t ( and Bill Stoochnoff 2.nd p1ay ,·,i th :natches, 1935 - Pete Stoochnof~ 3lacl:smi th shop in the b2,ckcround ,·ri tb. stE:,irs lea,d.inc up to the cl.,rnllinc previousl~ ,nentionec1. 1 '>:J.1.ich becar,e a ha,;:: loft. 1929 aliuvi2,,l fc:n in. the b2,ckc:r.'om1.cl-. { ( \ 1973 - brick oven co:o.\Terted into one Fhere bre2u:l could be lJ2kea_. Oricinall;y this used to be a oven to he::1t and shrin): ,ragon 1cheels. The forge in the blacks i i th shop (loc,:-cted to the ri£ht of ca.nera ,:1an), could. not possi bl;r J:zeat an entire ,,heel so t}1is oven w2,s built :for that pur::_:ioze. ~lat;cn ,:rheels uere not made in 0 the cor:imuni t;y but they we::;:-e repaired. After the ;-,heel is used. it or rather the .ietal on. the uheel be2,--ins to 50t loose. ( blacks:ui th would he,1t the '>~heel place it in a larce press 2.nd squeeze it tight around the rim the q:uicl:ly clu.np it into cold 1:ra. ter. ( The '( - 1973 Sho,-Jing side view of the oven 1-ri th the house in the background. side of the oven. You can see the brick fallinf out of the 1940 - J'..'li ta Stooclmoff chop:ning kindling 1935 - E:onusha Kanigan, Anne Lovrencllin!~of:f, ~Ielen Stoochnoff* Apples iiere peeled and slicecl then put on the dr~,-inG,' r2.ck to clry in the sun.. snacks, ( ''- Once dried the~, ,.-ere used ±·or winter ( 1973 - The million gallon reservoir, built c.1909 ( I I \ 1973 - sho~·'ing lats oehind the cla2~ and horse :;i2,nure or clay and mulched straw mix that was applied. to the walls and ceiling of my house and also the co:nmunal houses. After the clay is dry over it. ( a..'1. application of lime and sand is painted If a pure 1·,hite colour is wanted_ bluein,g; is added. 1973 - Upst2.irs in: m,y house sbmring clay mix used. on the chi;neny coming from the kitchen. for ye2"rs. I acked uncle John what Its been that way t: pe o:f clay one uses but he i·ias una-ble to t e 11 me. He k1101-1s 11here to c:et it 2.11:d says not all cla~· will work. He kno:rn t,;-,o locations for clay and. still uses it in his house 2.nd i·Ihi te ,·rashes the entire house once a year. ,Jl(I! '· ( \_ ( 1973 - These are ceiling hooks for the russian cradle or (lulka). Also used to hang la,nterns from but if they 1c;-ere specifically for lanterns they ,;-rould be of much lighter construction. The lulka generally hung from the ceiling and was in the parents bedroom at ni5ht and could be carried to the kitchen or where ever in the clay. It was quite convenient,at nigbt mother could breast feedthe infant without getting out of bed and if mother got tired of rocking baby father irns in reach and could help. ( \ , I ', ( ,,\ 1973 - carved or lathe turned decoration in the door jam. Uncle John feel that it must have been: hand carved for he can 7 t figure out hO'i! it could be turned on the lathe. 1952 - Timothy A. Stoochnoff , my grandfather IJillwright, Perry builder , Carpenter and ran the Co-op store at brilliant for man;y years. He built the cabinet shoi;m in the next to photo's in the winter of 1924 , uncle John. helped him sancl it and when I asked him where he (erandfather) got the plans from he said he didn't know. Be said that t:;T2,ndf2_ther had a russian book of designs but does 1 nt know if he used it or not. During the summer the men worked but in the winter they made things like this cabinet. Conclusion Ky informants are; my grand mother AgTms Stoochnoff, my father Pete Stoochnoff, and most of all uncle John Stoochnoff. Grand:nother is 86 years old and her memory is failing, thus unable to offer me much assistance. Father is ten years younger than uncle John, being born in 1920, thus was not old enough to remember ver:/ much of the activity , although if not for him I would not haye most of the photo's in this collection. Uncle J'ohn. was invaluable, his vivid memory and picturesque descriptions are a joy ;;i;o listen to. I think I have revived his interest in the ,c:;ood old da;:, s , I can see him now, as he gazes into the 0 distance and says oh it was happy then. Uncle worked in the jam factor;y~ 8,nd also helped grandf2.ther in the co-op store. I(y onl;y regret is that I don't have more questions to arJk. Many tharr_k:s to Dr. l'fark Healing for the suggestion of this topic. I Xnow feel much closer to the heritage I~ve spent so m2,n;y ;{ears denying. i rrhanks, my houses doors are alwa~~s open. C)/l . d.' ,/ \_A.~;,'li\;.)\.,t...,""'--\l~--...f,lti'1'L- C✓~~~",.-"'~uo-t--t' :j