A 1951 Newspaper headline states....“Fastest-Growing Town In Canada Is Claim Of Smooth Rock Falls.” The town boasted a population of 3,000, with more than 80 babies born in the past year. Monthly rent for (Abitibi) company housing was $25.50 for a five-room house, and up to $50 for a larger unit. Today's population would be well under 1500.

Ste. Gertrude's Church, destroyed by fire Dec. 31, 1951.
The alarm was sounded at 08:15 a.m.

The re-building.

At first they held services at a few different places in town, e.g. the Community Club, the Theatre. They then put a floor down and held their services in the basement until they had enough resources to construct our current church.

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Sea Scouts Award Winners – 1952, L-R:
1. Jack Green (Tenderfoot) 2. Peter Kadikoff (Swimmers) 3. Berek Kadikoff (Swimmers)
4. Paul Oleskevich (Firemen’s, Rescuer, Athletics) 5. Yvon Gagne (Tenderfoot) 6. Scouter Richard H. Holmes “Skipper” 7. Larry McLelland (2nd Class Entertainers) 8. Jim Parisee (Queen Scout) 9. Wayne Biglow (Patrol Leader) 10. Bob Thurston (Swimmers).
The boat held by Jim Parisee is a model of that used by Sea Scouts.

 

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TOWN OF SRF WAS BOOMING IN THE 1950’s:

Schools – Additions to the Public/Secondary and Ste-Gertrude schools.
- Theatre – 3rd Avenue. Started in 1950, official opening March 30, 1951.
- The Grill Restaurant (Railway St. now 5th St.) - Smooth Rock’s first restaurant (downtown) opened in Nov. 1952. Owners were Dennis & Betty Ryan.
- Abitibi's Employee Home-Ownership Plan - In June 1952, Paul H. Gagne built the first home under this plan.
- Townsite work shop – 1952: This year the new townsite work shop was constructed, enabling most town maintenance services to be concentrated under one roof.
- Telephones installed in homes in 1952 (3 digit dialling)
- Arena – 5th Street (formerly Railway St.): Official opening January 18, 1952. Built with volunteer labour.
- Department of Lands and Forests – Staff House & Warehouse, Hwy 11 W (near Mattagami River Bridge).
- Royal Canadian Legion Hall Branch 305 (Railway St. now 5th St.). Original Hall constructed in 1950 - Official Opening September 20, 1952. Built with volunteer labour.
- Town Hall – 1st St: Completed late 1953.
- Credit Union – began Sept. 14, 1953. The credit union office was initially located in The Grill, where deposits were made and loan application forms were obtained. 1953-1966 it was located in the basement of Mr. Vic Dubeau's residence, 92 Sixth St.
- Post Office – In 1953 Tom Moore Sr. constructed a new post office building at 141-5th St. (Formerly Railway St.).
- Ontario Provincial Police: A residence was built at 5-6th Avenue West. It had an attached garage which contained a small office. 1954.
- McCafferty's TV & Furniture, 1955: Michael and his brother Vincent started up their business on the corner of Hollywood Ave and Ross Road.

 

- Bailey Bridge – In 1956, a 525-Foot Bailey bridge spanning the Mattagami River, situated just north of the Abitibi mill in Smooth Rock Falls, was the longest in Ontario. It was constructed entirely on land, and then pushed over rollers mounted on the piers until it spanned the river. It consisted of three 160-ft spans with short approach spans at either end. It was 50 feet above the river. The Bailey bridge was taken down after a permanent *bridge was constructed.
- Swimming Pool - Official opening: Friday, July 18, 1958. Built with volunteer labour. The land was donated by Abitibi.
- Mattagami River Bridge* – Hwy 11 W: Official opening Tuesday, Sep. 23, 1958
- A trailer camp was established at the end of Hollywood Ave., up behind Tom Moore’s farm. 1958
- Construction of Abitibi bush camp 39: 1958

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On Tuesday, Nov. 4th, 1952 a fire broke out and the following, which were all housed under one roof, were destroyed: Hudson’s Bay Store, Townsite Shops and The Woods Commissary (lost were the winter supplies for 650 bushmen working in the area). Total cost of the fire: approximately one million dollars.Within three days the Hudson’s Bay was back in business, temporarily housed in the Community Club.

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In the fall of 1953 The Hudson’s Bay opened a brand new modern store in their original location.

On April 1, 1966 passenger service on the Mattagami Railroad from SRF to SRF Junction was discontinued. Also sales of tickets, telegrams, telegraph and express service terminated at the local office. This was no longer possible as these services were being provided by other more economical methods. Telegrams would then be phoned in direct to Cochrane. After this date only Abitibi freight would be transported on the Mattagami Railway.

It is estimated that in all its years of operation, the railway handled over six million tons of freight. A rough guess of the total number of passengers carried over the same period is 250,000. All this for a trip that took a little better than 12 minutes.

 

L-R: Veni Oleskevich - Mill Mgr 1958-1968 Ass't Mgr 1948-1958; Bob Litchfield (transferred from SRF in 1963); Bert Plant (b:1892 d:1985)
Year: 1960s

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 1963-64

(all information supplied by Sheila Priebe-Jacques from the Smooth Rock Falls Historical Society on Tidbits of History FACEBOOK)