Mahone Bay Old School_A Life and Times_Bob Sayer

• [Winter horse racing on ice [harbour or lake] was a popular sport in the region.
Both county papers, Lunenburg and Bridgewater, regularly reported on them.
The sport had a history in Mahone. Joan Foran has possession of letters written
by W.H. Longley, principal at Mahone School, 1904-6. On March 25th 1904, he
noted, ‘There was a horse race Tuesday on the ice of the harbour.’]
Arthur Hiltz’s General Store
‘Next to the hotel was the Mills home [now street 630]. This was Mrs. Willis
Ernst’s home before their marriage. Next was Arthur Hiltz’s General Store [possibly
now the garage extension at no. 630. When Fred left for New York in
1922, he got an outfit and his suitcase there. He was unable to pay for it and
was going to send the money later. He did not get along with his step mother
and was going to leave secretly. But word got out!].
‘ Blanche Burgoyne of Oakland clerked for Arthur.’
Will McLean’s [some family members spelled it MacLean] Home
The fine old Blysteiner-McLean House with [left to right] inset of Charlie
McLean with spaniel ‘Spud’, Lena McLean, wife of Charles and mother
of Clyde [see chapter 4], John McLean snr., father of Charlie and William,
John’s mother [grandma Blysteiner], John’s wife Agnes, William Mclean, father
of Margaret, (outstanding teacher and vice principal of the 1930s).
• ‘Next to Fancy’s was a private home…then McLean’s Store [now Mom’s Buy and
Sell, street number 629]…where Mr. Will MacLean and his sister in law, Amy
Smeltzer, worked. It is hard to believe but between the store and the next building
[until a recent fire, The Salt Spray Cafe, at street no. 621], the McLeans had a
regular shipyard…During the war they also built at the neighbouring Zwicker yard
that had long been empty.
• The Will McLeans had a show piece home across the street laying back [now
street no 624]....A road, past Arthur Hiltz’s, ran round the house up to Charles
McLean his brother’s house on Pleasant St. [now street no. 59].
• Charles was the master boat builder-designer. Will ran the business and store.
Photo: Courtesy Margaret McLean-MacKay Collection
Photos: Courtesy the Margaret McLean-MacKay collection
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