DYSART AND DISTRICT

Home Town or Home Community:

Dysart

Our Story:

The Village of Dysart is located in the R.M. of Lipton #217 and situated on the E 1/2 9-13-15 W 2nd. During the years 1881-82, the surveyors described the area as “generally level to rolling land.” There was an abundance of poplars and willows for fuel, and the water was good but contained alkali in some places. The survey for the village was done in 1904, and the incorporation was on April 6, 1909, with a population of 79. It was named after Dysart, Fifeshire, Scotland, when the Canadian Pacific Railway went through.

Overseers and mayors of the village have been Fred Nuttall, J. Baratz, Geo. Schweitzer T. Watts, F. Hibbert, C. Glassman, J.S. Stewart, Bert Sulea, Bert Bolingbroke, M. Oltean, H.G. Stewart, Ted Schulhauser, John Shalovelo, Steve Stan, Walter Pasieka, Ralph Patterson, John Petrar, Jack Bradshaw, Raymond Konecsni, and Gary Kayter.

Secretaries have been A. Stevens, A. Trafford, J.H. Laroche, F. Hibbert, A. Nesbitt, M. Krauss, J.S. Athey, J. Adolph, C. Silverman, L.P. Schuster, Helen Glass, Bemie Rothecker, J. Grohs, and Lisa Belof.

The CPR branch line on which Dysart is located was in operation on September 18, 1906. The station house was built in 1912, with Herman Webber as the first agent, and demolished in 1972. Other agents over the years were Cecil and Richard Wingfield, G. Calvar, Mr. Freeman, S. Condy, and Irene Huber. The railway was the main mode of transportation, providing the community with mail, groceries, hardware, and fuel before the motor car appeared. When highways became upgraded and paved, passenger trains ceased to operate. As of 2004, the rail line remains active at Dysart.

The first homesteaders in the area arrived south and east of the village in the period 1883-86. Some family names were Murray, Turner, Matheson, Bolingbroke, Scott, Walker, Read, Redpath, McKinnis, and Griffith. A mix of ethnic groups came to homestead. Immigrants from Germany, Austria, and Poland tended to settle south of the village, those from the British Isles and Romania north and northwest, and those from the Ukraine northeast. Descendants of some of these families continue to live in these areas. The greatest influx of settlers, who broke the prairie and eked out a living, was between 1900 and 1910.

Shortly after their arrival, they began to build churches. Volunteers and the stonemason Tom Murray built one of the first churches in the area of stone, six miles east of Dysart, in 1887 It accommodated the Presbyterian congregation. After its opening in June of that year, it was mysteriously destroyed by fire on September 18. Some of the ruins still remain.

In 1906, St. George Romanian Orthodox Church was built, with Locke Jonescu as the contractor. It served a large Romanian homestead population. The church was remodeled in 1945 and 1968. Church records date back to 1910; other records stored in Regina were destroyed by fire. The acre of land for the cemetery was purchased in 1907 at a cost of $40. The parish house, now St. George’s Hall, was purchased in 1911 for $1,100 from Steve Albuitz.

The Roman Catholic Church came to the Kronsberg area, south of Dysart, when St. Henry’s was built in 1906. The same year a frame church was built in Dysart and was served by the priest from Kronsberg. Dysart became a parish in 1920, and because five members of the Parish Council were named John the church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist in 1927. St. Henry’s church closed in 1961, and a new church was built in Dysart in 1968. Two parish priests currently serve the five churches of Sacred Heart of Jesus (Lipton), St. Patrick (Cupar), St. James Southey), St. Rita (Strasbourg), and St. John (Dysart).

The first Anglican church was built in 1913 and contracted by Arthur Trafford for $75. In 1915, a child of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nuthall, the postmaster, died, and because there wasn’t a Protestant cemetery in the village the burial was in the churchyard. The remains are still there, and the grave is marked by a flowering tree and a marker. The United Church congregation used the church for a while too. A wagon trail that passed through the yard is believed to be part of the old Touchwood Trail. The second church was built in 1967 by volunteers and now serves a declining congregation. It is part of a three-point parish (Fort Qu’Appelle, Cupar, and Dysart) known as the Touchwood Trail Parish.

St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, five miles northeast of Dysart, was built in 1913 at a cost of $1,200. The congregation decided to build a larger church in Dysart in 1958 with Mr. Greba as the carpenter. The new church was built on land donated by Harry Veiner, whose parents homesteaded at Dysart, and given the name Holy Eucharist. The little original church was sold and is now in a private museum near Yorkton and used for an annual service.

All of the churches have had active ladies’ groups that have held suppers, bazaars, and as to provide funds for the vestries and parish councils. Sunday schools, catechism classes, and youth groups have also been active. The churches continue to struggle, though, to remain viable with declining congregations.

Homesteaders also began to build schools in the district. The first Kronsberg School District was established in 1898 as the Kronsberg Catholic Public School District #48 of the North West Territories. The name was changed to Kronsberg School District #4922 in 1931. Many of the settlers in the area had emigrated from Germany and Austria, and the name chosen for the school was after Kronsberg, Austria. The log school was sold for firewood, and the brick school burned down. Vanworth Brothers of Lipton had built the brick one. There are no records available prior to 1903, but the first teacher was Eliza M. Gray, and the last one was Donna Pillar in 1964, when the school closed and the children were bused to Dysart. As with most schools, it was a meeting place for numerous events and celebrations, such as card parties, concerts, and dances. Local musicians, usually self-taught, provided the music.

Another early school district was Parkland #268, built east of Jumping Deer Creek. The decision to establish the district was made in 1893 under the North West Territories government. The school, built of logs, carried the stamp “Parkland S.D. # 268 NWT” until it closed in 1960. Mr. Ball, the first teacher, later became the minister of education. A second school was built west of the creek and carried the same number. The early registers are not available, but later registers indicate irregular attendance. The building sold for $250 when the Cupar School Unit was formed.

Dysart School District #1449 was established in 1905. The first school was a frame building at the north end of Main Street and across from the Roman Catholic Church, and Margaret Baine was the teacher. Many of the students could not speak English when they started school.

In 1917, a two-room brick school was erected on the east side of town. In 1927, two rooms were added. Wilfred Wass was the principal. The basement then had two large play areas, with the west side for girls only and the east side for boys only, and severe discipline was enforced. The three Rs were stressed in overcrowded classrooms with limited supplies. A grove of maple trees was planted in 1929 from the main entrance of the building to Wark Street. Heritage Heights, subsidized rental units, now sit on most of that area.

The Field Day held each spring had rural schools coming to Dysart to participate in all types of sports. When the schools closed, parades with banners and school “yells” ended an era.

When the school became part of the Cupar School Unit in 1946, conditions improved, and a library was added in 1948. The local Homemakers Club supplied many of the books. The science lab was added in 1954. This building was closed in 1983 and became the Dysart Museum in 1987.

A new school was built on the west side of town in 1960 to house grades seven to twelve. It contained classrooms, a library, an auditorium, a science lab, and a staff room. A gymnasium was completed in 1968. All grades were moved to this school in 1983, and as enrolment declined it was closed in 1996 following a court battle between the Cupar School Division and the local school board.

The first McDonald Hills School #1646, built of logs, was 10 miles north of Dysart. The logs were hauled from Touchwood Hills in 1906 and contracted for $411 by John McLennan. This school also bore the stamp “NWT” until 1915. It was named after the Hudson’s Bay Company factor John McDonald, who became lost in the hills on a trip between Kutawa and Fort Qu’Appelle. The schoolhouse was the nucleus of the community, and meetings, church services, and social events were held regularly. The original school was remodeled in 1911. When the school became part of the Cupar School Unit in 1946, it was sold for $50 and replaced by a new building, which closed in 1960. George Trapp, who taught from 1931 to 1935, became minister of education in the 1960s.

From among five suggestions, the name of a new school between McDonald Hills School District and Dysart School District became Gardiner, after the Member of Parliament, John Kaluzik, who had promised to donate the land, withdrew his offer when his name was not chosen, and the school board had to purchase land across the comer. As well, two acres were purchased west of the school for a playground. For years, this area was used for the annual school picnic held on June 29 to commemorate Saint Peter and Paul Day. Ball games would often last until dark, with a dance to follow until daylight.

In 1946, a teacherage was built for $1,200. The school closed in 1960 and was sold to a community club for $300 in 1962. Dances and social events were held there for a few more years, and in 1981 the building was used for grain storage. The shell of the building now stands as a memorial of the time when children’s voices echoed each day from 1915 to 1960. The first teacher at Gardiner was John Axenty (1915), and the last was Ethel Taylor (1959-60).

Ratepayers built Canterbury School, east of Dysart, in 1914 at a cost of $1,400. The first teacher, Frank Matthew, was hired for $65 a month. Following an outbreak of whooping cough and influenza in 1918, the school closed for some time. The next teacher was hired for $1,000 per year provided he or she did the janitorial work. In 1936, $.75 bought a load of wood for the school stove, and by 1940 the price had increased to four dollars a load. The payment was applied to a ratepayer’s taxes if he or she was in arrears. In 1960, the school closed, and the students were bused to Dysart. The last teacher was Mrs. Helen Kotylak.

Westlea School #4356, situated northeast of Dysart, opened in 1921, with Miss I. Whiteford as the first teacher, paid a salary of $100 per month. The school district was formed later than the others in the Dysart area and was smaller. Negotiations to purchase land and build a school did begin as far back as 1914, when numerous families were living too far from Headlands School. Following many meetings with the Department of Education and the R.M. of Lipton #217, permission was granted to begin erection of the new school in 1921. During the 1930s, the teacher’s salary was $40 per month, and the janitor – usually the teacher or a pupil – was paid $43 per month. The last teacher was Miss D. Williams when the school closed in 1960. A picnic was held then for the last time.

Many of the pioneers of Radant School District #3474, south of Dysart, came from Raduitz, Romania, so the school was given that name as a remembrance of their homeland. Harry George of Lipton built the school in 1915 at a cost of $245. It was replaced with a new building in 1950 because the original was very hard to heat. The first teacher was Miss Edith England. When the school closed in 1960, the teacher was Mrs. Jean Schulhauser, paid a salary of $1,200 per year. The building was sold to Al Brodner in 1963.

The Sambor School District #4057 was organized in 1914 and named by Henry Schneider after his home village in Poland. Some of the records are missing, so little information is available. One of the early teachers was Ignace Mitchell, and the last was T. Hollister when the school closed in 1960. The teacherage was sold and removed from the schoolyard.

The first elevator built in Dysart was the North Star in 1906, and it was destroyed by fire in 1927. The Dysart “P” elevator was built in 1923 by the Brook Elevator Company and sold to the Pioneer Elevator Company in 1928. Annexes were added in 1949 and 1953. In 1951, Pioneer “W” elevator was purchased from Western Grain; the elevator had been built in 1906 by the Maple Leaf Milling Company.

The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool “A” elevator was built in 1912. It was in use for approximately 40 years. In 1928, the office burnt down, but the elevator was saved. In 1950, it was demolished, and a new one was erected with an annex added in 1958. Wheat Pool “B” was built in 1927 and purchased from the Federal Grain Company in 1972. It had two annexes added over the years. Wheat Pool “C” was originally built in 1910, destroyed by fire in 1928, and rebuilt. It too was purchased from the Federal Grain Company in 1972, which had bought it from the United Grain Growers in 1969. It was no longer in use in 1976.

In the late 1990s, elevator companies began demolishing the important landmarks in prairie communities. On June 13, 2000, Dysart residents sadly witnessed the demolishing and burning of three elevators that had served the area for about 90 years. A lone one, purchased by Glen Hubbard, stands as a reminder of that era.

Garages and body shops have always been needed in small villages. Some of the operators before 1920 were Jack Hess and Charles McGregor; in the 1920s, Tony Schuster, Jon Bauman, and John Serbu; in the 1930s, John Adolph and Henry Hepting. In later years, there were Bill Gherasim, Paul and Charles Donovel, Loekie Gherasim, Joe Zatylny, Bert and Steve Sulea, John Shalovelo, Val Macknak, Albert Huber, Edwin and Al Griffin and Ralph and Jack Patterson, Ray and John Konecsni, Herb Huber, Stan Mead, and Frank Fink.

The Dysart Co-op also provided garage service to the community. It was organized in 1939, with Frank Schick as the first manager, followed by Milton Wood and John White. In 1941, the property on the comer of Railway Avenue and Holland Street was purchased from Nick Simeon. The first building was a granary, and the next building was erected in 1958 and sold in 1974. The present service station and hardware building on the comer of Railway Avenue and Victory Street was purchased from Steve Kanak in 1974.

In 1967, the Co-op expanded to groceries. The building on Main Street was purchased from Albert Beutel, and Emily Shalovelo became supervisor.

Both the store and the farm supply business continued to flourish under the management of John Petrar from 1950 to 1985. During those years, sales reached into the millions of dollars, and great savings were returned to members of the community. Now, with declining rural population, larger farms, and members shopping elsewhere, the Co-op is struggling to remain viable, as it is in many other villages.

During the era of the horse and buggy, the local blacksmith was everyone’s friend. Those who had shops in Dysart were John Huber (1906), E. Blackhorn (1907), J, Kaluzik and 0. Leonty (1920), Baum Brothers (1921), and, the last one, Bert Sulea (1927-58). His shop was on Railway Avenue where Gerard and Bev List now reside. Bert and his son Steve continued with the Cockshutt agency on Main Street until the late 1970s.

Other implement agencies in Dysart were Cockshutt, operated by Athey and Cassidy in the 1940s, on Main Street (located where the Credit Union is now). The Massey Harris agency was operated by George Stewart in the building that is now part of Herb Huber’s garage. The McCormick General Agencies, under the management of L.G. Williamson, was also in operation in the 1920s.

The Case dealership was located on the comer of Main Street and Railway Avenue, and in 1958 Dysart Sales and Service was built along Highway 22. Joe Zatylny, the owner, had previously operated the BA Motor Service and the Minneapolis Moline and Chrysler dealerships, and in 1959 he received the Case dealership. In 1964, his son David joined the business, and in 1970 son Garry returned from the RCAF and joined them.

Family and employees earned many award trips around the world during the peak years. In 1990, Dysart Sales and Service purchased the Case dealership in Raymore and became D.R. Sales and Service. That part of the business terminated in 1998. Joe Zatylny died in 1997, and the business is now owned and operated by Garry and Pat Zatylny and Gerald Zatylny, with employees Janet Richea and David Goff.

On the night of June 4, 2001, the main building, along with all records and memorabilia was destroyed by fire. With courage and determination, the building was replaced by an up-to- date steel structure. Dysart Sales and Service now distributes primarily Valtra, Morris, and Bourgault equipment.

The village has had the services of a financial institution since its incorporation. The first Royal Bank opened in 1916 and burned down in 1928. It was rebuilt as a two-story brick structure on Main Street but closed as a bank in 1930 because of the Depression. It has been designated as a Municipal Heritage Property and is now owned by Dallas Harrison.

The Dysart Credit Union was first located in the CPR Station and officially opened in 1960. It was moved to the Gasper Chemick building for a short time, with Joe Mrazek as the manager. In 1962, it was moved back to the station, with Richard Wingfield as manager. Then, in 1963, it was moved to Main Street again to the Village Office, with Joe Mrazek managing it again. The present office was opened in 1964, and the managers have been John Grohs, James Woykio, and Don Jeworski.

Built in 1905, the Dysart Hotel, now known as the T-N-T Tavern, is one of the oldest buildings in the village. In the early years, the telephone office was set up in the lobby. The building has been renovated numerous times. Early photos show a large upstairs balcony at the front and a railing to tie horses to. An interior photo shows the usual large counter and tin ceiling popular in that era. The main business is a bar and lounge, with a few rooms for rent. The present owner is Jim Duckett.

Numerous cafes and restaurants have been in operation since about 1905. Some were on McKendre Street, which was the main street until the 1920s. Proprietors include A. Woods (1930); T. Konecsni (1940s); R. Schuster, E. Bolingbroke, and J. Toth (1940s); Jim Gee, Warsylewicz (1930-40); S. Shalovelo (1945-54); Segal and E. Mitchell (1950s); M. Roman (1954); A. Hromek (1957 and 1961); W. Pasieka (1960); R. Gellner and H. Bubyn. The present cafe is operated out of the Dysart Recreation Centre, with Peter and Winnie Kwan as the proprietors.

Dysart had a local newspaper published under the name The Clincher in 1913. It was printed by the Cupar Herald and appeared on the newsstands for about six months. The publishers were Gilbert Lloyd and Harry Stewart. In 2003, two local women, Joyce Dubois and Janet Howatt, began a newsletter titled Dysart Doins with local news and happenings for all to read.

Livery barns provided an essential service before the motor vehicle era. Farmers drove into town with horses and placed them in the barns for a fee while they went about their business. Two of the barns were situated on the east side of town where the home of John and Shirley Gammel is located. They were in operation from about 1906 to about 1940, and operators were John Mataran, A.C. Cochrane, Dan Beckstead, John Griffin, Mr. Silverman, Max Oltean, and George Oltean. A barn was also situated on the west side of town where Gerard and Bev List now reside.

The dray business provided the residents with daily mail and freight service from the CPR station. As well, drinking water was delivered to homes at the cost of five cents per pail. One water token equalled five cents. Alf Woods (Sr. and Jr.), Jim Craig, and Dan Smadu were draymen over the years.

The first Dysart Post Office was located on McKendre Street, where Peter Eros resides. Fred Nuttall was the postmaster, from 1906 to 1926. Then it moved to the home of T. Kyle in 1948, with him as the postmaster. Other moves were to the former Stemler’s Store, operated by Dan Scrope, and in 1959 to the former Cal’s Hardware operated by George Staruiala and Lillian Isfan until its closure in 1992, when it ceased to be owned by Canada Post. Postal service is now provided by the village, with Debbie Bott as the Postal Outlet Manager. Aurel Magda served the country post offices. Fox Hills (1913-60) and McDonald Hills (1896-1962), by horse and wagon in the summer and horse and closed-in cutter during the winter months.

The first lumber yard, the Lumber Manufacturing Yards, was located on the comer of Wark Street and Assiniboia Avenue (where Dallas and Hema Harrison now reside) and operated by J.H. LaRoche until 1916. Between 1917 and 1919, the agents were H. Kruger and B. Beauliu.

In 1928, Security Lumber Company acquired the yard, which burned down and was rebuilt on Main Street on five lots. In the late 1940s, it became the Crown Lumber Company until it closed in 1968. Other agents were John Adolph and H. Fink. In 1971, Frank Waldegger and Joe Zatylny had a small yard called J & F Lumber in the old BA garage on the comer of Wark Street and Railway Avenue. Brian Klisowsky is the local carpenter.

Grocery stores were numerous and operated by many families over time. The earliest date back to 1907 and 1909 and were situated on McKendre Street and owned by Baratz, Peckett Albuletz, and Fraser and Foster. Other owners on the now Main Street were John S. Stewart, Jampolsky (1922), Sangursky, Veiner and Gibbs, Ast and Boles, John Adolph, Glassman (1934), Ehman (1932), H. Gibbs (1932), Griffin Brothers (1939), William and Nance Clarke (1957), Silverman and Sons (until 1960), and Vem Zatylny (1975).

As well, Ralph and Jack Patterson owned a hardware store, Fruman Brothers a grocery store and butcher shop, Karl Grohs a grocery store and butcher shop, and Veiner and Silverman a hardware store. Anton Stemler operated a store and harness shop and a drugstore, and a Watkin’s store operated for a short time. Others were a Red and White store owned by J. Grohs, Mr. Thorn, Bert Sulea and Son, and Rudy Schuster. A meat market, locker plant, and store were operated by George Hepting and later by his son John. Joe Alien managed the Good Store, which the Dysart Co-op purchased in 1967. Harold Seel, Ellen Mitchell, and Art and Kay Hromek owned the Variety Store. The Mudde Shop owned by Pat Kolenich became the Wicker and Gift Shop owned by Joan Schwartz, which was then purchased by the Golden Years Club.

As of 2004, the remaining grocery stores are the Dysart Co-op and Scrobe’s Store and Locker Plant (1981) owned by Eugene and Diane Scrobe.

The first telephone office opened in 1911 and operated out of Mr. Ramsey’s home. In 1913, it was moved to the Dysart Hotel, and in 1915 to Mr. Kaluzik’s home. In 1925, the telephone office on Main Street was purchased. Some of the operators were Dorothy Lang, Mary White, W. Walden, Lawrence and Sophie Hardman, Pearl Went, Helen Weber, E. Gross,

Margaret Wilson, and Janet Gross. The two rural companies, McDonald Hills and Radant Telephone Companies, were incorporated in 1917. They served the area until 1977, when the dial system was offered to subscribers through SaskTel.

Many organizations were formed and led by volunteers that provided educational and social activities for children and adults in the community. Some of these were Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, 4-H , Homemakers Club, and Golden Years Club, and each church had its Ladies Auxiliary. Sports activities such as tennis, baseball, softball, fastball, hockey, skating, and numerous school events were popular. Local bands, school bands, square dancing, sports days and picnics provided many hours of entertainment.

Dysart has had a rink since the 1920s, when the first open-air one was built. It closed in 1930. The first curling rink was built in 1946, with a new open-air skating and hockey rink, at the comer of McKendre Steet and Assiniboia Avenue. In 1961, a closed hockey rink was built beside the curling sheets, followed by a new curling rink in 1967. The money was raised locally and the work done by volunteers. A massive fire in 1987 destroyed both rinks, and with determination and much effort a modem hockey and skating rink was built and opened in 1988. Again volunteers provided a lot of the money and work.

An egg candling station operated on Main Street from 1944 to 1948 and was owned by Wynsten Candlers, Melville. Operators were Millie Bolingbroke, Helen Costea, and Betty Steparn.

Hairdressers and barbers had a necessary place in the lives of residents. One of the first hairdressing salons was set up in the telephone office in the 1930s, with a lady coming from Regina twice weekly. In 1943, Nora Weber set up a shop in Griffin’s Hardware Store on Main Street and then in the home of Hector Hambly. Others who followed were Mandy Krofchek (1953), Merle Zatylny and Diane Kayter (1967), Margaret Gherasim, Nora Nakonechny (1962), and Bev Michlik (1981-97). As of 2004, the only remaining hairdresser is Pat Stecyk, who operates in her home. One of the early barbers was Claries Weber, a local farmer, who came to town on Saturdays in the 1920s to give men their needed trims. Others were M. Sprentz (1923- 40), J. Fiesel (1941), and John Grohs, who also operated the bowling lanes and dance hall (1941- 79).

Built in 1921, Grohs’s Hall, with living quarters at the back, was the centre of entertainment and was noted for the best dance floor along the line. Many can remember the old black-and-white movies shown on a Saturday night. A pool hall, bowling lanes, a barber shop and a confectionery were set up in the basement. Sadly, it burned down in February 1967. Today the Dysart Community Centre (formerly Dysart School), with kitchen facilities, is the centre for local entertainment and social activities.

The Dysart Recreation Centre was built in 1972 on the property previously owned by Mr. and Mrs. Magda. It contained bowling lanes, pool tables, and a cafe. Operators have been Mr. Nechvatal, Emest Kurtz, Arnold Spanier, Laurie Chan, Ray Konecsni, Peter Mayer, Brian Key, Kevin and Cheryl Gibson, Ben and Agnes Bennett, Cheryl Osiowy, Jerry and Shirley Domm, Toi and Susan Lam, Steve Mallot and Roxanne Shindle, Carrie Rhein and Debbie Kelln, Tammy LaFontaine and Doreen Finch, Harvey Rothecker, Syndi Fink, Ken Gibson and Ray Konecsni, Peter Kolody family, and Peter and Winnie Kwan.

Two world wars saw many local boys, and some girls, join the forces, with some not to return. The CPR station was where parents bid farewell to their sons and daughters, not knowing if they would meet again. A cairn was built beside the Dysart Museum in 2001 with a list of all who joined the war efforts from the Dysart area. Some of the veterans now belong to the Lipton-Dysart Branch #99, Royal Canadian Legion.

The Dysart and District Historical Society was formed in 1981, with an executive of President Gladys Petrar, Secretary Vivian Morcom, and Treasurer Helen Glass. The first projectwas the publishing of a history book, Dysart and District: Yesterday and Today. When the brick elementary school closed in 1983, the Dysart Museum became part of the society’s mandate. It was declared a heritage site in 1986 and officially opened in 1988. As of 2004, the executive is Gladys Petrar, Pat Zatylny, Vivian Morcom, Einor Harrison, and Ethel Sulea.

Dysart is in the Parkland Regional Library area and was served by the Bookmobile until 1999. After that, a small library was set up in the old Village Office, with six volunteers operating it: Helen Glass, Vivian Morcom, Gladys Petrar, Einor Harrison, Ethel Sulea, and Louise Smadu.

Just as the influx of immigrants took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it is happening again 100 years later. New families from England, Scotland, and Wales are purchasing farms from farmers who worked the land their grandparents eked out a living from. These welcome immigrants are helping to keep Dysart and district economically and socially vibrant.

sumitted by the Dysart and District Historical Society and the Village of Dysart