It's not the first edition of the Prince George Citizen but it is the fourth edition of the Fort George Tribune that made a welcome appearance at the Citizen's office Monday morning.
Ruth Flynn, 79, was kind enough to bring in the four-page newspaper that dates back to November 27, 1909.
The headline reads Was A Red-Letter Day in Fort George, and went on to describe the challenges of the day. It was harsh weather, with men breaking miles of trails to get through deep snow to exercise their democratic right to vote in the 'first provincial election ever held in Cariboo District North of Quesnel'.
Ruth, who was married to Don Flynn, was given the newspaper by her brother-in-law Gerald, who was cleaning the family home to be sold after William, the last family member to live in the Flynn home, passed away. About 10 years ago Gerald found the newspaper tucked away in the basement rafters of the house, which was located at the corner of Queensway Street and LaSalle Avenue. The house was destroyed by fire after it was sold.
"Gerald and I both thought this newspaper should go in the museum and it will," said Ruth, who believes 1909 was the year Walter, head of the Flynn family, came to work and live in Fort George from Huntington, Quebec and perhaps that is why he kept the newspaper. Walter was a builder and a mercantile owner. He met wife Mae, a registered nurse from New Brunswick, in Prince George, married in the 1920s, and they had four sons, twins Ralph and Gerald, Donald and William, said Ruth, whose father Ole Hansen, a trapper, came to Prince George in 1911 and married Helen in 1928.
The Prince George Citizen is still looking for its first edition dating back to 1916. If anyone has the first edition, we'd sure like to have a look and take photos of it.
Please contact us by calling 250-562-2441 or visiting 150 Brunswick Street.
