While on our yearly vacation through North-Western Ontario we decided to stop for the night in the small town of White River, which is located at the junction of Highways 17 and 631, mid-way between Sault St. Marie and Thunder Bay. We had stopped there before and I was always intrigued by the twenty-five foot Winnie-the-Pooh statue on the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway. Our previous visits had always been rushed, but this time I decided to investigate. We have several Winnie-the-Pooh collectors who visit Gypsy Wind Collectibles, Antiques & Vintage in Mississauga and I wanted some great photos to bring back.
I visited the White River Heritage Museum which is located in the old railway station just behind the statue, and found that besides the railway and artifact displays, it houses the “Lisa Yee Winnie-the-Pooh Collection”. This is the largest collection of Pooh items that I have seen. I picked up a brochure and found that White River, therefore Canada, had quite an influence on the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh. Here is the story as found on the museum’s brochure –
“On August 24, 1914, a tiny female Canadian Black bear-cub was brought by a local trapper, to the Canadian Pacific Railway Train Station in White River, Ontario…On this eventful day a troop train bound for Val Cartier, Quebec stopped at the C.P.R. station. A young officer, Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, a Canadian Army veterinarian attached to the 34th Fort Garry Horse Regiment from Winnipeg, Manitoba was one of the soldiers who got off the train at the CPR Station Platform. He noticed the very young bear cub and purchased it from the trapper for $20.00.
Lieutenant Harry Colebourn…named the tiny black bear-cub “Winnipeg” after his hometown, and later shortened her name to “Winnie”. The bear cub became the mascot of the 34th Fort Garry Horse Regiment and accompanied them overseas to England. When Captain Colebourn received orders to go to the front lines in France he left “Winnie” in the care of the London Zoo.
While at the London Zoo “Winnie”, who was an exceptional and gentle bear, became the feature attraction, captivating many, especially Christopher Robin Milne, son of the author A.A. Milne. Inspired by this charming bear and his son’s fascination, A.A. Milne wrote the stories of “Winnie-the-Pooh”.”
When I returned to the motel where we were spending the night I found the owner had her own collection of Winnie-the-Pooh memorabilia and she graciously allowed me to take some photos.
White River holds Winnie’s Hometown Festival every year on the third weekend of August…looking forward to the parade and fireworks!
Bear Crossing 