It is not until you see an aerial view of the area around Flin Flon that you become aware of all the lakes! In this satellite shot, within a 12 mile radius of Flin Flon you can see not only the number of lakes in the area, but the size of both Amisk (Beaver) Lake and the Big Athapapuskow (Big Athapap). Although I went fishing on Amisk Lake several times, I did not know the size of the South basin - probably a good thing.
   And the big island in Big Island Lake is big enough to have its own lake - Lonesome Lake!

   These four pictures are described as `Flin Flon Lake in 1930`.
It is possible these are pictures of the original lake before it was drained.

4 photos from Lila Stevens estate

   The people are unknown and the lake is somewhat mysterious. The printing on the bag (bottom left corner) is aligned correctly which would make the location west of the mine and smelter. I did not know there was a lake there.

Tim Shwartz writes: "I am quite sure the picnickers are looking across Flin flon lake. The old stamp mill is visible.

Lila Stevens estate

   The people are noted as:
Bill xx Ella.
Looks to be taken looking West over Ross Lake, near the present Channing drive, just North of 3rd avenue on the rail line between Mile 84 and Mile 86.

Lila Stevens estate

   Ron Gilmore writes: "We held a show at the Narrows every summer. Various families got together and put up a number of "acts". The multiple skier photos were taken by Tommy Dobson from the Narrows bridge.
   Doug Slater had a 14 foot Monroe ski boat with a 100hp Mercury engine. He put a special prop on it so that it maximized the pulling power (as opposed to maximizing speed). This boat would launch a half dozen skiers from the shore. Each skier carried extra tow ropes (all set to 100 feet in length). Other smaller boats would take off in the same vicinity with one or more skiers on behind. These boats would pull up along side the Slater boat and skiers would transfer over to the Slater boat, using one of the extra ropes carried by the starter group. Once we had everyone on behind the Slater boat we would make a grand entrance under the bridge and in front of the crowd - Fun event!
   We did barefoot skiing, pyramid, tandem slalom skiers crossing (I will tell you about the time that my brother Tom and I were behind Doug Slater's boat in this act and we actually managed to sink his boat!), 360 degree turns around the tow boat, saucer skiing, headstands, no hands skiing, and many more."

Ron Gilmore collection

   1949 or 1950, Jack Lawton and Ed Saddlmayer(sp?) heading out to the cabin on Big Island Lake.

Helena Gies (Lawton) estate

   1949 or 1950, good fishing on Big Island. The boy is Lloyd Hartley, visiting from Winnipeg.

Helena Gies (Lawton) estate

   In the '50s in Flin Flon, people referred to their place at the lake as the "cabin". When I moved to Thompson I found out the people from the Ontario nickel belt called their place a "camp". In Winnipeg and Kenora your place at the lake is the "cottage". Today, at least here in Winnipeg and Kenora, a cabin would refer a basic lodging which may or may not have electricity or it could be much more elaborate but build out of logs. And in Kenora a camp refers to a fishing lodge.

   View from Dalgatty cottage looking South down the lake.

   Hmm, back in 2003 Wayne Warren said; "... our secret fishin' hole, Lake K near Flin Flon.
   I'm going to guess he's at Trout (Embury) Lake.

Wayne Warren collection

   Unknown year and unknown lake, but it must have been frightening nontheless. A forest fire is a dangerous event it would appear all one could do is hope.

Tim Shwartz writes: "I am quite sure the forest fire shots are looking across Flin flon lake.

This photo is a composite of 2 photos. Thanks to Maxine Gunn for suggesting another method of photostiching.

Lila Stevens estate

   When you drive from Flin Flon to Beaver Lake, the last lake you pass by is Mosher, long and narrow and in the '50s, great fishing. We used to fish there every Sunday and always filled the transom with jack. Why jack and not pickerel you might ask?
   Well, my dad knew the Normans at Beaver lake and they ran a mink farm. Apparently pickerel was too rich for the mink and they preferred jack. So we traded jack for filleted, frozen pickerel, a good deal for both sides

"   ... People from The Pas and district wear shirts saying "North of 53." To Flin Flonners, "North of 53" people are a bit suspicious. After all, they have farms nearby. Not so those on the hard rocks and brilliant lakes of the "true" North. There's not a farm in sight. Gardens, but no farms. The landscape features rocks and lakes and bush.
   To wear a shirt saying "North of 54" speaks of a local pride. The pride is for a place loosely defined and comfortable and far-reaching. The shirts suggests that the wearer identifies with the nomadic lifestyle of those hunters and fishers, trappers and prospectors who wander the northern bush. People are in a field; they cannot be found by seeking an intersection, a street address, or a topographical grid with numbers. "We know exactly where we are", the phrase seems to say, "and it's sure as hell is not south." Not South of 55 but North of 54 as if the latitude (an imaginary line) were a dividing line between a chartered and domesticated southern life and an unfettered and nomadic northern life."     bes