Morris Shaver
Morris Shaver grew up in Wales, Ontario and attended high school in Cornwall.
“When I was going to high school – I went to Cornwall, as we were just saying there, to St. Lawrence, eh? ’54 to ’59. I went the old Number 2 Highway every day on Colonial Bus.
Went down and come up. And I saw the change every day. And that, to me, is something I will never forget because I saw it every day – and I was interested in it and I saw it!
And every day there was a change. Houses were disappearing, trees were disappearing, roads were disappearing. Other things were appearing – like Long Sault was appearing, Ingleside was appearing.
And that’s the thing that I found very unique.”
Morris Shaver’s Voice
Morris Shaver, Interview Audio Excerpts, Lost Villages Historical Society Schoolhouse, Long Sault, Ontario. August 14, 2013
Saw changes every day as I went back and forth to high school in Cornwall from Wales.
I don’t feel bitter. But I do miss the Long Sault Rapids a bit.
I had to lift my feet of my pedals when the water first came up.
The day of the flooding. My uncle said it was a great big poof.
Video
Video Excerpt: Morris Shaver, Lost Villages Historical Society Schoolhouse, Long Sault, Ontario. August 14, 2013
In this video clip Morris Shaver who grew up in Wales, Ontario tells the story of how he took the Colonial Bus to and from Cornwall for school. Every every day he was witness to more and more changes.
The Seaway was constructed between 1954 and 1959. It took over three years to dismantle the lost villages, raze the trees, buildings and other infrastructure of the areas to be flooded. The gradual destruction of the landscape echoes in the memories of those who lived through the experience. Some have likened what remained before the flooding as being reminiscent of a war zone.
Bio
Morris Shaver grew up in Wales, Ontario.
He now lives in Lunenburg, Ontario.