Grassroots Artisans

Walter Stansell of Straffordville, Dan Sarazin of Golden Lake, and Henry Taylor of Bancroft did what they had to do to preserve some of Canada's rural history. Stansell preserved the age of steam by building working models of machines used during the past century. Master canoe make Dan Sarazin (Chief White Eagle) has given many hours of his time to the preservation of old Native skills. Taylor still builds hand hewn log cabins, splits his own shingles with pioneer tools and carves reminders of early days in the bush. These three extraordinary men have done more than salvage some of Canada's past. Each in his own way actually made history at the Grass Roots level. Through extensive research involving oral history and the uncovering of a wide range of materials, i.e. vintage photographs, diaries, maps and sketchbooks, Barry Lloyd Penhale, journalist and broadcaster, has assembled an outstanding archival collection of Canadiana. In recalling colourful and courageous characters and communities of bygone eras, the publishers hope to partly fill the vacuum so long apparent in the preservation of our distinctive heritage.