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StuckforaChristmasgiftideaforsomeonespecial?Thenyoumightwanttoconsiderticketstothecomingpro-ductionofJ.M.Barrie’sPeterPan. TicketsareonsalenowfortheBoreliansCommunityTheatre’sproductionofPeterPan,theclassictaleoftheboywhonevergrowsup.Thisistheoriginalproductionandit’sPeterPanathismostauthenticandmagical,fullofalltheadventures,charactersandspiritofNeverland. DirectedbyCareyNicholson(AliceinWonderland),withacastof35fromthroughoutDurham,featuringTylerKeatingasPeterandGraemePowellasHook,PeterPanistimelessentertainmentforthewholefamily. PeterPanistheperfectmid-wintertheatreoutingandaperfectgiftforChristmas.TheBoreliansmakegiftgivingeveneasierwithdinnertheatrepackages,featuringlocalpopularrestaurants,andnewthisseason,luxuriousover-nightgetawaysatNestletonWatersInn. PeterPanrunsFebruary19,20,21,26,27and28at8p.m.MatineesonFebruary21and28at2p.m.atTownHall1873. TicketsanddinnerpackagesareonsalenowatMeta4Gallery,PortPerry,905-985-2435,tollfreeat1-888-985-2435. Alsoavailable,ticketsandpackagesfortheBoreliansMay2009productionofNormFoster’s,KisstheMoon,KisstheSun.Formoreinformationonbothproductionsanddin-nertheatre,visitborelians.org.

Add tickets for ‘Peter Pan’ toyour gift list this Christmas

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ScugogShoresMuseuminvitesyoutostepbackintimeandtourthroughthehistoricvillage,traditionallydecoratedfor the Christmas holidays with evergreen boughs, brightribbonsandberries. Thisyear’s“Children’sOld-FashionedChristmas”willtakeplaceSunday,December7from11:00a.m.to3:00p.m. Childrenwillbeengagedinavarietyofinterestingandfunactivitiesthroughoutthevillage: •VisitwithSantaClausintheSchoolhousefrom12:00 noonto3:00p.m. •StringpopcornandcranberriesintheLeeHouse. •Bakeanddecorategingerbreadcookiesinthecentury oldLogCabin. •Createuniqueornamentstohangonyourtree. •DecoratetraditionalVictorianChristmascards. •Visitwiththeblacksmith. •ExploretheMuseumonaHolidayScavengerHunt. Hot chocolate, cider and Christmas cookies will beservedintheschoolhousethroughout theday. AdmissiontotheeventisfreebutweareacceptingimperishablefooddonationsforOperationScugog. For more information call 905-985-8698 x 107 or emailskelly@scugog.ca.

Museum will celebratefestive season with an old-fashioned Christmas

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ThisOld House

JosephBigelowResidence178CochraneStreet,PortPerry,Ontario

Plan 2, Lots 98, 99, 100, and Lots 128, 129, 130

HEBIGELOWHOUSEremainsasoneofthefinestandbestpreservedexamplesofdomesticItalianatearchitectureinOntario.Itsgrandeurandelegancereflecttheprideandachievementsofitsfirstowners,JosephandElizabeth(Paxton)Bigelow.JosephBigelowarrivedinthissettlementonthesouth-westcornerofLakeScugogin1851. ThecommunitywasintheprocessofchangingitsnamefromScugogVillagetoPortPerryinhonourofthedeath,thesameyear,ofitsdeveloperandpromoter,PeterPerry.

Please turn to page 46

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Top picture - the livingroom of this historicresidence as it looked two years ago. Thisbeautiful home is now owned by Dr. MartinStewartandhiswifeAdrianne. Centre, a picture of the living room of the“Bigelow Residence” just before it was sold in1980whenitwasownedbyWilliamCarnegie,arelativeoftheBigelows.

Left,anornateplasterceiling moulding withthe original light fixture,which still hangs in thediningroom.Thisoriginallighting fixture can beseen hanging in theliving room in the abovepicture,takenin1980.

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HiramBigelowwastheownerofthedamandfeedmillatLindsay.Heboughtlot6onQueenStreetinScugogVillageasaninvestmentforhistwinsonsJosephandJoel.Theyoungmentookpossessionofthepropertyandbuiltageneralstoreandopenedthecommunity’sfirstpostofficewhilelivingatthebackofthestore.Theyboughttheadjoininglot5andbegantobuildamoresubstantialhome.ThishomewaslatermovedtoPerryStreetandexiststodayasnumber100PerryStreet. In1854,JoeldecidedtoventureoutonhisownandmovedtoWhitbywherehebuiltastoreat106DundasStreet.HemovedtoMilwaukeein1864andlatertoChicagowhereheestablishedthesuccessfulBigelowTeaCompany. JosephBigelowwasinvolvedinanumberofenterprises.HejoinedThomasPaxton,whohadbuiltalumbermillonthewaterfrontwherethelibraryislocatedtodayandin1854hemarriedWilliamPaxton’sdaughterElizabeth(WilliamwasabrotherofThomas).Josephopenedthecommuni-ty’sfirstbankin1867andbecameitsmanagerand,atthesametimebecameinvolvedinthebuildingofthePortWhitbyandPortPerryRailwayandbecameitsdirector. In1868Bigelowbuiltathree-storeybrickbuildingonQueenSt.whichbecameknownastheBigelowArcade.HesoldthisbuildingtoJonathonBlongofTorontoin1878anditwasdestroyedbyfirein1883.TheBigelowfamilyhadtheirsplendidCochraneSt.homebuiltin1876-77.TheBigelowsmovedintotheirelegantnewhomeandraisedtheirfamilywhileentertain-inginacomfortablestyle.Thedetailsofit’sconstructionandthehistoryofJosephBigelowarecoveredinfulldetailinthebookHistoric Homes and Estates. ThisstatelyhomeremainedintheBigelowfamilyuntilitwassoldby

hisgrandsonWil-liamCarnegiein1980.Mr.CarnegieattemptedtosellthehouseandoriginalBigelowfurnishingsintact.Unfortunatelythisdidnotmaterializeandthecontentsweresoldbyauction. TherehavebeenseveralownersofthishomesincetheCarn-egiefamilysolditandthepresentownersareDr.MartinandAdri-anneStewart,whopurchaseditin2002. Story by Paul Arculus Photos by J. Peter Hvidsten

ThefrontentranceoftheformerBigelowhousefeaturestwosetsofheavy,double-hungdoorswithleadedglass.Theoriginalpinefloorshavebeencarefullyrestoredtotheiroriginalbrilliance.

Upperrightisthegrandstaircasewhichcurvespastalargearchedwindow(right)onitswaytothesecondfloor.

Continued from page 43

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Thirty-four hours of travelling, four plane rides and a 20 minute motorcycle drive will put you in front of one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Cambodia’s Angkor Wat. Discovered just over 100 years ago this majestic, archeological site lies deep in the

jungles of northern Cambodia, surrounded by trees, mountains and water. It was built in the early 12th century by the Khmer people and was spread over 400 kilometres. Although the wooden houses and pal-aces have long disappeared, the stunning array of stone temples still stand and cover an area of 77 square kilome-tres. There are about 70 awe-in-spiring temples in the complex and each one transports visitors into an enchanting and mysterious world. For six cen-turies Angkor was the capital of Cambodia and the centre of the great Khmer Empire, which once extended from the South China Sea to the Bay of Bengal. ThebestviewofthemaintempleisfromtheReflectionPool as the sun begins to rise. This of course meant getting up at four in the morning, gulping down some hot coffee and set-ting out on a ‘Tuk Tuk’ for a 45 minute drive. IwasterrifiedasIsatinthesmall,wheeledcontainer,pulled speedily by a motorcycle, through the pitch black streets of Siem Reap, en route to the temple complex. I was grateful

that the driver had made the journey many times, for the wind-ingroads,suddenturnsandpothole-filledstreetswouldhaveleft me totally lost had I taken the navigation on myself. UponarrivalatthebaseofthereflectionpoolIwasstunnedby the view, as darkness slowly receded and an enormous complex of spirals, walls and statues gradually materialized out of the mist. I stared in awe as I swallowed a hardboiled egg and some more coffee, never once taking my eyes from the

sight before me. The complex was built as a shrine to the Hindu gods and later converted to a Buddhist sanctuary. During the gradual decline of the local civilization the temples were slowly over-grown by the jungle and it was not until the 19th century that European explorers stumbled upon Angkor. Following the discovery the ancient city underwent a period of restoration until the 1950’s when it disappeared again behind a curtain of war. During the American war in Vietnam many local commu-nistsfledtoCambodiacausing

the USA to carpet bomb the area. After one of the worst acts of genocide in history, where two million Cambodians were killed, peace returned to the region and in the mid nineties the temples at Angkor gradually reopened to the world. Today Angkor Wat is one of the world’s top tourist destina-tions and although it is a little further away than Uxbridge or Stouffville,Idefinitelyrecommenditforyourbucketlist,asyouwill not be disappointed.

Angkor Wat - standing the test of time

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Scugog ?What’ s Up`

Old Fashioned Christmas

Caroling, caroling, here we go a caroling

Step back in time and experience Christmas over 100 years ago at the Scugog Shores Museum’s ‘Children’s Old-Fash-ioned Christmas.’ Have the kids visit with Santa who will be hearing wishes in the Pioneer Schoolhouse. Take a tour of the Museum Village, traditionally decorated for the holidays. Victorian Christmas crafts for children, heritage demonstrations and refreshments will be offered throughout the day.Dates: Sunday, December 7 Time: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Location: Scugog Shores Museum, 16210 Island Road, Port PerryInformation: 905-985-3589

The second annual Port Perry Polar Plunge, organized by the Hospital Auxiliary is scheduled to take place at the lakefront in January 2009. Plung-ers are asked to dress in costumes or bathings suits and bring pledge totaling at least $200. There will be lots of hot chocolate and coffee to help warm up participants after the plunge. For more information see full story on page 21. Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009 Time: 11:00 a.m. Location: Kinsmen Beach, Palmer Park Information: Call 905-985-6232 or 905-985-3158

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

S n o w f l a k e S a l e The Christmas tradition

of carol singing is carried on by the Lake Scugog Historical Society. Let’s all come together and sing our favourite carols to celebrate this wonder-ful time of year. Bring the children to keep the tradi-tion alive and to hear the old Christmas story. There will be a freewill offering and refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the concert. Please bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank.Date: Sunday, Dec. 14Time: 6:30 p.m.Location: St. John’s Presbyterian Church 319 Queen Street, Port Perry

Visit the Kent Farndale Gallery for an opportunity to browse and buy a wide variety of handcrafted items created by local artists and artisans during thisyear’sSnowflakeFestivalat the library. Choose from a wide range of work in a variety of media, including: photog-raphy, jewellery, handcrafted soaps and bath items, pottery and ceramics, acrylic and wa-tercolour original paintings and prints as well as metal sculp-ture. Meet the Artists! Opening Reception: Saturday, Decem-ber 6th from 1 to 4 pmDates: December 6 to 21 Location: Kent Farndale Scugog Library, 231 Water St., Port Perry