The Story of ITLDU
by Dorothy Reid
by Dorothy Reid
My parents bought the 98 acres bordering on Kilworthy Road and Highway 11 in 1921 and farmed it.
After two years my mother went back to Toronto and the farm was turned over to my grandparents, Harriet and Fred James. It was agreed that we children would spend every summer at the farm.
When my grandparents died, my parents razed the farmhouse and had a small house built on the site. Lumber from the farmhouse was used to build a summer place for two of my brothers. Another brother put a cottage slightly to the north. One sister put a home facing Kilworthy Road.
When my parents died, my other sister had my parents’ home and we all enjoyed the property for many years.
However, the powers that be decided that they wanted our much-loved property for the overpass on Highway 11. Consequently, they not only put a ramp east and west but also north and south leaving so much land useless.
ITLDU, the cottage built by my brothers, was demolished. Eventually, my one brother put a cottage on land facing Kilworthy Road. My other brother has my parents’ house on highway 11 with the ITLDU sign still on the gate. Next door my sister-in-law maintains (RZLDU2 ours will do too).
A note on the Photographs: The photograph of the gas pumps was taken in 1937. The service station was on highway 11.
The photo of the horse and wagon shows Dorothy’s grandmother and grandfather in front of their farm house.
The photo of the boy with the fish is of Dorothy’s brother.
The photo of the load of hay shows Dorothy’s father and grandfather in haying season.
A note about the Author: As well as being a resident of the area as a young girl, Dorothy Reid is a long time cottager on Oak Road on Kahshe Lake.
