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Belle River Ontario

This is a 22"x30' watercolor is of a small Canadian town on the south shore of Lake St. Claire approximately 15 miles due east of Windsor Ontario, Canada. It was the home of our famiy's summer cottage which we owned from 1948 until 1958 when we moved to California. This small river wound its way south through tranquil countryside with quaint and charming farm houses with their famil boats docked on the river bands instead of their family cars parked in the driveways. On weekends we would go on family outtings in our small outboard motorboat and cruise up this peaceful and eden of heaven on earth to river's end. The bridge with the old locomotive crossing it was the Canadian National and Wabash RRs main line that ran from Windsor to Toronto. A mile to the south of the Canadian National line was the Canadian Pacific Railroad that also ran to Toronto. Both of these railroads were among the last to give up steam power on their main line operations in North America. Only the Norfolk and Western Railroad operated steam through the 1950's. By the time we left Belle River behind the conversion of both the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific to diesel power was nearly complete. The sound at night of the train whistles in the distance accompanied by the chirpping of crickets is one of the fondest memories of my childhood.

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Anonymous Guest 03 Mar 2017

My Aunt, Uncle and cousins from Detroit also had a cottage on Lake St. Clair just outside of Belle River. They sold in the mid 1960s when they too moved to California. My parents brought us up right in the town of Belle River (a village until the mid 1960s). My father's boat would have been moored just this side of the CN railway bridge on the eastern shore of the Belle River. This painting brings back many memories and warms my heart. Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous Guest 19 Feb 2011

-1'

Anonymous Guest 19 Feb 2011

-1'

Marika Antal 09 Apr 2009

wow!! you are a champion of art,no dough about it!!! On the photo next to you, is she,s your wife,she is most beautiful lady!!!

Tara Corbett 13 Feb 2006

Beautiful painting.