Draw Up a Chair: A Treasury of Renfrew County Storytelling

Barbara B. Aitken is a public services librarian in the Douglas Library
at Queen’s University, a board certified genealogical record specialist, and a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

The people of Renfrew County are born storytellers. They love to tell
tall tales of former days. The County of Renfrew municipal government
decided to celebrate the start of the new millennium in Renfrew County
by compiling an anthology that would highlight the people, places, and
events of Renfrew County from its origins to the present. They
approached various municipal, historical, tourism, school, church, and
social organizations in the county, as well as the general public, and
asked them to share their stories. The result is a wonderful compendium
of tales about the lumber trade, the military, the small communities,
and the colorful characters in Renfrew County. Also included are
contemporary accounts about this region from Samuel de Champlain and
others. This delightful book recalls the stories of the Ottawa Valley
made famous by Joan Finnigan. Recommended for Canadiana collections in
public libraries.