Pilgrimage to Haileybury Leslie McFarlane Tribute
by Norm Knott and Rob Chicorli
From the Bayport Times, May 2000 Edition
On July 17 & 18th, 1998, the Town of Haileybury, Ontario, Canada honored the first ghost writer of the Hardy Boys, the late Leslie McFarlane ( the original Franklin W. Dixon ). A granite lectern was unveiled at the Haileybury waterfront in his honor.
So, where in the world is Haileybury? It is approximately 325 miles north of Toronto Ontario. It is one of the Tri-Towns which consist of New Liskeard, Haileybury, and Cobalt. All three lie on the shore of scenic Lake Temiskaming, shich separate Ontario and Quebec.
On July 16, we left Thunder Bay, which is on the northwest shore of Lake Superior and drove over the top of the lake some 300 miles east of Wawa. For those of you who have never driven the north shore of Lake Superior, the scenery is breath taking. The highway ribbons through virgin forests, massive rock cuts and over raging rivers. Commanding views of the lake are available at every turn. Leaving the lake at Wawa, we drove directly east to spend the night in Chapleau after travelling 380 miles. Next day we continued east for another 270 miles to Haileybury.
Upon entering Haileybury, Hardy Boy clues abound. The first thing you notice is that you are in fact travelling on the real Shore Road. The similiarities are scary. Shortly, thereafter, you come to Radley Road ( does anyone remember Fenton's operative Sam Radley ) and Dixon Creek. We checked into the Leisure Inn and met the chair of the Hardy Boys Committee, Peter Rivet. During the afternoon, we had time to golf at the beautiful Haileybury Golf Club, built in 1909. The course is situated high above Lake Temiskaming and every hole affords a panoramic view of the lake. This jewel of a golf course is well worth the trip.
That evening, we had the opportunity to sit down with Brian McFarlane, son of Leslie to talk "shop". Brian was very apporachable, pleasant, and co-operative. A noted Canadian writer and broadcaster in his own right, Brian autographed several of our Hardy Boy books as well as some of his own publications. The motherlode came through, when he provided us with his Dad's handwritten record of all the books and articles he wrote ( listing number of words, publisher and fee received ), from 1924 to 1943. This list is pure gold! Unfortunately, the list ends after 1943. After meeting Brian, we then met Scott McFarlane, Leslie's great nephew, who we had corresponded with by email for about 2 months prior to the event. Scott was born in Haileybury, now lives in Kentucky and proved to be an excellent tour guide for us during our stay.
We toured the Haileybury Heritage Museum, which naturally has a large area devoted to Leslie McFarlane. Pictures, books and the actual typewriter he wrote many of the early Hardy Boy books were on display, as well as the newspaper article Leslie wrote detailing the great fire of 1922 which destroyed Haileybury and 650 square miles of surrounding countryside. We then toured the three houses Leslie lived in while in Haileybury and saw the building where he set up his first office.
At 1 p.m. on Saturday, the granite lecturn was unveiled and dedicated by the mayor of Haileybury, the local Member of Parliament, Brian McFarlane, his wife and his sister Nora. A large crowd was on hand. The highlight was the banquet at the Country Club on Saturday night, which was attended by approximately 120 people, some from as far as Washington state, Kentucky, California, New York and various points in Canada. We sat with Robert Nelson of Marysville Washington, who has had several articles published in Yellowback. Brian McFarlane's after dinner speech was a work of art. He is mezmerizing orator who reviewed his father's career as Canada's most prolific author. Brian could have talked for hours as he mixed humour and fact with the ease of a natural rhetorician. He emphasized that his Dad would be extremely pleased, honored and somewhat surprised at the continued depth and enjoyment the Hardy Boy's have given so many over the decades. Brian's sister Nora, also a writer of note, briefly addressed the crowd and then it was time to mingle and get acquainted. After the Country Club, we went to a dance at the Haileybury Hockey Arena, which was attended by several hundred as it was also a part of the celebrations. Had a good time there and topped off the night by hoisting a few at the legendary Matabanick Hotel with Scott McFarlane.
Sunday morning arrived all too quickly as we said our good-byes to the McFarlane family. Brian thanked us warmly for coming and showing such interest in his father's career. The town of Haileybury was no doubt the inspiration for many of the sights and sounds of Bayport. From the shady tree-lined streets, rugged coastline, turn of the century architecture and bustling waterfront, the feeling that you are actually in Bayport is eerie. I urge all Hardy Boy fans to make the pilgrimage for yourself. After all of the fun, we started our long 650 mile trek back west to Thunder Bay. |
