Meet Miss Mary McKay – of Shaughnessy Division Traditional Geocache
Meet Miss Mary McKay – of Shaughnessy Division
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(regular)
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Terrain varies according to time of year, the road here you can get to with a car in good weather, however there likely will be some bushwhacking needed, bring gloves, long pants & where a hat. Ticks may exist in the area & lots of rose bushes - but it's worth it. This area has many structures that are still partially standing.
We welcome you to the Shaughnessy division of Blakeburn, In the words of Terry – A few homes did have that wonderful modern convenience – flush toilets. The lucky ones that did were: George Murray, Norman Caulfield and Bill McKinnon. The Robert D.S. Murray home was mainly of all wood frame construction and at 1200 square feet was quite large for the time.
Despite a 1928 campaign to “beautify Blakeburn” by James Pendergrast, no more than half a dozen homes were ever painted. Those residents that did attempt to beautify confined their efforts to landscaping and a low rock wall lining the trail through Shaughnessy.
Many singles however continued to satisfy themselves with a simple one or two room cabin. Everyone except for the ten or so homes in the small sub-division of Lewis Camp located one mile before Blakeburn, had access to electricity and coal heat at a special company rate.
Many notable residents lived here, this is the home of one Miss Mary McKay -
The irrepressible Miss Mary McKay. Though a wee lass at 4 feet tall no burly miner dared to cross her Scottish temper. As operator of the company store and post office she had her finger on the heart of the community. She served from 1925-1940 as the towns store clerk, post mistress and not so secret gossip correspondent for the Princeton Star . She knew everyone and everything about everyone and, was willing to share her news (anonymously) as a quest columnist.
In an era when a single women and man living together was not tolerated, Mary and William Waddell did live together for many years and no one ever complained, such was the high esteem Mary carried within the community. She served from 1925-1940 as the towns store clerk, post mistress and not so secret gossip correspondent for the Princeton Star
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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