Name/Title
Pragnell, Herb: Video interviewEntry/Object ID
2021.08.20Scope and Content
VIDEO INTERVIEW
Interviewer: Marilyn Snedden
Interview Date: June 11, 2013
Herb Pragnell was born in Portage le Prairie, Manitoba. His parents were bakers and he worked in the bakery firing the ovens. He studied engineering at McGill University after World War Two. He graduated in 1951 and married in 1952. He worked in the construction industry and they had to move often for different projects. When they had four kids they decied to settle down in Ottawa. They couldnt afford a big enough house in Ottawa so they bought a six bedroom house in Almonte.
When they came to Almonte they decided to contribute as much as they could to the community. They got involved in church organizations and Herb became a member of the town council. Being a council member made Herb more interested in local history and motivated him to encourage the council to explore the possibility of creating a museum for the textile industry. Herb also worked on a project at the Kintail Mill which got him interested in the area's industrial heritage. Herb did a lot of work to secure funding for the museum. He helped secure a $5000 grant from a textile association in Ottawa which was used to set up a visitor centre in the old post office as well as a $100,000 grant from the province, matched by the town, which was used to buy the building which now houses the museum.
In his interview Herb talks about renovating his house and cleaning up the property which he says was home to hundreds or thousands of squirrels.
Herb was the president of the Almonte town council and was on the board for the centennial anniversary of the town in 1980. He was instrumental in developing the Rosamond mill into a museum. He spoke about grants that were used, building maintenance, and Fibrefest.Collection
Mill Workers Memory ProjectCataloged By
Natalia PochtarukLexicon
Search Terms
town council, museum history, grants, building maintenance, fibrefest, mill history, Portage le Prairie, manitoba, 1950s, montreal, local government, ncc, textile association, funding, fund raising, visitors centre, post office, burkhart, Des Houston, repairs, Algonquin, Lions Club, Alex Hughes, artifacts, aquisition, kenwood, arnprior, marilyn sneddenLegacy Lexicon
Object Name
Pragnell, Herb: Video interviewLocation
Category
PermanentDate
November 7, 2023Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Pragnell, HerbPerson or Organization
Houston, DesPerson or Organization
Hughes, AlexPerson or Organization
Snedden, MarilynCreated By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
August 5, 2021Updated By
admin@catalogit.appUpdate Date
November 11, 2023