Name/Title
Kairawan Bowling Alley, Circa 1940'sEntry/Object ID
2024.740.73Scope and Content
Photograph of Kairawan Bowling Alley, Circ 1940'sContext
Kairawan Bowling Alley, owned by the Trace Family, was located on Allenwood Beach, beside Kairawan Lodge, also owned by the Trace family.
James Trace, (December 15, 1831 - August 6, 1906), born in Cornwall, England, is the father of William Alfred Trace and the great-grandfather of Jim Trace, donor of the Trace Collection.
"In the early 1870's, James Trace made his first visit to Flos Townhsip, followed by his brother John in 1875. By the spring of 1877, both had moved to Flos with their families and parents. In 1887, John Trace moved to Tiny Township and in 1892, to the 10th Line of Flos, where he rented a 240-acre farm", Page 21, "Our Family History" by Donald Dean Parker.
Circa 1874, James Trace purchased the E 1/2 Lot # 17 Concession 10, Flos, 100 acre property which they cleared for agriculture and built a home. William farmed, worked as an agent for Copeland Flour Mills in Midland and began creating real estate ventures. James and Alicia Trace had four children, Mary Alice (infant death), Mrs. Joseph Spring, John Trace and William A. Trace. When son William took over the farm, he built a red brick house for he and his wife, Mary Agnes Cameron. It is from the Cameron family farm at N 1/2 Lot # 20, Concession 7 which the Cameron Cemetery (of Knox Flos Presbyterian Church) was donated to the community in 1896. John Trace Jr. (1844-1920) and his wife, Francis Courville (1845-1923) had one child, Amos Luke Trace (1874-1951). Amos Trace who married Victoria Jemina Cameron (1879-1969) in 1899, was a harness maker, operating Trace's Harness Emporium in Elmvale.
Jim's grandfather, William Alfred Trace, born April 15, 1873, passed away on February 19, 1949, one month prior to Jim's birth in March, 1949. Jim Trace, donor of the Trace Collection, is son of John "Jack" Cameron Trace (June 6, 1906 - September 11, 1957) and "Mayme" Mary Anne Trace (1913-2012).
The children of William A. and Mary Agnes Trace:
Earl James (July 20, 1903-March 23, 1990) married Dorothy Bell in 1927 and Loretta Patterson in 1978
John “Jack” Cameron (June 6, 1905-Sept. 11, 1957) married Mary Anne Ritchie in 1931
Winnifred Blanch (July 21, 1908-Sept. 22, 1992) married John” Jack” Leonard Dickinson Oct.18, 1930
Belva Irene (Dec. 25, 1913-____) married John “Jack” Young 1943
Laura May (Dec. 8, 1900-Dec. 2, 1971) married Howard Brown
Milton Amos (Feb. 17, 1911-___ ) married Margaret Leadlay 1942
In 1930, Earl Trace was getting married so the home farm was transferred to him. At the same time, another 100 farm adjacent to them, N 1/2 Lot # 16 Concession 10, was purchased for their son Jack Trace. The farm was located at the Allenwood corner with the Post Office located on their lot. It was on this farm that James "Jim" Trace was born.
Before 1940, the home farm on Lot # 17 was sold to Samuel Langman as Earl Trace and his wife were moving.
William Trace began purchasing property on the shore of Nottawasaga Bay on Concession 10 Flos Township between 1918 and 1922. William Trace first purchased 50 acres of Lot #21 Concession 10. In 1923, he added 55 acres of the N ½ of Lot #22 Concession10 at a cost of $150. In 1925, Albert Wood sold another parcel of Lot #22 Conc. 10 to William Trace. In 1935, Mr. Trace purchased the S ½ of Lot #22; giving him title to the entire lot on Concession 10. Historical significance is that the vendors of these lots were Samuel Allen and Albert Wood- the founders of the hamlet of Allenwood. In 1925, Albert Wood sold another parcel of Lot # 22 Concession 10 to William Trace. In 1935, William purchased the S 1/2 of Lot # 22, giving him title to the entire lot on Concession 10.
Knowing that they would sell the home farm on Lot #17 to son Earl Trace, William and Mary began planning their new residence. William purchased an old two-story frame house from the Stone family near Elmvale and moved it from Elmvale to the shore of Nottawasaga Bay. This new residence over-looking the water was home for the couple and children Milton and Belva. In 1938-1939, William built a new home on the property on Concession Line 11, and called it “Traceholme”. The first of four sub-divisions planned on his property began with small lots and cottages being built on the shore-line.
Along the shore of Nottawasaga Bay on ”Allenwood Beach” the Trace Family operated Kairawan Lodge –“The House of Home-cooked Meals”! On the corner of the N ½ Lot #22 Concession 10, a quarter from where W.A. would moved the frame house, was the lodge building. It was already standing and in operation in 1923 when he purchased the 55 acres on the beachfront. By the late 1920's, the Trace family was operating the lodge. It is recalled that due to the lack of autos in those years, guests for the Lodge were picked up at the Elmvale train station and brought to vacation. William's son Milton Amos Trace and daughter Belva Irene, Mrs. J. Young, were mainly responsible for looking after the business and activities at the Allenwood Beach Lodge. Situated beside the Kairawan Lodge on the waterfront was the Kairawan Bowling Alley.Acquisition
Accession
2024.740Source or Donor
Jim Trace