History on the move

History in Oliver-Paipoonge has a new home as the Duke Hunt Historical Museum opens its doors Saturday.

Curator Lois Garrity said the move has taken a little over a year to go from the old Paipoonge Museum to their new home at the former Rosslyn Village School. With more than 70 people helping move the museum’s collection, Garrity said it was a lot of fun.

"It’s been a fun thing to do we’ve had a wonderful time of it," Garrity said.

The museum, named for Duke Hunt who started the museum in the basement of Slate River Valley School in the early 1950s, is ready for visitors Saturday starting at 1 p.m. Garrity said moving to the new building also preserved the school, which many area residents went to as children.

"They’re so happy that it’s still here because so many of the schools get torn down and done away with we’re glad to be able to save it," she said.

One special guest has already arrived at the museum – a 1924 race car built in Thunder Bay. The King’s Special was raced by local legend Frank Colosimo in the ‘20s and ‘30s. Garrity said it’s great that the car, which now resides in Wyoming, Ont., can be home for the public to see.

Although the King’s Special has not run since 1964, it is said to have had a top speed of 150 kilometres an hour.

"I’m an old race fan from way back," Garrity said. "This is a very exciting thing for all of us because it’s the earliest days of racing here in Thunder Bay. Long before we were born it was running around the track in Murillo so it’s sort of an icon."