The Past
Businesses
Churches
Communities
~ Enderby
~ Grindrod
~ Hupel
~ Kingfisher/
Mabel Lake
~ Mara
~ ~ General History
~ ~ John Andrew
Mara
~ ~ Homesteaders
~ ~ Interview
Gray&Boswell
~ ~ Post Office
~ ~ School and
Teachers
~ ~ Mara Bridge
~ ~ Mara Stores
~ ~ Relief
Camps
~ ~ Sawmills and
Logging
~ ~ Churches
~ ~ Community
Hall
~ ~ Provincial
Park
~ Population
Community Services
Entertainment
Ethnic Groups
Geography
Heritage Homes
Industries
Organizations
People
Schools
Transportation
Mara has had a
very colorful history since the beginning of the century. Mara was named after a very
influential settler in the area named John Andrew Mara.
In 1887, the first homesteaders arrived in Mara. Tom Gray, one of the
first settlers, homesteaded along the riverfront. The homesteaders were very hard working
people who helped develop the Mara Community.
Mara received its first federally run organization in 1893, a post
office. The first postmaster of Mara was Mr. Soames Appleby. His reign did not last
long; in the same year Mrs. Mary Rosoman became the new postmistress.
Around 1887 Mara received its first school; however, not many
students were enrolled. Later in this year Mara's first bridge was built
allowing boats to go through via a lifting middle portion. At the turn of the century a
new school building was built.
In the early 1900's Mara received its first store. It was run
by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel right off the west end of the bridge. Also, around this time
another store was built on the east side of the river near the bridge. It was a store and
feed supply owned by Mr. Gray. It closed in 1921.
In 1905 Mara received its first sawmill. It was operated on the
east side of the river just down from the bridge and it was owned by the Rothesay Lumber
Company. The mill was closed after the devastating fire of 1909.
In 1910 "the Big Fire", as it was
known, basically wiped Mara out. The post office burned down as well as many homesteads.
In the years after the fire many new buildings were built, including St. Matthew's Church
and the Mara community hall in 1910.
The years between 1910 and 1911 were busy ones for Mara. In 1910, Mara's first church was
constructed. Part of this time church meetings were held in local homes. In 1911, the Mara
Community Hall was built. This landmark of Mara still stands
today with such popular activities as dances and badminton. A second bridge and another
new school were built in 1913 and 1917, respectively. Both were built around the former
locations of the bridge and old school.
In 1921 Mrs. Rosoman died, fter 28 years of postal service in the community. The post
office service did stay in her family - her son Cyril took over the job. The third bridge
for Mara was built in 1928. It was in the same location as the prior two. In 1930 Cyril
Rosoman's wife took over the post office. She ran it until 1953 when the Marshalls bought
it along with the store.
The Mara Provincial Park, established in 1938 from what had
been a Relief Camp,
was opened to the public. This park is still present in 1991 and has become a very popular
recreation spot.
The year of 1946 showed Mara's second mill being built. It was run by the Zettergreen
Bros. They still used horses and older logging equipment to run their operation.
One of the worst floods for Mara happened in 1948
when the water rose well above the road at the rock bluff (a well known landmark to
residents of Mara) at the south end of Mara.
Dawn Gerlib, Niels Konge, Kurt Schubert
ALF School, 1989