By: Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Chatham Voice
Another Chatham writer has penned a book about local history.
Dubbed “A Time in Maple City Maple Land,” the self-published book by Mike McDonald offers readers a host of vignettes about occurrences in the former City of Chatham and Kent County.
From a murder in Charing Cross in 1922 to a post-First World War concert at the Armoury to raise money to build Chatham’s cenotaph, McDonald offers 27 different stories.
According to the author, curiosity about the past pushed him forward on his journey. It led him into the Chatham-Kent Public Library where he spent hours on microfiche exploring old newspaper clippings and historical documents.
“I love to see how things were in the past and how some things never change,” he said. “Newspapers are very important to me as they have a wealth of information.”
An added plus, he said, is that library staff were a “great help” to him when he did his research.
The book isn’t McDonald’s first foray into writing. He’s also a playwright, having penned “So Long Sweet Adeline,” which was performed in the 1990s.
He recently completed another play called “Rainbows and Wings,” telling the story of abolitionist John Brown and his connection to Chatham.
Retired from his work as a technician at Holland Optical, McDonald is an avid fan of the Chatham Maroons and member of the Chatham-Kent Writers’ Guild.
A Time in Maple City Maple Hand is available for purchase at Turns and Tales Board Game Cafe in Chatham.
