The Story of ITLDU

Originally posted: December 24, 2023‍

My parents bought the 98 acres bordering on Kilworthy Road and Highway 11 in 1921 and farmed it.

After two years, my mother went back to Toronto, and the farm was turned over to my grandparents, Harriet and Fred James. It was agreed that we children would spend every summer at the farm.

When my grandparents died, my parents razed the farmhouse and had a small house built on the site. Lumber from the farmhouse was used to build a summer place for two of my brothers. Another brother put a cottage slightly to the north. One sister built a home facing Kilworthy Road. When my parents died, my other sister had my parents’ home, and we all enjoyed the property for many years.

However, the powers that be decided that they wanted our much-loved property for the overpass on Highway 11. Consequently, they not only put a ramp east and west but also north and south, leaving so much land useless.

ITLDU, the cottage built by my brothers, was demolished. Eventually, my brother put a cottage on land facing Kilworthy Road. My other brother has my parents’ house on Highway 11 with the ITLDU sign still on the gate. Next door, my sister-in-law maintains (RZLDU2 ours will do too).

‍Note about the Author: As well as being a resident of the area as a young girl, Dorothy Reid is a long-time cottager on Oak Road on Kahshe Lake.

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The Healing Waters of Kahshe Lake — With thanks to Clare Henderson, this story first appeared on his Healing Waters blog and continues the tradition of his cherished book series, The Healing Waters of Kahshe Lake. In conjunction with the Conservation Committee, Clare also helped curate The Kahshe Lake Archive — a growing collection of letters, maps, documents, diagrams, and historical photographs that illuminate the lake’s rich past. His dedication to preserving the spirit and history of Kahshe Lake has made this living archive possible. To keep the tradition alive, we invite you to share your own cottage stories and memories — and help carry on Clare’s work in celebrating the legacy of life on Kahshe and Bass Lakes.