Glimpse Into Local Resident Jim McMillan’s Collection of Historical Memorabilia
By Kelly Burgess, Bruce Peninsula Press
As amazing as technology is today, it still can’t replace some tangible items like magazines, newspapers or handwritten letters. You can read just about any source of information on your computer, your iPAD, or even your phone, but it doesn’t have the same feeling you get when holding an original printed item.
An emotional connection is created when holding a tangible object that has meaning to you. Collecting memorabilia that has meaning to you can spark passion and joy, as it has for local resident Jim McMillan. His incredible collection of historical memorabilia captures a variety of interests from his plethora of magazines and newspapers to postcards, posters and a number of hidden treasures.
As a young boy growing up in Quebec City, Jim began collecting stamps which sparked his passion for history and eventually collecting a variety of historical items. Over the years he has collected many items from his Uncle Cecil Hinman’s house, other relatives, auctions, trade shows and other collectors.
“A guy once told me you are supposed to collect for fun and profit, I just collect for fun”, he explained. His interest does not lie in the monetary value of the items but the joy that they bring him as a historian and collector. He values the importance of history in helping us grow as a society.
Collectables and More
He has a large collection of Life Magazines from 1939 to 1945 depicting some of the most historical events and capturing the true essence of life during those times. He also has a collection of National Geographic magazines and newspapers that capture events such as the end of WWII, the moon landing, the JFK assassination, Royal Family moments and the turn of the century.
There are publications from Hamilton, Grimsby, Boston, Vermont and the NY times to name a few.
He has an eclectic collection of newspapers including some during WWI that he has chosen to save for various reasons. “That’s what you save, something that will go down in history, something that people have heard about,” he explained. What is interesting is that you can see how history repeats itself, trends continually come back and although we have made huge progress in society the same issues in the world still exist.
He has an advertisement from 1898 and a letter from Dwight Eisenhower, two of the many treasures he gathered from his uncle’s house. You see the true passion he possesses when speaking about the incredible items he has found, “That is a treasure to me when I find something like that.” He also obtained an estate auction poster from 1904 with some tragic history about the estate owner dying after being kicked in the head by a horse. Many of the items he has gathered come with interesting historical accounts of the time.
Postcards from the Bruce
Jim also has a local historical collection of postcards (1920s to 1930s) from Lion’s Head, Owen Sound and Pike Bay. The postcard from Pike Bay shows a picture of two men with 16 geese that states, “They were all shot at Pike Bay about 20 mins north of Wiarton,” on the handwritten post card. These personal accounts provide even more perspective of what was going on in the Northern Bruce at this time.
One of the many interesting collectables that he received from his wife Joan’s mother is a collection book of cigarette cards. These were trading cards found in cigarette packages (similar to baseball or hockey trading cards) with a picture on the front and written information on the back. There was a variety of series of these cards such as The Great War Series and various “How to” series. He also has some Coca Cola trading cards, a 1967 liquor store handbook and a variety of books including a copy of Paradise Lost published in 1867.
What can’t be captured in words is Jim’s incredible love and passion for his collections. His knowledge of history, along with his sense of humour, can only be truly understood in person.
Again, as wonderful as technology is, I think we have learned that just like the tangible items, tangible people are a necessity for true understanding and meaningful experience.
