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Thinkers Lodge Histories
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Cathy Eaton describes the genesis & ongoing work for this website as well as her connection with her grandfather Cyrus Eaton, Deep Cove, Pugwash Conferences, and Thinkers Lodge (1952-2016).

    Welcome to the Thinkers Lodge Oral History Website! We are collecting memories from local citizens about Thinkers Lodge, the events that took place here and about Cyrus and Anne Eaton. We want to thank members of the Cumberland Historical Society for locating the many Pugwashites with stories to tell.
    In July 2010, Cathy Eaton, Adele Wick, Mandy Jamieson, and Susie Chou interviewed, made recordings and took photos while more than 20 people shared stories and insights about heir own experiences related to Thinkers Lodge in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. In June-July 2013, Cathy Eaton, Vivian Godfree, and Thelma Colburne continued to gather stories at Thinkers' Lodge. In the spring of 2014 the students in Teresa Kewachuk's history class interviewed people about the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the role of Thinkers Lodge. The transcripts or summaries of their interviews are available.  Scroll down this page.
  • how students from Pugwash have contributed to Thinkers Lodge
  • what it was like working to get the Lodge ready each year,
  • performing in musical skits in the Dining Hall,
  • making the hooked rugs (that are still here),
  • rescuing the contents of the Lodge during the fire of 1996, driving conference participants, and a great deal more
PictureJohn, Giovanni, & Colin
The Pugwash Park Commissioners (President John Eaton, Giovanni Brenciaglia, and Colin Dodd) tirelessly work to raise funds for the restoration and maintenance of Thinkers Lodge and the Lobster Factory as well as contributing to the vision of continuing to hold workshops and conferences at Thinkers Lodge that strive to give participants a place to share discussions leading to action as relates to peace, nuclear disarmament, and issues relevant to Nova Scotia and the world.

Dedicated Volunteers and Interns Infuse Energy and Heart at Thinkers Lodge

2013-2017 Interns and Volunteers - click here to read about work interns and volunteers have done.

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Teresa Kewachuk
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Carly Morrison
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Jasmine & Georgina Eagleson
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Jenna Ruston
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Cathy Eaton
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Maya Fillmore
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Caleb Pye
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Quintin Merlin
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STAFF & VILLAGERS CONTRIBUTE TO LODGE: INTERVIEWS

Margaret AtwoodPagweak

​Hester Allan& Beryl Adam

​Lisa Betts

Raymond Bourque

​Sandy Butcher

​​Paolo Brenciaglia

Giovanni Brenciaglia

Pat Briggs

​Andrew Brown

Sheila Piers Campbell Flowers for Gagarin

Robbie Chown

Thelma Colbourne

Patsy Cox

Richard Dittami

​​Greta Dow

​Cathy Eaton
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Cathy Eaton prom

​John Eaton
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John Eaton, 2

​Gary Field

​Deanne Fitzpatrick

Ralph Fullerton

Joey Gilbert

​Vivian Godfree

​Alvin Hillhouse

Jamieson Family

​Donnie Jamieson

​Mary Jamieson

​Glenda Kent
Glenda Kent 2

​Teresa Kewachuk

​Sarah Ladd

​Roland Cornelius Lockhart

​Victor Matheson

Ruth McGrath

​Robert Messenger

​Garth Mundle

Robert Parks

Betty Royon

Ruth Murray Rushton

Gerald Sarson

​Mabel Schnare

Norene Smiley

​Herb Smith

​Terry Smith
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Terry Smith 2

​Virginia Smith

​Wayne Smith

Ray Szabo

Louise Turner

​Norma Smith Wrigley

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Glenda Kent recounts to Cathy Eaton her days working at Thinkers Lodge in the late 1950s.  She provided diary entires and photographs.  

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Greta Dow narrates her summers as waitress. Click to read.
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Garth Mundle recollects summers as wait staff at Pagweak Tea House and his role on leading the others in a strike. Click to read .


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Donnie Jamieson and many of her family members were the key caregivers for Thinkers Lodge. Click here to read more.  Her husband, Leo, her son, and her daughter-in-law, Mary, had major responsibilities for maintenance of the Lodge before, during, and after the short summer season of conferences. Her son helped reupholster the furniture.

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Raymond Bourque pictured here with Glenda Kent on the well on the lawn at Thinkers Lodge. Raymond Bourque He represented the electoral district of Yarmouth in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1953 to 1956 before working for Cyrus and Anne Eaton.  Raymond Bourque contributed immeasurable to the success of the Pugwash Conferences with his managing ability, his humor, and his ability to make all feel welcome.

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Norma Smith Wrigley describes working in the Dining Hall.  

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Thelma Colbourne describes her grandfather's role in building the Empress Hotel on what is now Eaton Park. Click to read.

In this photo Thelma is on float for Canada Day, July 2013.

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Bob Messenger
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Lisa Betts
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Craig Mundle
Robert Messenger, former fire chief of Pugwash, Craig Mundle, Wayne Smith, former Pugwash fire fighter, and Lisa Betts, Wallace fire fighter, all shared their memories of battling the 1996 Thinkers Lodge Fire. 
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Hester Allan and Beryl Arab tell about their father, Frank Allan, building the Lobster Factory adjacent to Thinkers Lodge. 

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Terry Smith recalls driving the conference attendees. C


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Teresa Kewachuk waited tables for conferences during college and now oversees Thinkers Lodge interns and many of the events.  She has involved her students at the high school in Thinkers Lodge as they have interviewed people connected to Thinkers Lodge and researched the Cold War, Nuclear Disarmament, and many of the significant people who have contributed to the ongoing discussions.

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Mabel Schnare served first as assistant chef and then as head chef in The Lobster Factory


Firefighters saved Thinkers Lodge
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Violet Williams identifies photographs where she lived after Cyrus Eaton and his Uncle Charles had moved.  

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Gary Field helped restore Thinkers Lodge.  

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Joey Gilbert worked on restoring Thinkers Lodge in the winter of 2011 while keeping its historical integrity. 

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Richard painted Thinkers Lodge in 2014.  He felt it was an honor to help restore Thinkers Lodge which he had always held in reverence. He is pictured here with Louise, who organized the students to design and build the Peace Benches that they donated to the Cyrus Eaton Park.

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Virginia Smith, Ralph Fullerton, Donni and Mary Jamieson recall villagers billeting the conference goers. Click to Read.

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​Gerald (Jerry) Sarson - Family billeted teen son of conference attendee in mid 1950s

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Roland Cornelius Lockhart was born in Gate House and shares his memories.

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Margaret Atwood’s mother, Margaret, also worked as a pastry chef at the Pagweak Tea Room now called the Lobster Factory.  Photo is of Marhartet Atwood.

The author was featured in Read by the Sea in 2003 reading from Oryx and Crake.


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Sarah Ladd on left is hooking rug at Wallace Museum.  Read her story about hooking stair rugs for Thinkers Lodge after the initial ones were destroyed in fire.

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Deanne Fitzpatick donated hooked rug called The Three Sisters to Thinkers Lodge.  Come see it above the fire place in the Great Room.

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Alwin Hillhouse remembers driving the car with Yuri Gargarin. Click to read.

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Herb Smith (and his granddaughter Peggy Walt) remembers driving for Cyrus Eaton

Victor Matheson who lives on Gulf Shore Road remembers planting grain, haying the sheep farm, and bailing the hay with his father for Eva Webb.
Many thanks to all who have shared stories and helped gather and document them.

    SHARE STORIES & MEMORIES ABOUT THINKERS LODGE, CYRUS & ANNE EATON, JOSEPH ROTBLAT, &  CONFERENCES. Email us with stories or photographs.  Send an email sharing your connection with Thinkers Lodge.  Describe your memories of working at Thinkers Lodge or the Dining Hall.  Tell us about visiting the historic site.  Share your memories of participating in conferences or workshops, people who worked behind the scenes at the conferences, conference participants, or members of the Eaton family.

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