Premier Awards - Best Historical Story ( Circulation up to 1499,Circulation 1500 to 3999,Circulation 4000 to 6499,Circulation 6500 to 9999,Digital - Population under 10K,Digital - Population 10-99K)
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Place Name:
First Place
Contestant Name:
The Haldimand Press (Haldimand County, ON)
Entry Title:
Six Nations man discovers notable historic figures in family tree
Entry Credit:
Tamara Botting
Judge Comment:
This is a great story, well told, of a man who discovered a remarkable family history out of curiosity about where he got his non-Indigenous surname. He not only solved that puzzle, he found a great-great grandfather who was accomplished enough to be considered for inclusion on the $5 bill. It's a great example of how history can be personal and local, and why it is important for all of us to know our history.
Place Name:
Second Place
Contestant Name:
Tillsonburg Post
Entry Title:
A letter during WW 1 provides insight into life on the front
Entry Credit:
Jeff Helsdon
Judge Comment:
This is a deeply personal article that combines the writer's personal story with a remarkable letter from the battlefields of World War I. It runs the letter to show the raw cruelty of battle and puts it in context of the soldier's life. Another strong reminder of how history is personal and local, even when it involves global events.
Place Name:
Third Place
Contestant Name:
The Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal (Ashcroft, BC)
Entry Title:
In 1914, Jasper Park played host to a very famous guest
Entry Credit:
Barbara Roden
Judge Comment:
This is an exhaustive series on two visits to an early Jasper by Arthur Conan Doyle, pulling details from contemporary newspaper accounts and Doyle's own writing about the experiences. It provides great insight into the early days of the community, and the kind of special treatment a celebrity like Doyle was afforded a century ago. It includes nice details, like the fact Doyle designed a Jasper golf course that was never built. It's a great recounting of an important part of the community's past.
Competition Comment:
There were a remarkable number of entries in this competition -- and I wish they could all be winners. Newspapers across the country are demonstrating the relevance of history to their communities, detailing the past of local buildings and sites, honoring war heroes, revealing forgotten facts about the past, revisiting and updating historical stories, identifying heritage issues that deserve more attention and reporting on the work of local people related to history. It's an impressive amount of journalism and I am very happy to see so many newspapers finding the resources to tell these important stories.
