Narva

History

Narva was a small settlement in Bruce County that first came to life in the 1860s. Narva was never an organized community or even a hamlet. As a result, the commuity existed solely to provide a few much-needed services in a sparsely populated farming area.

Narva began with a school, SS #6, which opened sometime between 1850 and 1860. Not surprisingly, the original school was a small log structure located on Lot 20, Concession 12, next to a farm owned by John Cameron. In 1891 they replaced the log school with a frame structure. 

The year 1894 was probably the most momentous in Narva’s history. That was the year when Narva acquired both a post office and new school. The post office opened by Neil McIntyre and likely operated out of his home. 

Narva’s school section was not wealthy. According to records, their teacher received the lowest pay of any teacher in the county. Truax & Company in Walkerton built the new school building at a cost of $886.50. Board members at the time were John Moffat, Alex Cameron and Hugh McAfee.

One can only imagine how the board members must have reacted when in 1903 Narva acquired yet a fourth new school, this time due to a change in the school section boundaries. Part of S.S. #5, formerly in Pinkerton, moved to the school in Narva. For the convenience of the students, the board consequently decided to move the school section to Lot 16, Concession 13, where it would be closer to Pinkerton. There is no information on whether or not the teacher’s pay increased with a larger school section.

The new school was an attractive yellow brick building that saw a number of improvements over the years. They added a well in 1909 and began the process of starting a library. Over the next 10 years, the school acquired a new heating and ventilation system and new slate blackboards. They redecorated the interior in 1936 and added even more blackboards.

Other than the saw mill operation owned by Neil McIntyre, the postmaster, there were no businesses or other commercial activity in Narva. McIntyre left the area in 1906 and William Moffat took over the post office, relocating it to his home. The post office remained n operation until 1916, when rural mail delivery took over.

The centralization of rural schools in the 1960s, spelled the end of the one-room schoolhouse. The Narva school had done its job well. They sold the building following the school’s closure in 1966. It is now a private residence.