It was a day that many have been waiting for, the unveiling of the new Carlyle History Book entitled, Blacktop to Black Gold.
"It's so nice to finally have it and it looks very nice to me," Lynn Brady, one of the History Book Committee members, said. "I'm pleased with the finished product and I hope everyone else enjoys it as well."
"It's been a long haul, but it's thrilling to have this kind of a response and to have it out there finally."
The new book was unveiled at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, to a group that had gathered for coffee and tea.
Beth Corrigan greeted the crowd at the event, "We are pleased with the turnout. Today is a day our committee has long awaited. We knew it was important to fill in our history from 1982 to present day."
"We are pleased with the results. There are lots of pictures and interesting information. The town has grown a lot."
After thanking everyone in the area for their support, Corrigan stated: "It may not be your hometown, but you being here makes up Carlyle's history."
Corrigan then relayed the story of R.M. 63 jokingly deciding to give $1 more to the project than the Town of Carlyle to receive the first copy. The book, specially stamped with First Book, was the one unveiled to the crowd and was presented to Jack Wilson, a councillor for the R.M.
"I think this book has many memories and will solve some arguments, we can just say 'check in the book,'" Wilson said. "A special thank you to the all the people who put work into bringing it together."
In addition to the book being presented to the R.M., editions were presented to the Town of Carlyle, Carlyle and District Lions Club, the Carlyle Elementary School, Gordon F. Kells High School, the library, Rusty Relics Museum, the Happy Gang, Moose Mountain Lodge, Arcola Health Centre who has a collection of history books from the area, Peggy Winmill (the cover artist), Maria Slykhuis (the inside cover artist), and Mike Johnson, the winner of the book naming.
The History Book Committee also thanked the mystery individual who brought flower arrangements for the tables.
