September 2, 2010: Port Stanley

While home for a visit with my mother we took a day trip to Port Stanley. It's a pretty sleepy little town now on the shore of Lake Erie, but in its heyday it was a bustling beach destination, with a train line direct from London for the party crowd. The Stork Club was the biggest dance hall in North America, with all the big band musicians playing there. Mom remembers staying in a rented cottage next to the club when she was a little girl, but it's been torn down since. However, we had the good luck to ask a man passing by if he knew where it used to stand - turns out his family owns Mackie's (99 years of serving hotdogs, ice cream, etc) and they had photos and memorabilia from the good old days up on the walls at their restaurant.