Nipigon in Thunder Bay District, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

McKirdy / Vivone House

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 9, 2022

1. McKirdy / Vivone House Marker

Inscription.
Under the modern exterior of this building is the oldest log home still standing in Nipigon. Built in 1887, it changed hands a number of times before 1925, when William and Georgina McKirdy took possession. William, the owner of the first independent store in Nipigon and the town's founding reeve, patented a citronella-based insect repellent, McKirdy's Repel Fly. That patent has passed down through four generations.

In 1919, William McKirdy outfitted the royal fishing tour on the Nipigon River, and his son Jack accompanied Edward, Prince of Wales.

The Vivone family purchased the house in 1946 and owned it for more than half a century, completely renovating it.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.

Location. 49° 0.756′ N, 88° 15.745′ W. Marker is in Nipigon, Ontario, in Thunder Bay District. Marker is on 3rd Street just east of Front Street, on the left when traveling east. The marker is mounted directly in front of the subject house. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 27 3rd Street, Nipigon ON P0T 2J0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Nipigon Historical Museum / The Railway (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ovilio Hotel (within

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shouting distance of this marker); Early Post Office (within shouting distance of this marker); Revillon Brothers (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Fraser House (about 90 meters away); Hudson's Bay Company (about 90 meters away); First School (about 120 meters away); Skandia House (about 120 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nipigon.

Also see . . . McKirdy's Repalfly (Thunder Bay Museum). Excerpt:

The product was created at the end of the nineteenth century in Nipigon, Ontario when William McKirdy experimented with mixtures that made the blackflies bearable. The product was later developed in 1906 and patented in 1911 as an “alleged new and useful improvement in fly repellants.” The final product was called Repalfly, with the main component being citronella imported from Ceylon. Repalfly went out of production in 2010 as a result of regulatory changes, but in 2021 commercial production was able to start again.

(Submitted on April 9, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: First Oak Tree in Nipigon image. Click for full size.

Courtesy Nipigon Historical Museum

2. Marker detail: First Oak Tree in Nipigon

This E. C Everett photo taken in 1936 shows the first oak tree in Nipigon, planted by William McKirdy in 1910.

McKirdy / Vivone House (<i>south/front elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 9, 2022

3. McKirdy / Vivone House (south/front elevation)

The marker is on the right.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 9, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 47 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 9, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.