Historical Reflections

Joy Ryden and Phyllis Spry worked together at Ryden’s Pigeon River Resort which was once in the same building as U.S. Customs at the old border crossing. The restaurant building was torn down in 1963 when U.S. – Canadian border operations moved to the current location on Highway 61. Some of the bricks from the restaurant were used for a storage building at the border. This photo surfaced at a Spry family reunion this summer, thanks to Phyllis’s cousin, Dennis Spry. Joy and Phyllis are pictured here wearing their stylish uniforms in July 1962. The aprons were made by Bert Montgomery. Asked what she remembers about working at the restaurant, Phyllis said she remembers the horseshoe counter and that chicken baskets were $1.25. And she remembers that staff made all the food by hand, including french fries. Bert Montgomery made the wonderful pies. Asked if the tips were good, Phyllis laughed, “We probably thought so at the time.”