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Celebrating the Heritage of the Austenville Owls Club

A Legacy of Community, Sport, and Solidarity since 1931

The club's origins and signifigance

In 1931, the town of Dartmouth was snuggled down as close as it could get to the ferry in what was then called “the Old Town”. Austenville was a suburb complete with its own Bell Bus; it covered roughly the hillside above Sullivan’s Pond, from Victoria Road to the lower end of Lake Banook, and had long outlived its old names of Slab Town and (earlier) Nanny Goat Hill.

 

A lively breed of men, both young and old, lived around there, enjoying Lakes Banook and Micmac with their baseball and bowling; their swimming, canoeing, and sailing in the summer and their skating, hockey and ice harvesting in the winter. What could be more natural than their wanting to band together into a club that would give them a place for assorted indoor games when the weather was dirty and a headquarters for fishing and hunting trips. Today, I guess we’d say “they lived fully”. Remember it was in the middle of the Great Depression, and of course Prohibition was in full force.

 

On March 5th, 1931 the first meeting was held at the home of Harvey Williams. By September they had an agenda, bylaws committee, and in November opened a bank account, complete with auditors. The Club meetings followed the same pattern over the next six years. On Oct 25th 1937, the first meeting of our newly incorporated Club was held in the new Austenville Owl's Club clubhouse. Over eighty eight years the club membership has risen to ninety members and remains at that number today.

A Journey Through Time: The Austenville Owls Club Legacy

From its humble beginnings in 1931, nestled in the heart of Dartmouth, to becoming a cornerstone of community spirit and engagement, each milestone tells a story of camaraderie, resilience, and dedication.

Embark on a journey of camaraderie, tradition, and community by becoming a member of the Austenville Owls Club. As guardians of a rich heritage that spans nearly a century, our members enjoy not just the privilege of belonging to one of Dartmouth's most storied institutions but also the joy of making lasting contributions to our community and its future.

Be Part of Our Legacy