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Deed for butter and cheese factory, Combermere
1897

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A local resident Klaas Staal, has always been interested in model trains. Many years ago he set up a small display in his home. But he soon outgrew the space.

Klaas had a workshop building near his home on Combermere Rd and decided to set up a display there. It wasn’t very long when his idea became a reality. Over the past 10 years the display has grown several times and now his exhibit totals over 1,000 sq ft of display. He can operate up to 4 trains at a time (S guage type). It is probably one of the best model train exhibits a visitor can see anywhere. All of the scale buildings are made by Klaas and there is even a working sawmill, working coal mine, working restaurant sign, working chair lift on a ski hill. Visitors come from all over to enjoy this wonderful exhibit. Klaas has other volunteers helping to expand the exhibit and operate the trains for visitors. There are many railway artifacts, photos and stories of railway life in the 1890-1960 era displayed in the building.

In 2012, the exhibit name was changed to 'Hyde’s Bay Model Train Museum' and became a member of the Renfrew County Museum Network (22 museums) joining Mission House Museum and Gallery and Madonna House Pioneer Museum from Combermere.

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Hyde's Bay Model Train Station, Combermere
2008
Highway 62

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Model Train #1
2007
Highway 62

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Model Train #2
2007
Highway 62

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Model Train #3
2007
Highway 62

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Model Train #4
2007
Highway 62

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In the early part of the 1900’s, Combermere was a thriving community. It had three churches, public school, couple of general stores, butter and cheese factory, sawmill, cedar shingle manufacturing plant, a few steamer boats, two hotels including taverns, telephone exchange, grist mill, two blacksmith shops, woollen mill and post office. For the entertainment of residents, farmers, miners and lumbermen, there was a sulky racetrack. It was located at the south-east corner of the Palmer and Rockingham Roads. Everyone enjoyed watching the races and it became quite famous in the Madawaska Valley. Was there any betting going on at that time? The current owner of the property says he can still see the curved corners in the ground of the track. Several local older people can still remember seeing the white guard rails of the track. The closest other race track at that time was in Brudenell.

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In 1967 as part of various centennial projects in the area, it was decided to honour Bailey and David Adrian’s log house for future generations. Their home was located on Combermere Road approximately where the post office and Inn Town Restaurant are currently located.

The building was disassembled log-by-log and reassembled on a hill just behind where the old Wendish Methodist Church had been for over 100 years. The church had been demolished in the early 1960’s. The Boehme family gave the property to the Township of Radcliffe (now Madawaska Valley) for this structure to be erected. At first the building was a local museum named 'Adrain Museum'. That didn’t last very long. Many of the local craft women wanted a place to display their handicrafts and sell them to visitors during the summer months. The building is now named 'Combermere Cabin Gallery of Crafts'. Proceeds from the business go to local charitable groups as per the agreement with the Boehme family.

It is a very popular tourist attraction and the crafters volunteer their time to sell their products.

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Building Cabin Craft shop, Combermere
1967
Highway 62