LAURIE WEIR

Having a perennial book signing in the fall is something local historian and genealogist Arlene Stafford-Wilson has come to enjoy, and Saturday, Sept. 21, was no exception.

As visitors walked through the front door of The Book Nook and Other Treasures, they were greeted by a table stacked with Stafford-Wilson’s latest release, Lanark County Classrooms: Remembering Our School Days, along with several of her previous works. Smiling warmly from behind the table, Stafford-Wilson greeted readers and signed books for those who asked.

In perfect penmanship—skills she credits to her teachers—she signed several copies, thanked those featured in the book, and posed for photos with many attendees.

Leslie Wallack, the owner of The Book Nook in Perth, opened the store in 2007 after moving to the town in 2000. She says Stafford-Wilson’s book signings are always a hit. “She’s one of our most popular authors,” Wallack shared.

Stafford-Wilson emphasized the importance of preserving local history, something she achieves beautifully in her books, where local families and their lineages are often featured. For easy reference, these names are included in the book’s index.

Lanark County Classrooms is the 12th book in Stafford-Wilson’s Lanark County series. While she’s unsure of her next project, she has no doubt inspiration will strike—likely while she’s in the bath, where she says she’s most relaxed. Often, the plot for her next book just crosses her mind, and before she knows it, she’s off on another genealogical adventure.

Stafford-Wilson expressed gratitude to the many individuals who contributed to this latest book, naming: Lorraine Allen, Shirley (Barrie) Armstrong, Wayne Ashby, Helen Blair, Erin (O’Neil) Borthwick, David Bromley, Judy (Curry) Burnham, JoAnne (Cavanagh) Butler, Grant Chaplin, Margery Conboy, Diane (Crawford) Cox, Martha Craig, Katie (McFarlane) Davies, Eric Devlin, Marilyn (Walker) Devlin, and many others.

As an interesting sidebar, The Book Nook wasn’t always a bookstore. It was once the site of Haggis’ Homemade Candy, run by Sophia Haggis, known affectionately as “The Candy Lady.” The shop, which started in 1926, operated until 1988 using original candy-making equipment from Sophia’s father. This charming piece of history is detailed in Chapter 3 of Stafford-Wilson’s Lanark County Calling: All Roads Lead Home.

For more information on Stafford-Wilson’s Lanark County series or other works, visit her website.