ABOUT

Paul Langan

Author/Historian

Paul Langan is working on releasing 5 publications in 2023. His previous publications are:

2022 Releases
- The History of the Chantones - Part 1 - The early years 1954-57
-Sabotage in Hespeler (a short story),
- Alternatives Denied - The $100,000,000 Highway 7 Fiasco (2000 reprint),
- Play and Coach Hockey Like 1959!,
- The History of Fisher Mills and Beaverdale, Ontario,
- VIA Rail Canada vs The Public
- The Shipwreck of the "Scotland"
- The Canadian Brucellosis Incident (a short story)

2021 Releases
Forgotten Monorails of Canada (12/2020),
Tragedy in Galt - The May 2nd, 1956 CP Rail Crash (01/2021),
Remembering Glen Christie - The History of the Village of Glen Christie, ON from those that lived there (06/01/2021).
Tales of Opera - Waterloo County/ Region 1885-2020 (09/23/2021)
Hespeler History - The Authorized Winfield Brewster Collection (11/10/2021)
Classic Hockey Stories from Pulps Golden Era, 1930s-1950s, (12/04/2021)

1998-2002 Releases
He previous has written five local history booklets during the period of 1998-2002. They are now out of print. Check out the Books page for more details.

Family

Debra Langan is professor at WLU Brantford. Son Dylan Langan has a Masters in Community Music and is the Conductor, Composer and Artistic Director and is owner of Yellow Brick Music. Daughter Katie Langan, has her Master of Applied Human Nutrition and is a Registered Dietitian. She works as a dietitian at Centre for Bariatric Excellence at Guelph General Hospital.

High Speed Rail Canada

Paul has been fighting for increased passenger rail service in Canada for over 20 years. He is the founder of High Speed Rail Canada. It is an educational online resource centre on high speed rail. http://www.highspeedrailcanada.com.

Community Youth Sports Volunteer

Paul has volunteered most of his adult life in youth sports organizations. He coached and was convenor for Hespeler Minor Hockey. He was a coach for Cambridge Youth Soccer. He was the founder and President of Scorpions Youth Volleyball Club from 2010-2021.

Recognition Awards Given to Paul Langan

2016 - Ontario Volleyball Association Recognition Award

2014 - Cambridge Sports Contributor of the Year Award
2012 - Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient
2011 - Ontario Volleyball Association Male Developmental Coach of the Year Award
2001 - Rudolph Boost Heritage Award - City of Cambridge

The Chantones 1954-1957 Booklet Released on Amazon Worldwide

We are proud to announce that the first of three booklets on The Chantones has been released. The Chantones, were a Windsor, Ontario based group that had success has a quartet, trio and as backup vocalist to singer Jack Scott. The booklet has been developed in consultation with The Chantones members Jim Nantais and Jack Grenier. It covers the period of the band's early days from 1954 until the release of their hit record, Ann Marie at the end of 1957. The 44 page booklet is available in paperback format. It is available from Amazon worldwide. Future booklets will be: Part 2 The History of The Chantones - Jack Scott and more success - 1958-61. The final booklet will be Part 3 The History of The Chantones - The folk trio years 1962-76. For more information on this book or others by Paul Langan, he can be reached through his website, http://paullangan.com .

Music for Laura Hespeler performed for the first time in 159 years

Midnight Galop for Miss Laura Hespeler The immense impact that Jacob Hespeler had on the development of the community of Hespeler, Ontario cannot be understated. I compiled 500 page book based on Winfield Brewster's writings, "Hespeler History - The Authorized Winfield Brewster Collection". The book goes into great detail of Jacob's accomplishments. Much less is known about his children. Ellonora "Laura" Hespeler, his daughter, was born in 1847 in Preston, Ontario. By 1861 she was living in Hespeler, Ontario. In 1868 she married John Walker from London, Ontario at Jacob Hespeler’s house in town. They had no children and her husband died in 1889. Music Written for Miss Laura Hespeler Prior to her being married, a piece of music was written for Laura in 1864. It was written by Geo. C. Pettit. I have been unable to find information on Mr. Pettit. Laura would have been 17 at the time. The song for piano is titled, “Midnight Galop”. The sheet music was published

Hespeler's Oldest Home is for Sale - 168 Bechtel Street

168 Bechtel - Samuel Bechtel Homestead - 1816 It is no secret that the City of Cambridge had done little to designate or protect buildings in Hespeler. The removal of a complete historical block at 2-10 Queen Street clearly demonstrates how easy it is to wipe out a century of history. Now the oldest home in Hespeler with strong connections to the original Mennonite community is for sale. The Samuel Bechtel home on 168 Bechtel Street is listed for sale. It was one of the first pioneering families that came from Pennsylvania to this area. He later donated land to build the first community meeting place, school and burial ground. The house was originally built in 1815 and is arguably the most historically significant home in Hespeler. My friend, the late George Bechtel, always lamented the fact his family home did not have heritage designation. The home is for sale for $2,649,000. Knowing all the development that is happening nearby it would not be a surprise if a developer bought the

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