The property was registered in1915 to Alice Grey Shine, c/o R.S. Sherman.
It was purchased in 1920 by Vancouver dentist Dr. Frank Pollock and registered in the name of his wife Mary Pollock. Their cottage was built in 1920/21 by Bill Mace. Mary named it Iotah, which is a prairies name meaning “good water”. They spent their first summer in their new cottage in 1921 with their three children Mildred, Allan and Norma. Iotah has remained in the same family being passed down through 5 generations. Mildred (nee Pollock) and her husband Judge William Arthur McClelllan took ownership of the cottage in 1959 and their children Jane Valair (nee McClellan) and Michael McClellan took ownership of the cottage in 1986.
Iotah - 1930s
Mildred Pollock (second from the right) and friends
Mildred Pollock, Arthur McClellan and Jonesy - 1930s
Through the years the family has spread across Canada but each and every summer since 1921 the cottage has been full of family, cousins and friends, some travelling thousands of miles each year, to return to the place they all love. Their favourite spot is the front porch where the same rocking chair in which Dr. Pollock sat in1921and watched the world go by remains to this day. And now his great grandson, among others, sits in the same chair to strum his banjo.
Dr. Frank Pollock
Spencer McClellan
Like many of the Savary Dads of the time, on a Friday Dr. Pollock would go down to the harbour, board the Union Steamship vessel, have a lovely dinner in the dining room, sleep in his stateroom and the next morning he would step onto the wharf at Savary. That ease of commuting ended once the road connection from Vancouver to Lund, Hwy. 101, was completed.
What would we do without porches!
Mary Pollock with Mildred and Norma
Old back porch - Mildred and young pals
Iotah has changed very little in the last 100+ years. The two ‘sleeping porches’ have had the canvas curtains replaced with windows. Thanks to the generator, no longer is it necessary to do 50 strokes on the pump after flushing the toilet. And the icebox is now filled with kindling as we have a propane fridge. And thanks to the fridge our concrete root cellar is now a wonderful soundproof home for the generator. Mr. Bloomfield’s fireplace still draws well and is the gathering spot in the cottage.
Michael and Judy and their children, Katie, Spencer and Erica, and Jane and Dell and their children, Sarah, Leslie and Adam continue to share Iotah, and now all their children do as well.
Most of the family in the summer of 2023
Iotah now
(Painting by Shawn Haukaas)
Published 2024
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