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James Whalen was born in Collingwood, Ontario in 1869. In 1875, at the age of six, his family moved to Port Arthur, Ontario. Not long after the Whalen's arrival in Port Arthur, James' father drowned and he was left as the sole provider for his mother and younger siblings.

Once out of public school Whalen entered the logging and railway contracting business with a very strong drive for achievement. He cared deeply for the city of Port Arthur and wished to develop the city as much as possible. The empire which he eventually built included logging, pebble, dredging, shipbuilding, insurance, and real estate companies. For his involvement with the dredging and shipping industries, Whalen came to be known as the man who "put the Port in Port Arthur." One of his great accomplishments was the construction of the Whalen Building in 1913, which still stands today as the Thunder Bay Hydro Building. When it opened in 1914 it was said to be "the finest between Toronto and Winnipeg."

James Whalen married Laurel Conmee, the daughter of James Conmee, Member of Parliament. Together James and Laurel had five children, Hazel, Edward, Jim, Loley, and
Margaret.

During his last years, Whalen moved to the West coast to continue working with the pulp and paper industries. Within a few years he was diagnosed with Bright's Disease, affecting his kidneys. He passed away on June 4, 1929, while being treated in a Duluth, MN hospital. In recognition of this man and his accomplishments, the city of Port Arthur honoured him with a half-day holiday.

The Thunder Bay chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women formed in 1932 and became an official chapter of the national federation in 1933. The Canadian federation is a member of the larger parent organization, the International Federation of University Women. The local club accepts all women who hold a bachelors degree or higher from an accredited university. The goals of the organization are to promote higher education for women and encourage their research and work. The group seeks to increase the interest of its members in public affairs, and provides the opportunity for social interaction and cooperation for women with university degrees.

The club has at times been very active in the Thunder Bay community by establishing study groups on particular subjects for its members to participate in, and having regular meetings and events held throughout the year. Some of the more notable activities of the Thunder Bay chapter include the establishment of a scholarship in 1955 to support Lakehead University Students; the creation of a nursery school to assist under-privileged children from 1971-82; hosting the national conference for the Canadian Federation of University Women in 1977; and the creation of a video honouring their founding president Isabel Mackey Kelly in 1988.

Dr. Albert E. Allen was a pathologist from Fort William. He was born in Hampton, Ontario. He graduated with a bachelors of biology from Victoria College in Toronto in 1929, and went on to obtain a doctoral degree in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1932. He worked at McGill University before accepting a position as Director of Pathology for the Ontario Health Regional Laboratory in Fort William in 1943. He was also the pathologist for St. Joseph’s Hospital until 1950, and for McKellar General Hospital until 1954.

Dr. Allen was known for his extensive knowledge of natural history. He was a contributor to many natural history publications, and was an avid outdoorsman. He was a founding member of the Toronto Ornithological Club; a trustee of the Ontario Waterfowl Research Federation; a member on the advisory board of the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority, a member of the Minnesota Ornithological Union; and was a president of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists from 1943-47, and 1951-53. Dr. Allen was an avid bird watcher and regularly recorded notes of his observations. He also kept journals related to his activities on the study of nature, and of local events. Dr. Allen passed away in 1966 at the age of 60.

The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists Society was first established on January 26, 1933 as a chapter of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The club originally consisted of 32 members, with Colonel Lionel S. Dear as president. After holding several meetings in 1933 the club dissolved, primarily due to the effects of the Great Depression. The Field Naturalists restarted in 1937 with Claude E. Garton as president. By 1939 there were upwards of 50 active members. The Second World War brought most club activities to a halt, as many members were busy with the war effort. The club was once again revived in 1946 by Dr. Howard Quackenbush and Dr. Albert E. Allen, who was president from 1943-46 and from 1951-53. Since then, the club has gained steadily in membership and continues to be active in the Thunder Bay community.

The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists originally formed to promote the sharing of knowledge about natural history topics among its members. At first, the club concentrated on the specific interests of individual members on certain plants, birds, fish, rocks, etc, but as time progressed they began to focus more upon larger environmental issues. The current goals of the Field Naturalists are to: acquire, record, and disseminate knowledge of natural history; to promote the wise use of natural resources; to stimulate public interest in nature and its protection; and to promote the preservation of natural areas. Throughout their history the Field Naturalists have engaged in many activities to meet these goals. They have regularly held field trips to various parks in the region. Members have lectured on natural history topics. They have brought in guest speakers at their meetings from the Lakehead University Biology department, the Thunder Bay region, and other individuals from outside the region. The club has also actively supported conservation activities to protect wildlife, including supporting a ban on the harmful chemical DDT. They have participated in discussions on the management of provincial parks, Ontario Hydro projects, and other environmental concerns.

Dr. Melville (Mel) William Bartley was a geologist in Northwestern Ontario. His contribution to the development of the mining sector within the region was very influential. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1934, as well as obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Toronto in 1940. He was the founding Principal of Lakehead University Technical Institute, and was the first chair of the Lakehead University Board of Governors from 1965 to 1969.