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• 1 2022-08-22T15:12:37-07:00 A Fresh Start Under New Ownership 1 image_header 2022-08-22T15:12:37-07:00 After Lemay's Purchase of the Hotel renovations were undertaken immediately. With a fresh modern interior, the hotel advertised its reopening. The Ottawa Journal displayed the modern renovations, dedicating an entire page boasting the Mississippi’s no expense spared refreshment lounge, dining room expansions, and new modern interior [9]. Things were looking up for the hotel, newly finished with a modern interior and cutting edge accommodations such as natural gas heating, it hosted a number of shows becoming know for its display of country and western artists through the ‘60s and early ‘70s [10]. The hotel was quite successful during this period and many guests held the hotel in high regards, Stompin’ Tom Connors who had played at the hotel even included Lorraine Lemay in one of his songs “Big Joe Mufferaw'' referring to her as the “little gal in Kemptville town” and even referred to the hotel itself as the “Grand Ole Lady”[11]. The music was played live on friday nights and drew significant crowds [12]. However this popularity came with its faults, numerous guests coming to watch these shows were under the legal drinking age at the time and numerous reports were made to local authorities, this paired with a raid by the Ontario Liquor Agency [13] killed the friday night shows and the crowds soon vanished. 
  
  notes:

    9. Author Unknown, "Historic Mississippi Hotel Now Modern, Up-to-Date" The Ottawa Journal (Ottawa, ON), Aug. 24, 1961.
  10. Linda Seccaspina, “Romancing the Mississippi Hotel.” Lindaseccaspina Remembers the Invention of The Wheel. April 24 2017
  11. Lyle Dillabough, “The Tale of Stompin’ Tom Connors Riding Into Town” Heritage Carleton Place.Date Unknown. 
  12. Wayne Drummond (Retired Chief of Police) in discussion with the author, April 10, 2022.
  13. Wayne Drummond in discussion with author