When next you are in North Bay (and what better place is there to be?), stop by the Dionne Quints Museum at Hwy 11 & 17 at Seymour Street. The museum is located in the original Dionne homestead and has on display several artifacts and memorabilia from that time.

Step back in History

On May 28, 1934, five identical girls -Annette, Cecile, Yvonne, Marie and Émilie- were born to Elzire and Oliva Dionne in Callander, Ontario. Together they weighed less than 6.5 km. (13 pounds 5 ounces). There was a one in 57 million chance of giving birth to identical quintuplets and even less chance of them surviving for more than a few days. But against all odds, they survived, due mainly to the efforts of Dr. Allan DaFoe.

Tourists flock to Quintland

When the Quints were still babies, the Ontario government took the sisters from their parents. Whether it was to protect their fragile health, protect them from exploitation, or so that they could receive the best care, the girls now became wards of the state.

For the first nine years of their lives, they lived at a 'Hospital', built across the street from their parents' modest home. It quickly became known as "Quintland" where 3 million people came to watch the little girls playing behind a one way screen. These five identical girls were more popular with tourists than Niagara Falls.

Exploitation

A Quint Industry sprung to life during this time employing thousands of people and generating millions of dollars for the government. It was the depression and people welcomed a reason to celebrate. They needed a diversion from the hard times.

The Ministry of Public Welfare set up a trust fund for the girls with assurances that the entire Dionne family would be taken care of. We know now that the family saw very little of this money. No one is quite sure what happened to the trust fund money but it is believed that most of it went to pay for the many employees of Quintland.

After nine years and a bitter custody fight, their father won the girls back. Understandably it was a difficult adjustment for everyone in the family. The entire family moved into a newly built house very close to Quintland. This yellow brick, 20-room mansion was paid for out of the Quintuplets' fund. The mansion was nicknamed "The Big House." The building is now a retirement home.

Life after Quintland

The sisters finished high school at home along with ten girls from the area who were chosen to attend with them. At 18 the girls left to live in Montreal and had very little contact with the family after that.

Three Hollywood movies were made about their story and 4 of the quints wrote their own bitter story in "We Were Five".

Interestingly, not until September 1987 was another set of quints, (2 boys and 3 girls), born in Canada

Today

As of 2011 only Annette and Cecile have survived. On March 6, 1998, the Ontario government led by Premier Mike Harris (who grew up in North Bay) offered the sisters an apology and $2.8 million as compensation.

Fascinating history and individual success stories can be found in North Bay in Ontario's Near North. You'll want to stay and see for yourself.