October 2012 Volume 4: Issue 12
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Kinmount Gazette KINMOUNT GAZETTE THE KINMOUNT COMMITTEE FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT History of Kinmount Businesses: Stave Factory October 2012 Volume 4: Issue 12 The last lots on Main St. run from the bend of the Burnt River Inside this issue: at the Highlands Cinema north to FRIENDS & NEIGHBOURS 2 the Haliburton County border. These lots were the site of yet MITCHELL’S BRIDGE 3 another sawmill popularly called SCHOOL HOUSE SECTIONS 4 the old Stave Factory. In fact the strip along the Burnt River was MYTHBUSTERS 5 called ―Sawmill Row‖ because it KID’S CORNER 9 contained at least 4 sawmills! THE HOT STOVE LEAK 10 This section of Main St / Bob- STUDIO TOUR 14 caygeon Road had many attrib- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 15 utes that made it prime territory for sawmills. The Burnt River EDITORIAL 19 was on the east side providing easy access for timber. The Bob- caygeon Road and the Victoria promptly rebuilt and expand- field out to the Bobcaygeon Visit us at Railway bordered the lots on the ed the sawmill to include Road. It had its own railway west side providing easy access barrel staves and railway ties siding and at peak operation, kinmount.ca for the finished product. as well as sawn lumber. The filled a railway car with barrel All issues available online The first sawmill on Lot 18 was much enlarged operation was staves each week. The maxi- a shingle mill opened by Alexan- nicknamed the Stave Factory. mum crew was 50 men during der MacIntosh in 1880. MacIn- In its heyday, the Stave Fac- peak season. The sawmill itself tosh sold the operation to R.J. tory was a huge operation. was along the riverbank and Mills in 1883 and the mill The complex sprawled along surrounded the spot now burned down the next year. Mills the river bank and filled the Continued on p. 6 The 2nd Annual Kinmount Calendar is HERE! Event Information Fabulous Glossy Photos Community Listings Available at Castle Building Centre, Gateway General Store & Kinmount Artisan’s Marketplace while supplies last! Price $5 each or 3 for $10 Makes a great keepsake or gift! For Mail Orders contact Yvette from the Gazette at 705-488-2282 Thanks to our advertisers & the Kinmount Committee for Planning & Economic Development! Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development Friends and Neighbours: Millbrook The largest village in Cavan staying there at the time! But Township is Millbrook. The the Great Fire was a blessing village site was strategically in disguise as a plethora of fine located at the point where the new Victoria buildings re- Middle Line of Cavan placed the hap-hazard growth crossed Baxter‘s Creek. Like of the pioneer era. Many of all villages, Millbrook was a these magnificent structures mill town (hence the name!). still grace the main street of As early as 1818 settlers had Millbrook today, giving the claimed land within the future town a old Victorian atmos- town site. By 1822 the Deyell phere. It is almost like time Brothers were running a grist stood still in Millbrook. In fact, and saw mill on Baxter‘s this old section has attracted Creek. This was a huge bonus several movie directors look- for settlers all over the area, ing to film period pieces. Mov- and countless pioneers to the ies shot in Millbrook include rie town of Souris. It was led by north tramped the trails to ―Sunshine Sketches of a Little Squire Sowden, the most promi- Millbrook to have grain Town‖ , a CBC adaption of the nent businessman in Millbrook. ground into flour until the famous Stephen Leacock book Tough times, the search for new Purdys opened a grist mill in where Millbrook plays Orillia farmland and a hope for future Lindsay (1831). Over its circa 1911; The Music Man, a profits fuelled the exodus. Need- history, Millbrook has hosted remake of the famous musical less to say, Souris 9 mills: milling everything where the village doubles for prospered after its founding. from lumber to flour. River City (Iowa), ―Ice Prin- Today Millbrook is a bedroom Further prosperity hit the cess‖ and ―A History Of community for surrounding village in 1856 with the Violence‖. The historical core cities. The Millbrook Correc- arrival of the Port Hope – of Millbrook proxies for other tional Centre operated from Lindsay Railway. The towns long since changed by 1957 until it was closed in 2003. population quadrupled from time. Needler‘s Mill, the last surviving 250 to 1000 and Millbrook The height of prosperity in mill from the heyday of Cavan‘s became a very prosperous Millbrook was the 1880s. After mills has been lovingly restored th business centre. The town was this decade, the population to its former glory. The 4 Line dealt a huge blow by the began to decline as the Theatre presents local plays in Great Fire of 1875 which economy of the area stagnated. its barnyard during the summer destroyed over 30 businesses. In fact, an exodus of settlers only. The Millbrook Fair All was lost except for the from Cavan Township to the recaptures the agricultural past Victoria Hotel which was new province of Manitoba and present. But above all else, saved by the heroic actions of began in 1881. A special Millbrook still has that the cast of Forepaugh‘s ―settlers‘ train‖ carried a Cav- magnificent main street that still Travelling Circus, which was an contingent to the new Prai- echoes glories of the past. From left: The restored Needler’s Mill; a portion of the Main Street in modern times; a vacant cell block in the Millbrook Maximum Security Detention Facility which was closed a decade ago and now sits as a skeleton of its former self. Top Right: Millbrook Main Street in 1907 at its zenith. Page 2 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development The Story of Mitchell‘s Bridge Kinmount Artisans Marketplace The Burnt River has always been a River at a different site. The new Local Fine Art, Handcrafts, Gifts & Antiques major obstacle to road-builders. It structure cost $1,650, a princely Local History Books & Souvenirs was so in pioneer times and still is sum in 1891, and was much more today. Between the junction of the solid than its predecessor. Wood- Lower Level Kinmount Community Centre three branches of the Burnt River at en ;piles were pushed into the County Rd. 45 W. at 121 Three Brothers Falls and its terminus river bed to support the new struc- at Rosedale, there are only 5 bridges ture, but these same piles were SHOP TAX FREE! across the River. The most southerly very vulnerable to spring ice dam- www.kinmountartisans.ca age and major repairs were regu- bridge is Mitchell‘s Bridge on North- Phone (705) 488-1414 line Road in the first concession of larly needed. By 1926 a new OPEN DAILY 10 am - 4 pm till Thanksgiving bridge was necessary and the Somerville Township. This bridge Winter Hours - Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10 - 4 present structure was installed. linked the communities of Baddow & Rettie‘s Station (Burnt River) with Notice the word ―installed‖. A Fenelon falls via the Northline Road. trick of fate made the current steel In the 1870s, the Fenelon Road was bridge available. The one land built from Kinmount to Burnt River bridge was originally built to be and hence on to Fenelon Falls via this installed over a river in China. bridge. The Fenelon Road was never Before it could be shipped out, a major artery, easier access to Fe- civil war gripped China and the nelon Falls and beyond being contract was cancelled. The access by the Victoria Railway. Township of Somerville acquired The first bridge spanned the Burnt the completed span very cheaply River in 1860. In 1881 the bridge was and (fortunately) it fitted the destroyed by fire.. of a suspicious Mitchell‘s Bridge site perfectly. It nature. Some blamed the lumbermen sits there to this very day. whose river drives were often In 2011, the city engineers for the hampered by Mitchell‘s Bridge. But City of Kawartha Lakes decided Kinmount Farmers Market Mitchell‘s Bridge had outlived its the real culprit turned out to be a steam boat operator, who found the usefulness and needed to be Explore our market! bridge blocked his boat (the replaced. A new design was Saturdays, 9 am - 2 pm Coboconk) from accessing Burt River presented at a cost of $4.2 million. May 19th - October 6th village. The steam boat operator A petition was circulated calling Organic veggies, baked goods, honey, beef, suggested a swing bridge, but it never for the existing ―heritage bridge‖ lamb, maple syrup, unique crafts & much more! happened. For 10 years the bridge to be saved. The current situation At Austin Sawmill Heritage Park still stood, but was considered is still unresolved as the City of Call 705-799-1237 or visit kinmountfarmersmarket.ca ‖ unsafe‖ and most wheeled traffic Kawartha Lakes decides whether diverted to the Rosedale Bridge. to repair or rebuild. Watch the You won’t leave empty-handed! By 1891, the Somerville Council Gazette for further news. authorized a new bridge to span the Page 3 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development School House Sections: SS 4 Baddow BOB‘S APPLIANCE SERVICE R epairs to all Major Brand Names Baddow was one of the first com- nuts were boiled and coloured munities settled in Somerville with copperas for blue and red Indian berries for red ink. In 1885 Refrigerators — R a n g e s — Dishwashers Township and hence had one of the M i c r o w a v e s — W a s h e r s — D r y e r s — F r e e z e r s first school sections (1860).