Kinmount Gazette KINMOUNT GAZETTE THE KINMOUNT COMMITTEE FOR PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT July 2019 Volume 11: Issue 9 Inside this issue: SUMMER FUN PRESENTED BY KCPED 1 FRIENDS & NEIGHBOURS: HALL’S LAKE 2 THE LEGEND OF DINNIE SHEEN 3 IRON MINES PART VI 5 ETHAN STRONG 2 TIME CHAMPION 6 SPOT THE SHOT RECAPTURED 7 SEEKING KINMOUNT HOCKEY ARTEFACTS 8 KIDS CORNER 9 THE HOT STOVE 10 KDHSF AGM CHAIRS REPORT 13 HIGHLAND GAMES 15 FOOD FANATIC 15 IN THE LIONS DEN 16 THE LIBRARY LINK 16 THE GALWEGIANS 17 THANK YOU TO OUR PATRONS 17 STORES OF GALWAY: PEARSON’S STORE PART II 18 HIGH FIVE CLUB 18 SPOT THE SHOT 19 EDITORIAL 19 Summer Fun Presented by KCPED Get Results! ADVERTISE IN Free Concerts Thursday 6:30 pm THE GAZETTE! July & August Rates per issue: Austin Sawmill Park Business Card Size $20 Line-up Page 10 2 x Business Card $40 1/4 Page $55 JULY 1/2 Page $100 11 - 13 Full Page $200 [email protected] 705 - 488 - 2919 Thursday July 11, 6:30 pm Music in the Park With Rick Fines The Gazette is a non profit monthly pub- lication produced by volunteers. The Friday July 12, 8:30 pm Free Ghost Tour Railway Station Gazette depends on advertising sales & Saturday July 13 Kinmount Highland Games donations to remain operating. We are 8:30 am - 4 pm Kinmount Fairgrounds very grateful for the continuing support of area businesses & patrons. PROGRAM PG. Do you enjoy the Gazette? Send a donation! Make cheques payable to KCPED FREE Street Party! PO Box 286, Kinmount. On K0M 2A0 Your name will appear in our SAT. AUG. 10 Thank You to Our Patrons Section 4 - 9 pm Main St. Tax Receipts issued for Donations $25+ PROGRAM PG. 12 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development Friends and Neighbours: Hall’s Lake North of Carnarvon on Highway beyond. Major dams were #35 lies the small community of built on all these lakes to con- Hall’s Lake. The lake was suppos- trol the water levels during edly named after an early trader the spring log drives. Besides named Hall who was allegedly the dam at Buttermilk Falls, killed by natives in the area. Leg- there were major dams at end maintains that Hall’s Lake is Hawk River and Crab River. one of the deepest lakes in Ontar- The dam and historic log io. The (almost) round lake does chute at Hawk Lake were so resemble a meteor strike some- important, the government time in the past? It was said a built a large dam-keepers cot- lumber drive lowered an anchor tage at Hawk Lake to keep an with 1,000 feet of rope in the lake, eye on water levels. The and it didn’t find the bottom! But “Government House” (as it alas this myth was busted when a was called) and a replica of survey crew mapped the deepest the Hawk River log chute part of the lake at a mere 264 feet. are still there today! The earliest settlers and lumber- The earliest settlers picked men reached this area via the up their mail at Boshkung chain of lakes (Horseshoe, Moun- post office. But in 1900, a tain, 12 Mile, Boshkung and separate post office called Hall’s) that comprise the Gull Hall’s Lake was opened. River system. The first road ac- James Welch was the first cess was gained via the Bob- postmaster, and the Welch caygeon-Peterson Roads. The family manned the post “useable farmland” that became office for 52 of the next 57 the community of Boshkung pe- years! In 1956 the Hall’s tered out at Hall’s Lake, and it Lake post office was con- became the “end of the line” for verted to a “summer-only” road travel until Highway #35 was operation. It opened on built in the 1930s as a Depression Canada Day and closed on Era work project. But if Hall’s Labour Day until 1964 Lake was not a farm-friendly when it was closed perma- north to Dorset during the De- the Hawk Lakes and beyond. community, it was a lumber- nently. pression, and it was now possi- This trend continues today. friendly area. All the logs from Although the area contained ble to drive to the cottage. After the northeast end of the Gull Riv- many beautiful lakes ideal for WW II ended, the lake front er watershed were funnelled cottaging, it remained isolated began to fill up with private through Buttermilk Falls, the link until the 1930s. Highway #35 cottages and resorts. Hall’s between Hall’s and Boshkung was built from Carnarvon Lake, being right on the high- Lakes. Logs from lakes up- way, filled up first, but gradual- stream included the Hawk ly roads were extended inland to Lakes, Trout Lake, Crab Lake and numerous small lakes Page 2 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development The Legend of Dinnie Sheen Dennis (Dinny) Sheehan bootleggers of moonshine. It The FOG’s 2019 summer sol- was noted by one of the people stice meeting had the theme of in attendance that he did help at “Murder, Mayhem, Thieves, a farm on Queen’s Line doing and Scoundrels. Dinny chores. He remembers, as a kid, Sheehan’s story dominated the seeing Dinny milking a cow, first half of this gathering. sitting on the stool, without his Three people in attendance artificial legs (the legs were in personally knew him. Also, the corner of the barn). from the FOG’s sesquicenten- The mystery surrounding Dinny nial project, there are three Sheehan happened on a Thanks- photos of Dinny. No one at this giving weekend. Dinny was at a meeting knew how old Dinny hunting camp near the head of was when he died. Crystal Lake with several other Dinny was tall in stature, at fellows. The story goes that least six foot. Tragically, one there was lots of drinking and very cold winter’s night, Din- arguing. The day after, Dinny ny’s car broke down on the Sheehan was reported missing. Crystal Lake Road on his way Some reports said that Dinny’s home. The frostbite he suffered canoe was found floating up- was so severe that both his legs right on Crystal Lake. Other had to be amputated just below reports said it was his boat. All the knees. However, with artifi- reports stated a full beer bottle cial limbs, Dinny was able to was found still upright in the move about the area. He was an canoe or boat. The police were avid fisherman. He lived in a called in to investigate. Search- shack in the Pleasant Valley es were done along the shore area on the Crystal Lake Road. and on the waters of Crystal It was common knowledge that Lake. A story, confirmed by he had a ‘still’ at Pine Hill and many, was a search technique probably had other stills in the for drowning victims that was area. He was one of the local used back ‘in Continued p. 4 Saturday July 27 1050 Privet Drive Just north of Kinmount off #121 Across from Swinson Road 9 am - 4 pm Rain or Shine Picnic Table Household Furniture Flat Screen TV Package Power Tools & Accessories Twin Bed with Frame TAOIST TAI CHI at Galway Hall & MUCH MORE... Mondays & Thursdays 10 am - noon Page 3 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development The Legend of Dinnie Sheen, cont. from p.3 Kinmount Farmers’ Market this time’. A rooster was placed day after Dinny’s disappearance, his into a burlap bag and put into a shack burned to the ground. As noted Explore our market! rowboat. The boat was then rowed at this FOG meeting, all the men at on Crystal Lake. The theory was that hunt camp are deceased now. the rooster could ‘sense’ where the The mystery of the demise of Dennis Saturdays, 9 am - 2 pm body lay under the water and the Sheehan will probably be exactly rooster would crow when the boat that- a mystery. But if you want to reached that spot. One participant learn more about the legend of Dinny at this meeting noted he heard that Sheehan, come to the Kinmount the only location the rooster Ghost Walk (July 12) and maybe a crowed was off the end of Dinny few more tales will “surface”. Sheehan’s dock! One write-up at the time of his death stated that it was a ‘supposed’ drowning. The possi- bility that Dinny Sheehan was murdered was (and still is) a com- monly held belief by several local people. Curiously, the very next At Austin Sawmill Park NEW VENDORS WANTED! Call 416-986-7216 Greater Harvey Historical Society & Kinmount Heritage Centre Open Thursdays 10:30 - 2 pm At Kinmount Railway Station [email protected] Chainsaw Carving Contest and Auction returns to Kinmount Fair Next to Remedy’s Rx Page 44 Kinmount Gazette Kinmount Committee for Planning and Economic Development Iron Mines Part VI The American Iron market branch of the Burnt River flowed crashed in 1880, spelling a par- through the lot and over a small tial shutdown of the Snowdon waterfall. Canadians seem to Iron works. The price war was have an obsession with water considered to be “temporary” and waterfalls, and the actual and the speculators in the Snow- site chosen was on the south don hills hit the pause button, bank of the river right at the trusting in the market to im- Falls. It was a strange choice of prove.