KAWARTHA LAKES-In the early nineteenth century, Big Bob Channel was the main watercourse linking Sturgeon and Pigeon Lakes, while it seems that Little Bob Channel was intermittent. Once dams were constructed to facilitate navigation and milling, the water levels of the lakes were raised sufficiently and stabilized creating a year-round island between Big and Little Bob Channels.
Mossom Boyd’s saw and grist mills were originally located on the Bobcaygeon canal. As mill waste accumulated in the canal and lumber was stacked on the shores and wharves, it became clear that it was difficult to accommodate the traffic of the canal and a large sawmill in the same location. Boyd constructed a new mill near the mouth of the Little Bob Channel on Pigeon Lake. The east end of the island became the piling grounds for Boyd’s sawmill, laid out into a network of streets with names that reflected their use: Pine Street, Elm Street, Slab Street, Lime Street, and Rock Street. The lime kiln was located on the north shore of the island, the base of which subsequently became a long-lasting landscape feature.
Much of the Mossom Boyd & Company’s lumber was exported to the United States and marketed by Christie Johnson and John Macdonald (Mossom’s son-in-law). After they died in 1891 and 1892, the company was reorganized, and they stopped buying as many timber limits—which were becoming scare and prohibitively expensive. The company’s last drive took place in the spring of 1903, its machinery was removed in 1908, prior to demolition. The Boyd family’s lumber operations moved to Cowichan on Vancouver Island.
In the years that followed, the old piling grounds on the island sat vacant, as forests regenerated. Located close to downtown Bobcaygeon, kids from town enjoyed playing the woods by the mid twentieth century. In the late 1980s, as preparations were being made to redevelop the property, much of it was rocky forested land. By 1990, Fred Reynolds was constructing Port 32 as a subdivision, with W.G. Jackett & Sons clearing land, building roads and preparing sites for the homes to be constructed. The development would reflect the local landscape, with limestone armour stones accentuating many of the properties built amongst the trees. Much of the building material was taken from the sites as they were developed. Limestone that had to be excavated to build basements was then used for landscaping. However, there was little natural topsoil, so many loads of earth had to be brought in. Jacketts used excess limestone from the excavation to build a berm along the highway, creating a sound and privacy barrier between the subdivision and Highway 36. Fred developed the homes at the pace they were selling, so over the years that followed, Port 32 was built into the woods that had once been Mossom Boyd’s piling grounds.
This story is part of our partnership with Maryboro Lodge, The Fenelon Falls Museum and was written by Glenn Walker.
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