Here’s some info on the past logging in NW Quetico, some of which is from Shirley Peruniak’s “Quetico Provincial Park, An Illustrated History.” (Anyone who loves Quetico would love this book.) As she says (year 2000) “The logging roads that once crossed Quetico have largely grown in. Today, portions of the logging road system in the northwest corner remain, and have been maintained or cleared, to provide corridors for portages, trapline trails, hiking and ski trails.”

In 1891, the first harvest licenses were issued on two timber “berths” in the Beaverhouse-Quetico-Bearpelt lakes area. More licenses were issued to Shevlin-Clarke Company in 1906, and to J. A. Mathieu in 1910. (Quetico was designated as a “park” in 1913.) In 1919, Shevlin-Clarke was operating five lumber camps, mostly near Beaverhouse and Quetico Lakes. Between 1920 and 1936 the company operated up to 11 camps in the northwestern section of Quetico Park. (In 1920, it was reported that 24 horses hauled a “steam gator” – a steam-powered boat -- into Beaverhouse Lake. A bird scared the horses while they were being fed at noon at Dinner Lake* and they all broke harness and ran away. They had to be rounded up and the harnesses had to be repaired back at Flanders.) Records indicate that a total of 1.2 million cubic meters of white and red pine were harvested between 1918 and 1946 from the Quetico River, Bearpelt, and Maligne watersheds. (Aside from northwest area of Quetico, in 1925-1926 Shevlin-Clarke also logged also at Pickerel, French, Marion, Jesse, McAlpine, Oriana and Batchewaung Lakes.)

*This lake is just east of the present Beaverhouse access road, near its junction with the “main” road to Highway 11.

Thats pretty cool. Seeing pictures from that era would be neat. I think my dad has that book, I should borrow it soon.

Good Stuff Goose! Thanks for posting this. Seems I'll need to track down a copy.

Hans Solo

Hey Goose,

Thanks. I love reading about the past history of the area. I am also quite intrigued with the history of the Dawson Trail which I believe went through the Q.There's the story about the steam boat that went back and forth across Sturgeon Lake. The boiler is still said to be visible under water on the SW side. I heard about a boot being found along the trail that was made without a left or right foot shape making it pre-1860's.

Your logging info is great to read too. There are a lot of logging relics on Beaverhouse and Quetico Lake.

Tom

Thanks OGG !!! Good stuff.

quote tumblehome: "Hey Goose,

Thanks. I love reading about the past history of the area. I am also quite intrigued with the history of the Dawson Trail which I believe went through the Q.There's the story about the steam boat that went back and forth across Sturgeon Lake. The boiler is still said to be visible under water on the SW side. I heard about a boot being found along the trail that was made without a left or right foot shape making it pre-1860's.

Your logging info is great to read too. There are a lot of logging relics on Beaverhouse and Quetico Lake.

Tom"

I had seen that boiler and a log barge on the south end of Sturgeon. There is a creek going west north west from the south end of the lake. The log sluice was still intact when we were there in the late 70s. We actually found the logging camp on I am thinking March lake. Was one of the best parts of our trip down the Maligne river.

If you like Quetico, then you should own Shirley's book.

quote PINETREE: "If you like Quetico, then you should own Shirley's book."

And also, the one on Quetico Lake Names, which I've either misplaced or loaned to someone who still has it. =( --Goose

Some Quetico relics HERE

Thanks, MP -- I must have missed that thread. --Goose