Jack Legarde

Jack Legarde. . , During the winter months mail was handled by dog sled. The "Hudson's Bay Trail" from Sault Ste. Marie to Michipicoten followed a well-worn path to Batchawana, skirted the shore at Mamainse Harbour, travelled overland to Agawa, then headed north in virtually a straight line to the mouth of the Michipicoten River. The Agawa Post was 2 days travel by dog team from Sault Ste. Marie and another 2 days to Michipicoten. From here the route then split with one heading northwest 80 kilometres to the logging operations on the Pukaskwa River, and the other cut northeast across Wawa Lake to follow the 60 kilometre "Grasset Trail" to the Canadian Pacific Railway. , And who were these mail carriers? Jack Legarde was a resident of Michipicoten Harbour at the turn of the 19th century, but he was more often likely to be found on the trails between the Harbour, Pukaskwa and Franz. It was said that Jack could drive anything with hair and his dog team was always an interesting collection of breeds. No matter what time of year and no matter how close to civilization and a warm bed his work day ended, his days and nights were often spent with his dogs.