Kenora in Kenora District, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
A 1920 View of Today's McLeod Park
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 13, 2022
1. A 1920 View of Today's McLeod Park Marker
Logging operations began locally in 1879 when demand for ties and lumber came with the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the area. As many as seven mills operated along the Rat Portage-Keewatin shore lines at one time employing 400 to 500 men with a monthly payroll of $20,000.
Machinery for the first mill came from Minneapolis by way of the Red River to Winnipeg, thence to Northwest Angle along the Dawson Trail by wagons or sleigh's. Barges were built for the final trip across the Lake to Rat Portage.
Photo shows a tie mill where McLeod Park, with its "Husky The Muskie", now greets visitors from the west.
Since the mid-1920's demand for pulpwood used in the Town’s papermaking plant, added a new dimension to the forest industry.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 49° 46.145′ N, 94° 29.461′ W. Marker is in Kenora, Ontario, in Kenora District. Marker can be reached from Bernier Drive just south of Main Street South (Trans-Canada Highway) (Provincial Highway 17), on the right when traveling south. The marker is located along the Kenora Bay waterfront walkway, on the north side of the
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Town of Kenora Waterfront History (here, next to this marker); Governor General's Arrival (a few steps from this marker); The Hudson's Bay Company Fort at Rat Portage on Old Fort Island, 1857 (a few steps from this marker); Early Exploration (a few steps from this marker); The Boundary Dispute (within shouting distance of this marker); Transportation (within shouting distance of this marker); Rat Portage Rowing Club (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Flame on the Water — 1995 (about 90 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kenora.
Also see . . . McLeod Park.
McLeod Park wasn’t always the gem of a park that it is today. Its serenity once shuddered with the pound of stamps pulverizing ore. Its ornamental grounds were covered with a forest’s worth of wood chips and piled lumber, and were criss-crossed by roads and overland tramways rather than brick footpaths. It has fallen victim to fire twice, been expropriated, and has finally become a summer showpiece and tourist attraction. Gold mining, lumbering, the railway, the highway, and finally tourism have all left their mark on this small bit(Submitted on April 21, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)of land. When gold was discovered on Lake of the Woods in the 1880s, prospectors, miners, surveyors, and investors flooded into the area referred to by one expert as the most promising gold region in America. Everyone wanted a part of the action and companies were being established with that in mind.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 13, 20222. A 1920 View of Today's McLeod Park MarkerLooking east from the waterfront walkway; Bernier Drive is in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 20, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 42 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 21, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
