Seguin Falls, Ontario
Encyclopedia
Seguin Falls is a ghost town
and unincorporated place on the Nipissing Colonization Road in the township of Seguin
, Parry Sound District
in northeastern
Ontario
, Canada
.
and Lake Nipissing
and points in between. The Nipissing Road lost its importance following the completion of the railway between Gravenhurst
and Callander
in 1886, and most of this section of the colonization road fell into a state of disrepair. The village of Magnetawan
was, by this time, more easily accessed from Burk's Falls
.
It was not until a decade later that Seguin Falls developed as a village. During construction of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway
, completed in 1896, a station was established where the line crossed the Nipissing Road. The importance of that portion of the former colonization road was restored as an access point from Seguin Falls to Magnetawan and remains as an active route for automobile traffic, to this day.
Lumbering was likely carried on near Seguin Falls during the pre railway era with the construction of dams to regulate water levels, timber was driven
down the Seguin River
more than 35 years before the building of the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway. Timber usually became easier to access with the construction of a railway and it is possible that some uncut sawlogs were carried away by the trains to be processed elsewhere. The last sawmill
at Seguin Falls during the railway era, was John Campbell & Sons', wound up during the summer of 1926. At that time J. D. Campbell was busy putting up a new mill on the CNR
56 miles (90 km) west of Capreol
.
The King George Hotel, located about 100 yards from the railway station, was owned and operated by Thomas and Mary Jane McKinnon until 1957. In 1952 the rate for one of the six rooms (without bath) was $3.00 US. The King George was converted to a private home which subsequently burned down in 1989. The stone foundation, hearth and chimney still remain.
The OA&PS Railway through Seguin Falls, locally known as the Grand Trunk
was taken over by the Grand Trunk Railway
in 1904, which was subsequently absorbed by Canadian National Railway
s in 1923. That portion of the line between Falding and Scotia was abandoned in 1955. The old railway bed, now the Seguin Trail, is also part of the Trans Canada Trail
.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
and unincorporated place on the Nipissing Colonization Road in the township of Seguin
Seguin, Ontario
Seguin is a township in central Ontario, Canada, in the District of Parry Sound. The township was incorporated on January 1, 1998, by amalgamating the former townships of Humphrey, Foley, Christie, and the western half of Monteith with the village of Rosseau....
, Parry Sound District
Parry Sound District, Ontario
Parry Sound District is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its seat is Parry Sound. Its boundaries are Muskoka to the south, the Sudbury District, the French River and Lake Nipissing in the north, Nipissing District, Ontario and North Bay in the north and east and parts of...
in northeastern
Northeastern Ontario
Northeastern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and east of Lakes Superior and Huron.Northeastern Ontario consists of the districts of Algoma, Sudbury, Cochrane, Timiskaming, Nipissing and Manitoulin; and the single-tier municipality of Greater...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
History
The portion of the Nipissing Road at Seguin Falls was opened to winter traffic by 1873 and passable to wheeled vehicles by 1875, and became the main route of travel between Lake RosseauLake Rosseau
Lake Rosseau is located in Ontario about 200 kilometers north of Toronto. The lake is surrounded by many cottages, some dating back to the late 19th century. The south end of the lake is in the Township of Muskoka Lakes, and the north end is in Seguin Township. Lake Rosseau is connected to Lake...
and Lake Nipissing
Lake Nipissing
Lake Nipissing is a lake in the Canadian province of Ontario. It has a surface area of , a mean elevation of above sea level, and is located between the Ottawa River and Georgian Bay. Excluding the Great Lakes, Lake Nipissing is the fifth-largest lake in Ontario. It is relatively shallow for a...
and points in between. The Nipissing Road lost its importance following the completion of the railway between Gravenhurst
Gravenhurst, Ontario
Gravenhurst is a town in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, Canada. It is located approximately south of Bracebridge, Ontario. The mayor is Paisley Donaldson...
and Callander
Callander, Ontario
The Municipality of Callander is a township in central Ontario, Canada, located at the southeast end of Lake Nipissing in the District of Parry Sound...
in 1886, and most of this section of the colonization road fell into a state of disrepair. The village of Magnetawan
Magnetawan, Ontario
Magnetawan is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, as well as the name of a community within the former Township of Chapman.Located in the Parry Sound District, the township had a population of 1,610 in the 2006 Canadian census....
was, by this time, more easily accessed from Burk's Falls
Burk's Falls, Ontario
Burk's Falls is a village in the Parry Sound District, Ontario, Canada, located 165 miles north of Toronto and 55 miles south of North Bay, Ontario...
.
It was not until a decade later that Seguin Falls developed as a village. During construction of the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway
Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway
The Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway is a historic Canadian railway that operated in central and eastern Ontario from 1897 until 1959.It was a common carrier railway, although it was primarily used to transport timber from logging operations as well as haul cargo from western Canada via the...
, completed in 1896, a station was established where the line crossed the Nipissing Road. The importance of that portion of the former colonization road was restored as an access point from Seguin Falls to Magnetawan and remains as an active route for automobile traffic, to this day.
Lumbering was likely carried on near Seguin Falls during the pre railway era with the construction of dams to regulate water levels, timber was driven
Log driving
Log driving is a means of log transport which makes use of a river's current to move floating tree trunks downstream to sawmills and pulp mills.It was the main transportation method of the early logging industry in Europe and North America...
down the Seguin River
Seguin River
The Seguin River is a river in Parry Sound District in central Ontario, Canada that empties into Parry Sound on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron at the town of Parry Sound. The river's name comes from the Ojibwe word ziigwan, meaning "spring".-Course:...
more than 35 years before the building of the Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway. Timber usually became easier to access with the construction of a railway and it is possible that some uncut sawlogs were carried away by the trains to be processed elsewhere. The last sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
at Seguin Falls during the railway era, was John Campbell & Sons', wound up during the summer of 1926. At that time J. D. Campbell was busy putting up a new mill on the CNR
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
56 miles (90 km) west of Capreol
Capreol, Ontario
Capreol is a community in the Ontario city of Greater Sudbury. From 1918 to 2000, Capreol existed as an independent town, situated on the Vermilion River....
.
The King George Hotel, located about 100 yards from the railway station, was owned and operated by Thomas and Mary Jane McKinnon until 1957. In 1952 the rate for one of the six rooms (without bath) was $3.00 US. The King George was converted to a private home which subsequently burned down in 1989. The stone foundation, hearth and chimney still remain.
The OA&PS Railway through Seguin Falls, locally known as the Grand Trunk
Grand Trunk
Grand Trunk can refer to:*The Grand Trunk Company in Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels*The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in Canada*The Grand Trunk Railway in North America*The Grand Trunk Road in South Asia...
was taken over by the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
in 1904, which was subsequently absorbed by Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
s in 1923. That portion of the line between Falding and Scotia was abandoned in 1955. The old railway bed, now the Seguin Trail, is also part of the Trans Canada Trail
Trans Canada Trail
The Trans Canada Trail is a proposed corridor in Canada. The creation of the trail was announced as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992. It is expected that when complete, it will be the longest recreational trail in the world...
.