Low Water Brings History to the Surface at Marsh's Falls

The water levels are low. No big surpirse. We have been very short of rain this summer, and the Oxtongue River relies on water coming down from Algonquin Park. It's been dry there, too!

 

As a result, most of the rocks are exposed at Marsh's Falls.  It's privately owned, (although you can access it by boat and play in the Falls) and Mrs. Copps was kind enough to let me visit and scramble about with my camera.  Not just to look at the low water, and the beaver's ambitious blueprints to dam the whole thing, but because right now some of the old timbering from the Boatworks are exposed.  It's not common to get the chance to see these reminders of the Falls' active history.

 

Once upon a time, there were 27 sawmills operating in the Township of Lake of Bays. Two of them were in Dwight. One was here at the base of the falls.  Along with this sawmill was Capt. Marsh's boatworks.   The clearing to the left of this picture is the actual site of the mill and boatworks. It snugged back into the rocks by the Falls, right where that tree is leaning to the water.

 

Here, the lake steamer S.S. Mary Louise, named for the Captain's wife, was built and launched.  She sailed the Lake of Bays for several years before being rebuilt as the S.S. Mohawk Belle.

 

These old photos are from the Ruth Martin Papers, and show the Mary Louise in Dwight Bay, and Capt. Marsh and his family fishing from the rocks at the Falls.  On the far side (Dwight side) you can see part of the old Mill and boat works.  A pipe from the river brought water into the mill to drive the machinery.

Right now, the only 'mill' activity would be that of the resident Beaver. He has been busy felling trees along the river, and along the edge of Hwy. 35. Some of the branches are stuck in the midst of the Falls, and there are lots in the back eddies. It's just possible that his ambitions are huge, and he dreams of damming the river while the water levels are down.  You can see the normal water levels along the rocks to the right of this photo. I'm standing in the middle of the channel, at the top of the falls. My feet, and those of my dog, are dry.

 

 There is little left of the old boatworks, but these timbers, usually submerged, leading out into the water do tell the story. If you are boating up the river, pause to look for them.  Take care, though. Water levels are so low that boats approaching the falls are going to hit very shallow water and shoals. Mrs. Copps tells me that she has been watching boats hit their props out in front of her lovely house, so do take care, and do respect that the property on her side of the falls is privately owned.