Mystery of the Lanark Cave — Lanark Village

Arlene Stafford-Wilson
February 19 at 9:07 AM  · 
50 years ago…………..part 2 of 2
Article written by James Lally, who worked for the “Lanark Era” and “The Ottawa Journal” from 1945-1960

I love how our community helps each other with history and it was with great interest when Arlene Stafford Wilson posted the artcle above this week. Read her local history blog here..

Then local historian Doris Quinn posted this on the Lanark Village Community Group Read Doris’s notations on: The Canada Character Civilization Award — Doris Quinn and Have you Ever Seen the Praying Station? The Buchanan Scrapbooks

Doris Quinn
8h  · 
In this weeks Lanark Era…. What we were mentioning a few days ago! FIFTY years ago 1972

Lanark Village Community Group Comments on the subject:

Paul Milotte

When I was young and in Cubs a Dr. Craig came to one of our meetings and told us a story of the early days in Lanark when a dog went into the cave at the 50 acres (behind Mrs M.’s house). The dog was lost for a few days but reappeared somewhere near George Young’s funeral home. I remember trying to go into the cave with Ted Holmes when where adventurous young lads. We could see inside the cave but no way we could squeeze in. Don’t know if the small opening is still there.

Ted Holmes

Actually you could go inside and as I remember the small opening was to the right of the main entrance

The dog story is true but never varied to my knowledge.

Dr. Craig also told us about tapping the wrong tree for maple syrup but also was very keen in the Baden Powell’s scouting. Jungle book and camping was certainly a large part of the imaginary and real fun we lived.

I was so keen on the totem pole Dr Craig had erected at his home across from Marg and Oval Adam’s.

Molly Mahon

Cool! There are drawings on the rocks at the playfairville rapids too – other side of the river near the old stone fireplace.

So was this cave a figment of stories from the past? Not at all, and it probably still exists. But I advise all of you not to go on private property, and for that I have abbrievated the last name (property) as that is the very last thing I want.

CLIPPED FROM
The Windsor Star
Windsor, Ontario, Canada22 Feb 1972, Tue  •  Page 3

CLIPPED FROM
The Sun Times
Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada22 Feb 1972, Tue  •  Page 13

CLIPPED FROM
The Expositor
Brantford, Ontario, Canada22 Feb 1972, Tue  •  Page 21

Notations about the cave from one of my fave writers Randy Boswell in 2020

 Randy has a wide-ranging career with the Ottawa Citizen and Postmedia News, where he covered city hall, had a business column, wrote a variety of feature stories, served as city editor and developed a national history beat, he became a full-time professor at Carleton University in 2012.

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The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada04 Aug 2020, Tue  •  Page A7

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada04 Aug 2020, Tue  •  Page A7

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada10 Aug 2020, Mon  •  Page A5

Edward Van Cortlandt had a deep interest in the natural world and contributed greatly to the fields of geology, archeology and biology. He created a museum that was open to the public to display the geological and biological specimens he had collected from around the Ottawa area, as well as the indigenous artifacts, some of which came from the 5,000 year old indigenous burial ground he discovered along the Ottawa River.  Eventually his collection was broken up and used to seed the collections of other institution such as the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the Redpath Museum, The McCord Museum, the Geological Survey of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canadian Museum of History. Van Cortlandt was the first curator in Ottawa and his work went on to help create other world famous Museums. READ more here CLICK

CLIPPED FROM
Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada27 Feb 1866, Tue  •  Page 2

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Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada15 Jun 1850, Sat  •  Page

CLIPPED FROM
Ottawa Daily Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada18 Jan 1861, Fri  •  Page 1

Related reading:

Where Was Meyers Cave?

Meyer’s Cave — John Walden Meyers

THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY

Historical Caves — Pelissier’s Caves

Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

So Where Were the Caves in Carleton Place?

Now You see it, Now You Don’t: The Disappearing and Reappearing of the Tim Horton’s Subterranean

Muddy Beaver Cave

Our newest cave adventure took us (Rob, Mick, Jeff and myself) to the far Eastern end of Ontario. Our mission was to find this long known but not over explored cave. Rob brought this cave location to the attention of us caver’s and some prodding of the cave community showed that it has been explored sporadically in the past. The cave has been somewhat modified due to advancements of the infrastructure in the area in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Muddy Beaver Cave was renamed to cover the somewhat revealing original name. The cave consists of a large half flooded chamber with numerous side nooks and mini chambers. A variety of formations and a rumored aggravated beaver make for an interesting exploration. Enjoy the pics.

1910 cave found.. click on photo to read..
Since Kayley and I both had the privilege of having Holiday Monday free from the constraints of employment, we decided to get out of the house and do a little adventuring.
Our first stop was at the Bonnechere Caves in Eganville, Ontario. CLICK HERE TO READ__http://www.thecountlesswandering.com/tag/calabogie/

Franks Culvert Cave near Perth click here

THIS IS A STOCK PHOTO OF WHAT I Thought it might look inside.

Documenting Updates to THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY (2019) Part 2

Lost Ottawa
September 22, 2014  · 

Ottawa’s oldest bridge … Pooley’s Bridge near the Pumping Station in Lebreton Flats, built in 1873.
This is tailrace where water from the station flows back into the Ottawa. Now a white water canoeing course.
The bridge was named after Colonel Henry Pooley, who built the original wooden bridge on this spot for Colonel By. It is the oldest surviving bridge in Ottawa.CA 018817

The story

In July of 2019 I documented THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY. As Jaan Kolk once mentioned: Lieut. Pooley built quite a narrow bridge – out of round logs. That would have been the one still in place in 1858 when this story took place. (It was not replaced by a stone bridge until 1873.) There are “caves” under Pooley’s bridge‘ and they are said to go under the Fleet Street pumping station.

The Hub and the Spokes: Or, The Capital and Its Environs
By Anson Albert Gard

1888- pinterest

“At one time in the old Model school a rumor went around that some had discovered a cave near the town-end of Pooly’s Bridge, and a number of the boys arranged to meet with candles after school hours to explore it. As I was one of the small boys I was not invited, but I soon heard that the expedition was a failure, and that they could only go a short distance into the opening, which was simply a large scrape in the rock formation, which was later found to continue under the large hill behind, and could be seen on the surface in a field near Christ Church. When I visited this place some years later, I found that it had been made a dumping place for all sorts ot rubbish, and the same use had been made of the mouth.” –1923

“Well, the cave ran in an angular direction from the face of the hill towards Christ Church. We got in about 75 feet in a stooped position and then we had to get on our knees and we got about 40 feet further, when what found that ahead of us was only a large crevice n the rock.” Read more here-THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY.

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada23 Feb 1899, Thu  •  Page 4

The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada26 Apr 1930, Sat  •  Page 2

“The incident involved the discovery of a wide and deep fissure in the rock below Wellington street This discovery was made when corporation employee started to widen Wellington street just east of Pooley ‘ bridge. This work was being done in connection with the building of the pump bouse, and the general improvement of the locality. In order to widen the thorough fare considerable filling in had to be done on the north side of Wellington street at the juncture of Wellington with Pooley’s bridge. It was when the filling process was being considered that the presence of the fissure was discovered. It was found that beginning at the level of the water of the tail-race, about 30 or 30 feet east of Pooley’s bridge, there waa a large fissure in the rock wall which extended in a northerly direction. At the water edge the top of the fissure was about the height of a man and could be entered in an upright position. At that point it was about three feet wide, giving the appearance of a cave mouth.” read more below

CLIPPED FROM
The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada01 Mar 1930, Sat  •  Page 36

Comment-

from Andre Fillion

33 Somerset

I shared the original story by Samuel Cherry with his great-great grandson. I wasn’t sure of any family relationship, but knew that his ancestral home was 33 Somerset St. W., which was the address of Samuel Cherry. He was very grateful to be able to read of his great-great grandfather’s adventure when he was a boy. He has a family photo taken around the turn of the century of the entire Cherry family on the front veranda of 33 Somerset, if you’d like to see it. Andre Fillion

THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY. ( linda seccaspina 2019)

THE LEGEND OF POOLEY’S CAVE | OTTAWA REWIND( Andrew King 2021_

Historical Caves — Pelissier’s Cave

Where Was Meyers Cave?

Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of PerthSo Where Were the Caves in Carleton Place?

Now You see it, Now You Don’t: The Disappearing and Reappearing of the Tim Horton’s Subterranean

“Hey You Guys!” A Goonie Adventure on Brewery Creek

In the 1870’s there was talk of a cave near Brigham’s Creek rapids in Hull, Quebec. It is also said that Brigham’s Creek, also called Brewery Creek, which was originally a narrow inlet from the Ottawa River, (dry during the summer time in certain parts) was also the old Indian portage route for overcoming the rapids of the Chaudière. Similar to the Goonies movie there is an old story of a small gang of boys from Hull who used to scour the land for discovery and adventure. One day while playing on the side of Brigham’s Creek they discovered a cave on the south side of the rapids. The entrance side was about 4 feet high. Not big enough for pirates or a ship, but certainly large enough for a party of Hurons to hide from some surprise-party of Iroquois visitors.

A couple of the boys decided they had to enter this cave but it was too dark, so they visited a family in the neighborhood and borrowed a candle. Two of the more bolder kids ventured in and found the passage of the cave to be about ten feet long. It didn’t take long for the passageway to come to an abrupt end and morph into a five foot square foot room. But that wasn’t the end if you cared to continue the journey– you could head off to another passage that ran off to the left of the room– but if it was me, I would have ended it there– and so did the boys.

Old Pump House, Brewery Creek, Hull, P.Q.] [image fixe] / Frederick B. Taylor

The story of the boy’s discovery became gossip, and then folklore, and years later a couple of men found the cave and decided to go further, but never did reach the end of it. One of these men declared that while in the cave he had heard the trip hammer belonging to Walter’s Axe Factory on the Chaudiere Island. Hull is basically built on a swamp/pile of islands. The Brewery Creek does indeed connect to the Ottawa River in two places, but it flows into the Ottawa and not out of it.

So did the cave end on Chaudiere Island somewhere, or did it go further? The end of that cave was never found and the mystery remains unsolved. Upon further research I found a copy of the 1880 edition of Ottawa Field Naturalists Club Volume 1. It talks of Minnow’s Lake which was surrounded by ‘those tinder boxes which constitutes Wright’s Town’ and how both Minnow Lake and the sluggish Brigham Creek created an imperfect communication in the Spring which tapped at the natural cave just behind the storehouse at the old distillery causeway.

So as far the boys were concerned “the cave remained unknown territory” and we wonder if anyone knows the rest of the story.

Update–Rick HendersonA few corrections to the article: 1. Brewery Creek empties right before the mouth of the Gatineau River: its source is upstream from the Chaudière Falls. It essentially is a branch of the Ottawa River, making Old Hull an island. 2. The name Brewery Creek predates the name Brigham Creek. Brigham Creek was used by few people and for a relatively short time. 3. The lower portage (Portage-du-Bas) that was used to get past the falls was located where the Hull Slide was built. Brewery Creek had a set of falls on it and was historically too shallow in the summer to be used as a portage route by anyone. 4. The article mentions the Devil’s hole at the south bank of the mouth of the Lost Channel. It was a relatively small whirlpool that formed there, but the Lost Channel certainly did not “disappear” down the hole. The Buchanan Timber Slide was built in the Lost Channel. The legendary Devil’s Hole that was believed to be “a bottomless hole” was at the foot of the Little Chaudière Falls that were hidden when the Hydro station was built.

Christian Inkster

View of Brewery Creek from 1931, courtesy of https://ssimpkin.carto.com/, photo number A3331_29 (cropped). The creek is in the middle left area of photo, with Rue Montcalm just to the left of it. Tache Boulevard runs left to right in upper area. The modern day brew pub restaurant (Les Brasseurs des Temps) is in bottom left corner (where Montcalm crosses over the creek).

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
05 Dec 1894, Wed  •  Page 5

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
26 Dec 1899, Tue  •  Page 6

Bridge on Brewery Creek in Hull

What was to eventually became the Walters Axe Company actually started as H. Walters & Sons in 1889, although Henry T. Walters had purchased the company in 1886. Henry Walters had been the foreman of S. J. Tongue & Co. of Ottawa, Quebec,  in 1864. Two years later he was reportedly working as an axe maker in the factory of Sexton Washburn in Hull, Quebec. The family history indicated that Henry had actually purchased that company himself in 1886 but the company name wasn’t changed until 1889. It was then that it became H. Walters & Sons.

 Initially, the Walters sons involved were Henry, Jr., David and James. It wasn’t until sometime after another son, Morley,  graduated from McGill University in 1897 that he also became associated with the company. Morley had received a degree in engineering and by the time Henry, Sr. passed away in 1901, Morley was quite active in the business, rising to the presidency by 1912.

The company name was changed to the Walters Axe Co., Ltd., right around the time Morley took over in 1912. It was about then that Morley purchased the company and became president, a position he held until he too passed away. That was in 1969 when he was 101 years old. He had been the company president for 57 years.

All during that time the plant in Hull continued in operation. The company also maintained a manufacturing facility an warehouse in Ogdensburg, New York quite probably to accommodate the business activities that they were  engaged in within the United States. After Morley’s death, the company was sold. By 1973 axes were no longer in significant demand to continue the operation and the new company closed its doors. Yesteryear’s Tools

Michael Davidson‎Lost Ottawa

· November 16, 2015· 

The Lost Channel and the Devil’s Hole. I am thinking the channel was lost because the water fell through the Devil’s Hole, apparently a long subterranean passage.

THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY

Historical Caves — Pelissier’s Cave

Supreme Court of Canada

Attorney General and City of Hull v. Scott, (1904) 34 SCR 603

Date: 1904-04-27

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR QUEBEC (INTERVENANT)

Money, Dance Marathons, and Living in Lion Cages—The Ups and Downs of Luna Park

1. Where Was Meyers Cave?

2.  Meyer’s Cave — John Walden Meyers

   Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

   So Where Were the Caves in Carleton Place?

4. Now You see it, Now You Don’t: The Disappearing and Reappearing of the Tim Horton’s Subterranean

Caves and Mines

Lusk Caves

Brewery Creek Hydro Ruins – CapitalGems.ca

LAFLÈCHE CAVE

Meyer’s Cave — John Walden Meyers

Last week I had a lot of interest in the story I did in 2016 about Meyer’s Cave so this week I am adding more information. This is all about john Walden Meyers

John Walden Meyers was a Loyalist spy, Belleville founder and a true Canadian pioneer, but rumour still swirls around his brush with a fabled silver mine in Bon Echo provincial park.

John Walden Meyers died Nov. 22, 1821 at the age of 76. Family history says that he died of a fever contracted a few days earlier while loading goods’on a barge in a driving sleet. But there is another tale of Walden’s demise. It is his last and, in some ways, his most intriguing legend. ” The story goes that when Meyers noticed local native using silver to barter for goods, he convinced two of them to show him the source of the ore. In late fall, they canoed up the Moira River to Loon Lake and led Meyers overland to what is now a popular provincial park, Bon Echo.

Park officials say that Meyers may have, been the first non-native to see Mazinaw Lake, whose cliffs and pic-tographs have become park symbols. On such a cliff, according to legend, Meyers was shown a hidden underground passage lined with silver. He filled his pockets and started upon the return voyage with his Indian guides. But the natives had second thoughts about revealing the secret of the cave and pushed the old man overboard. Despite being weighed down by silver nuggets, he managed to make it to shore.

As the temperature, fell, he began the long, painful journey toward home, where he would succumb to the effects of his exposure though not, the story goes, before leaving a map to the cave. There have been other stories since, of descendants coming into sudden wealth, presumably after visits to the cave. Others have tried to find the cave over the decades. The legend has become part of Bon Echo’s lore, and there is a hamlet south of the park, Myer’s Cave, that takes its name (with a slightly different spelling of the family name) from the tales. You won’t find any reference to the mythic lost silver mine on the plaque dedicated to John Walden Meyers on .the,-banks of the Moira River in Belleville, nor on the memorial commissioned by his descendants in a local church. But, two centuries after Meyers’ death, and despite a Canadian penchant for obscuring the most interesting stories of the country’s past, the legend lingers on, as tenacious as the real-life Canadian pioneer who spawned it.

In 1891, miners were stationed near the Meyer’s Cave area and discovered a narrow passage that led to a surreal cavern. Stairs were carved out of the rock in the cavern and they descended about 100 feet to a hidden chamber. In the chamber were tools, Aboriginal artifacts, and a pool of water that extended to a subterranean lake that led to a cave full of silver stalactites. It is said that the miners sealed the cave so that they can return to it and claim the riches inside, but there was never any confirmation that they actually did that.

Where Was Meyers Cave?

THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY

Historical Caves — Pelissier’s Cave

Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

So Where Were the Caves in Carleton Place?

1. 1. 1. 1. Now You see it, Now You Don’t: The Disappearing and Reappearing of the Tim Horton’s Subterranean

THE CAVE AT POOLEY’S BRIDGE STORY

 

 

 

CLIPPED FROM

The Ottawa Journal
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
23 Jan 1899, Mon  •  Page 7

 

The following text is taken from the Wikipedia site concerning LeBreton Flats.

“Pooley’s Bridge, Ottawa’s oldest bridge, is a stone arch bicycle/pedestrian bridge located in Ottawa’s LeBreton Flats east of the Canadian War Museum and south of the Portage Bridge. The three span closed spandrel stone arch structure, built in 1873, was designated as a heritage structure by the City of Ottawa in 1994. It is located beside the Fleet Street Pumping Station (Ottawa’s original water works) at the end of Fleet Street.

“The bridge is located at 9 Fleet Street, at the southwest edge of Bronson Park. It is very near and southeast of LeBreton Flats’ first new condo unit. It is south (but beyond some grassy area) of where Wellington Street meets the Portage Bridge. The city describes it as “over the channel tailrace of the Fleet Street Pumping Station”. The City waterworks building, including the pumping station and the aqueduct were designated as heritage in 1982 under the Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act.

“Pooley’s Bridge is one of six stone arch bridges in the Lebreton Flats, all built circa 1873, all are Heritage Bridges and all are designated to serve as pedestrian/bicycle facilities only. The five other bridges are all single span stone arch bridges over the aqueduct, west of Pooley’s Bridge. They are: Canada Central Railway Bridge, Broad Street Bridge, Lloyd Street Bridge, Grand Trunk Railway Bridge and Lett Street Bridge. The first bridge is owned by the National Capital Commission, second, third and fifth by the City of Ottawa and the fourth bridge is under the Region’s ownership. The third, fourth and fifth bridges are connected together.

“The condition of Pooley’s Bridge has been of concern for a number of years. It was necessary to undertake the controlled removal operations on the bridge in 1994, to ensure public safety. Due to anticipated failures, it was necessary in 1999, for the City of Ottawa to file an Application to Alter and make repairs to five other stone arch bridges in the area. The repairs required at the five stone arch bridges were relatively minor, but expensive.”

 

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place and The Tales of Almonte

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun  Screamin’ Mamas (USA)  and The Sherbrooke Record

Historical Caves — Pelissier’s Cave

1. 1. 1. 1. Where Was Meyers Cave?

            Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

            So Where Were the Caves in Carleton Place?

         3. Now You see it, Now You Don’t: The Disappearing and Reappearing of the Tim Horton’s Subterranean

Historical Caves — Pelissier’s Cave

Shortly after his arrival here in 1872, Lord Dufferin, Governor General, and his party paid a visit to Pelissier’s Cave in Cantley. They went up in the vice regal carriages, accompanied by a couple of Weldon Champness’ best victorias, which, filled by invited guests and driven by Mr. Champness’ best drivers. One of these was John Regan. Pelissier’s Cave at that time was in its infancy.

It had only a short time previously been discovered. The vice regal party went up well provided with eatables, which were carried in the quite proper type of English lunch hampers. The vice regal coachman and footmen prepared the luncheon and served the meal. Lord Hamilton, Lady Dufferin’s brother, was one of the party. Mr. Regan says Lord Hamilton was a distinguished looking six-footer.

At that period the entrance to Pelissier’s Cave was so small that it had to be entered on hands and knees. Mr. Pelissier had made for the descent a number of short lengths of ladder. These, when required, were bolted together to give the necessary length. A Good Climber. Mr. Regan says that though the descent was quite risky for even a man, Lady Dufferin showed absolutely no fear and descended and ascended the ladders in quite a business-like manner. The Dufferins enjoyed themselves greatly. They dropped stones into the lake at the bottom of the cave, shouted for echoes and marvelled at the beauty of the cave.

© Gatineau Valley Historical Society

La Caverne de Pelliers. The Caverns of Pelissier

Image Reference: CD-004/01758-002.jpg
Date: c 1900
Photographer: A.T. Tardif, Hull, Quebec.
Location: Wilson’s Corners, Cantley, Quebec, Canada

Post card of the Pelissier Caverns at Wilson’s Corners aka Lafleche Caves.

Lord and Lady Dufferin Make a Winter Visit to Cantley

by Mary Holmes

It’s the depth of winter in 1874 in Canada. What better winter-time outing for Queen Victoria’s representative in Canada, the Governor General and Lady Dufferin, than a trip by horse and sleigh to Cantley, in the wilds of the Gatineau Valley bush. They set off to visit what we now know as Laflêche Cave on Thursday, February 19, 1874. According to reminiscences of one of the drivers, John Regan, in an ‘Old Time Stuff’ column in the Ottawa Citizen on April 7, 1928, they went up in the vice regal carriages, accompanied by a couple of Weldon Champness’s best victorias (carriages) which were driven by Mr. Champness’s best drivers. One of these was John Regan himself. Pelissier’s Cave had only been discovered a short time before their visit.

Read more here.. CLICK

1. 1. 1. Page 22
         

         Clipped from

         1. The Ottawa Journal,
         2. 30 May 1887, Mon,
         3. Page 3Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and theSherbrooke Record and and Screamin’ Mamas (USACome and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place. Tales of Almonte and Arnprior Then and Now.
            

            Where Was Meyers Cave?

            Snow Road Adventures- Hikes in the Old Cave — From the Pen of Noreen Tyers of Perth

            So Where Were the Caves in Carleton Place?

         5. Now You see it, Now You Don’t: The Disappearing and Reappearing of the Tim Horton’s Subterranean