It’s Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty!
From Muskoka Digital Archives and the historical marker database: View of waterfront, swing bridge, S.S. Algonquin, Huntsville, Ontario. Can you see the swing bridge?
This postcard is from sometime in the early 1900s, sent from Huntsville to Port Carling.
Report of the Commissioner of Public Works in 1901: “Bridge at Huntsville – Provision was made in estimates for the present year for the construction of a new bridge across the North Branch of the Muskoka River in the Town of Huntsville to take the place of one erected by the Department in 1884, which had become decayed to such an extent as to endanger the safety of the public…It will consist of one swinging span 135 feet in length, and fixed span 69 feet, 9 inches, for a total length along the centre line of 204 feet, 9 inches, all of which, except the joists and flooring, will be of steel.”
The key lever to swing this bridge is now at Muskoka Heritage Place in Huntsville, Ontario.
A steel swing bridge replaced the wooden one in 1902. Three years later, in 1905, the Portage Flyer Railway was completed between Peninsula Lake and Lake of Bays. People and freight were then able to travel by steamer and train to Lake of Bays.
The present-day swing bridge was erected in 1938 due largely to the increasing popularity of the automobile; the steamboats were discontinued in 1958. Later the swing bridge mechanism of the bridge was dismantled; however, its most prominent architectural feature, the bridgemaster’s cabin, remains. A focal point of the community, the bridge was rehabilitated in 2000, the Town of Huntsville’s centennial year. (Infomation compiled from Muskoka Digital Archives and The Historical Marker Database).
See more Wayback Wednesday photos here.
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Allen Markle says
Great to see these old photos, paintings and post cards. There are books and stories describing most of what is in this card. The old marina site, the hospital, the boats, and the mountain which still shows the scars of it having burned over. The postcard is important because it is a survivor.
But for someone who is interested in the history of this town, I know that somewhere, someone has a photo, card, or note that will add to the accumulation of information we have. It is inspiring for me to find such a piece of history.
To open that piece of paper and read information that was exchanged between people 90, 100 or more years ago, is sort of humbling. Sometimes it just casual comments between folk, but sometimes it’s gold.
I look for it all, but am particularly fond of the gold.
Keep the faith.
And keep looking.
Sandy McLennan says
Innaresting post card and story. Huntsville’s centennial was in 1986, not 2000. Anyone still have one of those giant pencils or other branded souvenirs?