Friday, October 14, 2022

A Rough Lumber Town

 John By being a military officer, it made sense for him to have enlisted military men, most of them of one trade or another, to be part of the Rideau Canal project, working alongside and leading the civilian men also working on it.


It was a project of thousands, and many of them died in accidents or of illness. This also applied to their families.


Some of the tools and equipment of that time are in this display case.


Bytown would become a focal point of the timber industry in North America at this time.


This table, featuring thousands of pieces of inlaid wood, was created by a manager at the E.B. Eddy company and displayed at the Philadelphia World's Fair in 1876.


The painting here is of J.R. Booth- the pre-eminent timber baron of the age in Canada. Artifacts of his life are below.


Throughout the Ottawa Valley and beyond in the 19th century and into the early 20th, the lumber industry went on- heedless of consequences, with no thought of sustainable logging- with many men taking part in it.


A display case here includes some typical lumberman's items. Note the studded boots- absolutely essential for maneuvering on a collection of logs in the water.


One of them led a life that became a legend. Joseph Montferrand ranged across the Ottawa Valley, and stories were told about him down through time that made him larger than life. Stories are still being told about him.


I close today with a close up of that sash.

34 comments:

  1. The lumber industry has been vital in Finland too.

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    1. If it's done in a sustainable way it is effective.

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  2. Interesting to read their true life stories and also to see the tools they used.

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  3. Looking back, it is almost unimaginable how many large projects were completed with little more than the use of bare hands.

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  4. Hello,
    Great exhibit, I like the table and the pretty sash. Have a great day and a happy weekend.

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  5. Interesting to read ! There are so many things I learn through blogs

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  6. These tools look they will crumble any time. A dedicated exhibit just for John B

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  7. ...it's amazing that big projects ever got done back then.

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  8. You are right about heedless. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

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  9. They accomplished so much with just manpower compared to today with all our machinery.

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  10. One can only imagine how hard this work was!

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  11. The table is some great piece of art!!

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  12. Wonderful post and photos about the Canal building ~


    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  13. The table is a beautiful piece of art and the sash is gorgeous, I like the colours.

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  14. The inlaid wood is spectacular!

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  15. The inlaid wood is amazing. A fitting post for those long gone and the hard physical work they did all those years ago.

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  16. Hard and dangerous work. A part of the Pacific Northwest life.

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