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West Tiny Towns vuns simcoe county Right on our doorstep hip and Christian Island an area steeped in history and religion By BRIAN BAKER CHRISTIAN ISLAND Oct 23 of last year promised to be one of the last and few reasonably nice Sundays of the year prompting us to take trip up through westcentral Tiny Township with Christian Island as our goal North of Elmvale we turned west off Highway 27 onto Coun ty Road where we peeked in at the old Cranberry Lake game and nature reserve great artificially flooded area Jetween Concessions and of Iiny Over hundred species of iative birds have been reported rom this conservation area vhich is closed throughout the ear until the official fall hun ng season to hunters but open tall times to nature lovers Ducks and geese in season iake some of the best hunting in Ontario possible at this site Certain sections are maintain ed as refuges even during the hunting season Fish also thrive in the shallow waters made ac cessible by earth causeways Better stay away from here in week or twos time when the hunting season opens up advised bird watcher with binoculars around his neck When the ducks come in and the guns open up it sounds like full scale war It was with some sadness that we noted the destruction of the old North Simcoe Barrie to Penetang railway NR built in 187 to serve the booming lumber industry The treelined track elevation minus the tracks trestle bridge or two few piles of ties are all that remain At the 51h Line we turned cast short distance to see the old IYances Sandy lay preacher displays two birch bark col lection plates made by the ladies of Christian Island Lnited Mission Church Brian Baker Photo hum Gerogian Bays icy cold waters off the shores of Tiny Ilownshlp and Christian Island come whiteflsh like the specimen just caught by this Indian lad Brian Baker Photo Wyevale Mill which stands almost recariously high above the emgankments of the Wye River Across the road is the millpond raceway carries the water to the waterpowered mill which is still used occas sionally for the demonstration ofwaterpowered grist milling Wyevale is pretty little village mile up the county road which came into ex istance as railway village 0n Concession halfway between Wyevale and Perkinsfield we stopped at the Ossossane Bone pit where in the early 16005 the great martyr saint Jean de Brebeuf witnesses the mass burial of the bones of thousand Huron In dians Although the bones have been removed some of which may be viewed in Midlands Huronia Museum the pit still remains in the middle of pasture field resembling bomb crater 30 feet across Perkinsfield is dominated by its Roman Catholic church with its steeple featuring an open work bulbous base topped by black steeple It is said to be copy of church in France the location of which historians have failed to locate The sideroad took us down to the waters of Georgian Bay which at this point were in direct line with the full sweep of wind coming across the top of Lake Huron We walked out onto breakwater of giant boulders several feet in diameter The deep green water heaved ominously against the deep side and jets of spray spurted up several feet as the waves shat tered in white foam expending energy built up hundred miles away in Lake Huron LIVELY FRENCH Stopping for gas at the north intersection of County Road 26 with County Road we were momentarily startled to hear cmversation going on in lively French The girl at the counter of the store switched easily to English while speaking to us and back to French while speaking to the local customers As we turned west along Road 26 we looked across the valley to Lafontaiiie we were reminded of old Quebec Barns houses and buildings of the village are crowded close to the road rather than being set fur ther back from the road as in most of Upper Canada All identified in French the schools stores CoOp parish hall and Catholic church topped by high golden cross seem to make closelyknit French Canadian community We are trying to retain our identity as French Canadians not in defiance but because it has been our tradition ex plained Gilbert Robitaille At one time you never heard English spoken in this com munity but all this is changing as more tourists and summer cottagers are moving in think you will find we are generally easyto getalong with Just east of Lafontaine village stands dramatic monument of Chirst nailed to the cross and three mourners marking the crossing of an an cient Huron Indian trail from Christian Island to the Midland trail Here and again at the in tersection of the Cedar Point sideroad and Concession 18 we noted road stop signs read AR RET At the Concession 18 comer where we turned west again stands log house and just across the road on the north side is grotto and the Virgin Mary IIRSI ASS At point immediately south of where wellmarked Cedar Point Road turns noth again at lot 21 on Concession 111 we tum ed south down long land bordered by pine plantation on one side and stately row of poplar trees on the other We came oiil into large clearing lltlll tlic cent re of which an im posing stone cross 10 feet tall marked the site of the first Mass held in Upper Canada This is the historic site of the Huron Village of Carhagouha where on August 12 1615 the Reeollect Father le Caron held fir the benefit of the native lluron Indians in the presence of famed explorercolonizer Samuel de Champlain the first Mass in Upper Canada Color ful shrubs and evergreens sur round this monument erected by the Knights of Columbus of Ontario At where Concession 22 would normally be we turned left at Cedar Point where sign notified us that we had now entered Indian Reservation No 30A Wishing to take picture of some Indian children these children turned tables on me and insisted that first allow them to take some pictures with ny new camera My wife looked on in amaze ment as let each child take my camera not the kind you buy with cereal box tops to snap picture including one of myself standing with their pals Whenwe walked doWn to the dock and the diesel ferry Hoey we decided that pollution has not yet reached this point Sand ripple marks showed clearly through fathom of water and further out we could see 20inch and better fish swimming at 10 and 12 feet ROUGH CROSSING As the ferry pulled out into fourmile wide Christian Chan nel the waves that were runn ing with white tops began to catch the ferry in cross waves created by the conformation of the islands As the boat rose in one direction cross current would catch it from the side and try to make you land flat on your face reminding us that Great Lakes freighter seaman had once told us that they would always prefer to ride out storm at sea than on the Great Lakes An Indian lad told us that when it is rough it still affects him though he regularly uses the ferry Ahead of us loomed the low profile of Christian Island to the north Beckwith Island and in between and much further out stood Hope Island and far to the northeast ledgendary Giants Tomb Island Jesuit priest Rev Harry Bedard of Pickering going over to take the Catholic ser vice in the absence of the regular priest was thrilled that we would trouble to take our lit tle boy on such trip He com mented that the blue sky looked like great cathedral vault and the whole experience of taking this service would be long remembered by him At the Christian Island dock one young Native in bright yellow waterproof coveralls stood in his boat offering for sale freshlycaught white fish of 10 to 12 pounds which filled the bottom of his boat UNITEI CHURCH First we visited the United Church where we were shown around by lay preacher Fran cis Sandy He showed us collec tion plates made by birch bark by the ladies of the church hymn books in English and Ojibway and the honor roll naming forth Island Natives who fought in the Second World War including names like King Stinson McCue Monague Jackson Missapa Rithcie Copegog Ruet Marsden He pointed out plaque carv ed by his daughters to their grandfather Simpson King It reads Beloved Grandfather one we loved has not passed on How sad for us and all relations to see you once so happy and full of life Your sons daughters and grandchildren all weep for you in tiresome state and yet you smiled to see us all just before you leave Our memory shall once we meet We had an interesting talk with white school teacher Brian Walser who is married to native Ojibway girl and who lives in home that must be unique in Simcoe County home attached to Christian Island Public School He told us that he enjoys teaching on Christian Island In the near future this white frame building will be replaced by modern school to be built in the lot next to old Fort SainteMarie II new day care centre was built in 1976 LUMBER INDUSTRY Gary Sandy told us that the island has thriving lumber in dustry sawmill and charcoal plant Christian Island supports good growth of pine and oak and almost untouched stands of timber are awaiting the lumbermen on Bcchwith Island We went on to visit the craft shop filled with native crafts in colorful beadwork carvings and leatherwork At the Catholic church we noted the colorful replica of Jesus in the steepled belfry as well as the rows of largely unnamed wooden crosses marking Native graves Just down the road overlook ing the water we found Sainte Marie II built in 1649 by the Jesuits who fled to this island after the disasterous attacks made by the Iroquois Indians against the Huron Nation Here some 7000 Huron Chris tians found refuge from attack but not from starvation and disease which killed thousands of their numbers before they fl edto Quebec withthe Jesuits Within about an hour the ferry was ready to return us to the mainland concluding our visit to very different very fascinating corner of Simcoe County This imposing cross marks the site of historic Indian village called Carhagouha site of the first Catholic Mass held iii Upper Canada and also county calendar Seek support If enough interest is shown South Simcoe Soil and Crop Im provement Assomation plans to sponsor workshop meetings on white beans and soybeans Specialists will be brought into deal With production disease insect and weed control machinery etc Any interested persons should contact Chuck Kingsbury at 4355521 Allistonl Seminar today OThe 1978 Beef Management seminars will be held today and Wednesday at the Continental Inn The meetings start last from 10 am and 330 pm The cowecalf seminar will be held today and the Fecdlot seminar Wednesday All producers are welcome to attend both seminars which are sponsored by the Simcoe Cattlemans Association Membership drive 0A membership drive for the North Simcoe Soil and Crop Im provement Association is now The fee is $2 and membership maybe obtained by contacting member of the executive PreSident Russell Maw RRl Minesing first vicepresident Don Bell RRZ Coldwater Bert Schaly RR New Lowell and Don Bell RRl Elmvale secretarytreasurers Open meeting OThe Ontano Grain Corn Council is holding an open meeting for corn producers at the Canadiana Hotel Kennedy Road Toronto Feb 14 The meeting will deal with outlook stabliza tion and marketing among other relavent tOpics visited by Samuel de Champlain in 1615 Located on the north half of lot 21 Con cession 18 Tiny Township this monument was erected by the Knights of Colum bus of Ontario Brian Baker Photo Della Irene Culhani of Main Street East in Stayner correctly identified last weeks Know Your County quiz as Byng Public School in Stayner As winner Miss Culham receives two steaks from and Discount Barrie and Angus If you know the answer to this weeks quiz send it along with your name and address to Know Your County The Examiner Box 370 Barrie AM 4T6 Examiner Photo