oakville rem em bered · F e b ru a ry 2002 · Page 17 Half-Moon Valley Trail APPROXIMATELY 14,000 YEARS AGO a warming climate brought about the end of the last ice age and Bronte Creek found its beginning in the melting of millions of tons of ice and snow. As the volume of meltwater increased and sought lower levels of land, the erosive forces of moving water craved out an impressive river valley. The valley, considered very young on a geological time scale, is rapidly getting deeper. ed in the Half-Moon Valley. The local bedrock of Queenston shale weathered to form a red clay which was collected, shaped and fired in the kiln to make brick. Bricks from the kiln were used to build a local 1860's schoolhouse. The school was located on the tableland across the ravine. The Fred Breckon house, located near Spruce Lane Farm, was also constructed of brick made within the park in the past, the watercourse of Bronte Creek carved out a crescent shaped valley that can be clearly seen today. The water course has since shifted to the northeast and now water seeps from the valley slope to be trapped in the depression of the former riverbed. Over many hundred years the riverbed filled in, but the wet conditions of the site slowed the decay of dead plant material, cre ating a deep, black, humus soil. The cool, wet conditions resulted in he growth of some trees and plants atypical of the park. These include Red Ash, Tamarack and Yellow Birch. In another section of Half-Moon Valley a meadow can be found. It is unusual that this meadow has remained untreed for so long while forest grows all around it. Perhaps this area served as the collection site for clay to supply the brick kiln. Removal of the soil to the shale layer would have left a dry, rock like surface inhospitable to plants. After 1874, when the kiln ceased to oper ate, pockets of soil would have begun to col lect here. The process would have taken many years, and even then, only the hardiest of weeds and grasses would have been able to survive. These plants would continue to trap wind, blown soil, and as they died and decayed year after year, they would add organic mater to the site. Today, after more than 100 years of soil building, conditions are finally suitable for the invasion of trees and shrubs. Eastern White Pine, White Ash and American Elm, plus shrubs such as Staghom Sumac, Hawthorn and Honeysuckle are found growing in the mead ow. As this process of "natural succession" continues, the forest will once again claim her own. At the creek one should pause for a moment and reflect upon the vital role that it has played in the settlement of the area. Imagine that it is the fall of 1850. James White, a lumber merchant and farmer, has recently completed a sawmill upstream on the opposite bank of Bronte Creek. The trees around you are White Pine; tall, straight, towering 60feet into the air before even the first branch. Shouts of "Timber" echo off the valley walls as these giants crash to the ground. The smell of a potash fire floats on the cool heavy air, smarting the eyes and nos trils. Teams of horses are hooked tot he fall en logs. Their traces snap tight as they put their strength into the pull. It is a long, ardu ous trip to the riverbank and the mill. The lumber will be used to build schooners and fishing boats. Some of the lumber has already been used in the construction of the Welland Canal. Today the Bronte Creek valley is markedly different from yesteryear. The vegetation is second growth, the water table is significantly lower and the gasoline engine has replaced the horse. The extensive use of Bronte Creek by early settlers has had negative impacts on the water. Milldams made it difficult for salmon and tout to reach upstream spawning beds. Spawning attempts were further impeded when rotting bark, knocked free during the many log drives, soiled the gravel river bot tom. Tannins that were toxic to fish were released into the water by the bark. Today the great logging era is but a memory. The (See 'Buried' page 18) BY SHEILA WIEBE Glacial meltwaters began to collect in a gigantic basin known as Lake Iroquois. This ancestor of Lake Ontario had higher water levels than exist today. At some unknown point, the water level of the lake quickly dropped causing the river water to flow faster. The river cut downward into the bedrock, becoming narrower and exposing a relatively flat plateau of land called a terrace. The water level dropped three times, creating three terrace formations. Settlement of the area began in the early 1800's when Half-Moon Valley was desig nated as a reserve for the Mississauga. It is said that the Chief rode a handsome white stallion and, according to a local legend, the stallion can still be seen parading through the valley on misty summer evenings. The reservation land was sold after 1820 and Europeans began to settle in the valley. Between 1849 and 1874 a brick kiln operat Cryrv>e> 0* 'M b * )}/ Then and N O W 1915 MULTI MOTOR WASHERS · MAYTAG NEPTUNE WASHER - The World's first washer with touchscreen controls The Turbo cleanTM wash system removes tough stains Oversize capacity means fewer loads and lower utility costs Customization wash feature that lets you create, name and store your favourite cycles Like we said: We've come a long way! Maytag had utilized Ringer Washers until 1984. In 1997 Maytag revolutionized the washing machine with a front loader. 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