Michael’s Bay Historical archives brings another fond reminiscence of ghost town

To the Expositor:

The first time I saw Michael’s Bay I was eight. At that time we lived at the five corners. Archie Lockheart, who worked in Michael’s Bay, boarded and spent weekends with us. My mother washed and mended his clothes. If he didn’t have a ride back to the village he had to walk, so my brother and I were to drive him to the ‘new house,’ a boarding house at the intersection of the Michael’s Bay and Government Road. We took him all the way instead, even though we weren’t supposed to go that far. It was a rare event when we got away from home and we were determined to make the most of it.

The road was excellent, hard packed as a city street. The air crisp and clear and the snow had that peculiar squeak by which one knows that it is very cold. We had no bells on our horse, which resulted in our meeting Robert Sims Sr. and his sleigh on the long narrow ‘S bridge’ that traversed a swamp and creek which flows from Cranberry Lake into the Manitou River. Mr. Sims was quite incensed that we had no bells to serve as a warning. We passed safely and went into town, which, to our country boy eyes seemed quite a place. After looking it over, we headed for home. That hard-packed road impressed me. There was lots of traffic over it, loads of logs going to the river, skid ways and freighting of supplies from Manitowaning for the lumber camp. It was travelled too by the people of the surrounding area as Michael’s Bay was the trading centre for them. I used the word ‘trading’ as cold cash was not so plentiful in those days and most of the dealing was done by barter. Farmers took their produce such as grain, hay, butter and eggs to exchange for sugar, tea, flour and tobacco. Not so much flour was traded as most grew wheat and had it ground into flour at the grist mill. After the deal was made there might be a few cents left to buy a swatch of calico for the wife or a bag of candy for the kids. Many of the farmers with their horses worked for the lumber company in the winter. They charged their purchases and this was deducted from their wages paid in the spring. Fishermen from South Baymouth sometimes took their catch there to exchange for the necessities of life. They came by boat, when the weather permitted, or by the eighth line road. This road was also used by people from the Slash and those coming in from Hilly Grove and Manitowaning. Two creeks crossed it, the Blue Jay and Black Creek both spanned by bridges long since gone. Hugh Gallagher’s mill was located on the Blue Jay and the Hilson lumber camp was on this road also.

From the files of Michael’s Bay Historical Society, ‘Manitoulin Family Trees’ and ‘Through the Years.’

Doug Tracy, on behalf of the Friends of Michael’s Bay

For more information email email dtracy3@vianet.ca

or call 705-368-0847