Restoring The Trapper's Cabin

My recollections of the Trapper’s cabin bear a remarkable similarity to Bruce Ryan’s (see Trapper's Cabin). As a camper in the early 1960’s, I remember the Trapper’s Cabin as a derelict building whose sole purpose was to mark the beginning of the canoe portage from Kennabi to the Beaver Pond and thence to Yankton Lake, the Mud Portage, Grace Lake, Dark Lake and the town of Wilberforce.

Al MacLellan, John Beaton, Dave Smith and Dave Reeve pittin' before installing the new floor. In 1972, a number of staff embarked on the restoration of the trapper’s cabin. The restoration planning occurred during the summer of 1972. Staff participants included: Ian Jones (63-67,71-73,99-01), Dave Reeve (68-72), David Smith (69-74), John Beaton (69-70,72), Terry Trussler (65-72), Gord Sisler (70-73), and John Cruickshank (69-72). The actual restoration occurred at the end of the summer during post-camp.

I was able to contact some of the participants while preparing this article. Terry Trussler mailed me a collection of pictures, many of which appear here. I found out some significant details:

Dave Reeve appeared to have had a significant role in steering the project from start to finish.
The Regional Council “found” funds to support the restoration.
For the sake of authenticity, (and probably to save money) replacement boards for the roof and floor were obtained as rough cut lumber from a mill located at East Bay Road and Highway 121.

The cabin was essentially completed that fall. The “artifacts” and displays grew over the years through the efforts of various HSR staff alumni who worked as “trappers” during the summers. The contribution of the 1972 crew and the subsequent work of staff working each summer as “The Trapper” has ensured that this unique HSR resource continues to entertain and educate new campers, and maintains an important link to the past history of the property.

Editor’s Postscript
Len White in the doorway of the Trapper's Cabin. When I discussed the idea of transposing two articles about the Trapper’s Cabin in the Fall Issue with members of the Executive, I was told of a book which had a picture of the Trapper’s Cabin in it. The book is called “Me‘n Len, Life in the Haliburton Bush 1900 - 1940” by Richard Pope. The picture in the book, reproduced here, shows Len Holmes, the subject of the book, in the door of the Trapper’s Cabin, probably in the 1930’s or 1940’s.

In the book, the cabin is described as a hunting and fishing cabin and belonging to Ken White. However, the book also mentions Ken White’s death of pneumonia around this same time. The book makes reference to Archie Scott, and also “Black Archie” and “Stringer Archie” but not in reference to this cabin. Did the cabin become Archie’s after Ken White’s death? Was Len Holmes’ recollection of Ken’s ownership of the cabin in error? Or was “ownership” of hunting and fishing cabins a casual thing? We may never know.....