Muskoka River As Viewed in 1870 by Thomas MacMurray

At the fork in the Muskoka Rivers, North and South in Bracebridge- Photos by Fred Schulz

THE MUSKOKA RIVER AS VIEWED IN 1870, BY THOMAS MCMURRAY

THE MUSKOKA RIVER HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE CENTRE OF LOCAL LORE

     "THE MUSKOKA RIVER IS VERY ATTRACTIVE, AND CELEBRATED FOR THE PERFECT REFLECTION WHICH IS EVERYWHERE NOTICEABLE - IN FACT, SOME DECLARE THAT IN THIS RESPECT, IT IS EQUAL TO THE FAR-FAMED LAKES OF KILLARNEY."

     "THE VILLAGE OF BRACEBRIDGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IN THE DISTRICT OF MUSKOKA; IT IS SITUATED IN THE SOUTH-WEST PORTION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MACAULAY, ELEVEN MILES NORTH OF GRAVENHURST, ON THE NORTH BRANCH OF THE MUSKOKA RIVER, AT WHAT IS KNOWN AS NORTH FALLS, ABOUT FIVE MILES FROM ITS INFLUX WITH LAKE MUSKOKA," WROTE MCMURRAY, MUSKOKA'S FIRST ACTING HISTORIAN.

     "WHEN THE WRITER FIRST VISITED IN MUSKOKA, IN 1861, THERE WAS NOT A TREE CUT NOR A SETTLER TO BE FOUND ON THE PRESENT SITE - ALL WAS A DENSE FOREST; IN FACT, THERE WAS NO ROAD TO IT, AND THE ONLY MEANS OF CROSSING THE RIVER WAS BY WALKING OVER A PINE LOG WHICH FORTUNATELY SPANNED THE STREAM, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU WAS A DANGEROUS EXPERIMENT." IF YOU HAVE SEEN PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS (ONLINE) OF THE CATARACT BELOW THE SILVER BRIDGE, AS VIEWED IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, IMAGINE WALKING ACROSS A SLIPPERY PINE LOG WITHOUT A HAND-RAIL.

     "THE GRAND MUSKOKA FALLS, ARE ALWAYS ATTRACTIVE TO TOURISTS (CIRCA 1870), AND MUCH ADMIRED BY LOVERS OF NATURE. IN THE SPRING OF 1866, A SCENE OF UNUSUAL INTEREST PRESENTED ITSELF.  IN FORMER YEARS THE SPRAY HAD FORMED AN ARCH OVER THE FALLS, BUT ON THIS OCCASION IT ASSUMED THE FORM OF A CONE WITH A CRATER, AND FROM ITS MOUTH THE SPRAY CAME BOILING FORTH, IN AWFUL GRANDEUR, ASCENDING AT LEAST 100 FEET. IT MIGHT BE COMPARED TO A MIGHTY, MASSIVE SILVER FOUNTAIN, SENDING FORTH ITS SPARKLING WATERS. ANY ONE WHO HAS WITNESSED VESUVIUS (VOLCANO) BURNING IN HIS FURY, MAY FORM SOME CONCEPTION OF THIS GRAND SITE. AS I GAZED UPON THE SCENE A DOUBLE RAINBOW SPANNED THE FALLS; COUNTLESS ICICLES WERE HANGING FROM THE BRANCHES OF THE TALL PINES AS THEY BENT GRACEFULLY OVER THE CATARACT, AND I WISHED THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE PRIVILEGED WITH THE SIGHT. I DROVE SOME DISTANCE IN ORDER TO GET AN ARTIST (PHOTOGRAPHER) TO TAKE A NEGATIVE, BUT THE SPRAY WAS SO GREAT THAT A GOOD PICTURE COULD NOT BE OBTAINED. MULTITUDES OF THOSE WHO LOVE THE SUBLIME AND PICTURESQUE, TAKE A TRIP HITHER ONCE A YEAR; AND, WHEN WE CONSIDER THAT THE FALLS ARE 175 FEET IN HEIGHT, AND THAT 3,670 TONS OF WATER PER MINUTE, RUSH THROUGH THIS NARROW MOUNTAIN GORGE, AND DESCEND TO THE BASIN BENEATH, WITH A VOICE LIKE THUNDER, IT IS NOT TO BE WONDERED, AT THE VISITORS FROM ALMOST EVERY PART OF THE CONTINENT, HAVE CARVED THEIR NAMES ON THE BRIDGE THAT SPANS THE GRAND MUSKOKA FALLS. THE WRITER IS NOT A LITTLE PROUD OF THE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO CARVE HIS NAME ON THAT WONDERFUL RECORD."

THE MUSKOKA RIVER IN THE POET'S EYES

    A DABBLER IN POETRY, THOMAS MCMURRAY WROTE THUSLY, ABOUT THE RAGE OF THE RIVER, IN HIS POEM, "MUSKOKA," PUBLISHED IN HIS SETTLERS' GUIDEBOOK, IN 1870, GIVING SOME EARLY PERSPECTIVE TO JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL BUT DANGEROUS THE WATER WAY WAS, DURING THE SPRING SEASON. HE WRITES;

     "THE CALM, UNRUFFLED RIVER QUIET FLOWS, SAVE WHEN SOME SUDDEN BREEZE MARS ITS REPOSE, OR WHEN SOME SCALY TENANT OF THE FLOOD, DARTS FORTH HIS SHINY LENGTH, IN QUEST OF FOOD; OR O'ER ITS SMOOTH AND PLACID SURFACE GLIDES, THE FRAGILE BARK CANOE THE SKILFULL INDIAN GUIDES.

     "BUT SEE NOW, BURSTING THROUGH THE NARROW GORGE, ITS WILDLY RUSHING TORRENT SEETHE AND SURGE, ONE BOILING MASS OF FOAM; FROM ROCK TO ROCK, IT FALLS, IT BOUNDS, WITH QUICK SUCCESSIVE SHOCK, THE THUNDERING NOISE THE ROCKY BANKS RESOUND; AND THEN WAKEN COUNTLESS FOREST ECHOES FAR AROUND.

     "THE ROCKS TOSS UP THE FOAM IN SPORTIVE PLAY, AND GLITTERING RAINBOWS SPARKLE IN THE SPRAY; THE AWFUL SCENE, THE DEAF'NING ROAR APPALLS, SUBLIME, MAJESTIC, GRAND MUSKOKA FALLS; THAT MOCK THE PUNY ARTS OF MAY, AND STAND WONDROUS WORK OF AN ALMIGHTY HAND."

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BRACEBRIDGE AND HUNTSVILLE

     As far back as Thomas McMurray, in the 1860's, there is considerable reverence afforded the north and south branches of the Muskoka River. Their unpredictable nature provided picturesque scenery at times, and evoked fear at others. Just as they are viewed at present, to be so dangerous with spring run-off. It is to be assumed McMurray witnessed these periods of high water, in the spring of the year, and knew that while it would fuel the local economy, of which he was heavily invested, it could also be the devil within, when it gained too much run-off, and threatened to erase all the progress that had been gained. Early on, in the settlement of Bracebridge, which was initially known as "North Falls," the river took on an almost mythic significance for pioneer philosophers, and there are many similar descriptions of the Muskoka River, such as a lengthy notation in the "Muskoka Guidebook and Atlas," produced by Captain Rogers and artist Seymour Penson. The river and its falls, are part of the characteristic of the community, from its founding homesteaders, and the relationship has only strengthened over the decades. Yet even with this kinship of topography and community, it has always been anticipated, by generations of visionaries, a succession of old-timers, that one day, the river would spill over its banks and achieve a record flood. There have been many occasions of it spilling its banks, but this spring's disastrous late snow melt, and torrential rain over several days, has created the so called perfect storm of conditions; currently making history as one of the worse floods ever. This event was predicted from the 1860's, as an inevitable reality, of being companioned with a major confluence of rivers and lakes. This may be the occasion McMurray was thinking about…..many decades in advance. On Saturday, it would have been hard to navigate even a small boat, under the bridge over the confluence of the north and south branches….creating a highly dangerous whirlpool at the junction.

     It is expected the water will crest by sometime on Monday of this week. Folks living in the flood-prone areas have been urged, for the most part, to leave their properties, in case of a major surge of water, covering a large acreage of lowland along the river course to Lake Muskoka. I have lived on, and had family residing on flood plains in three areas of Muskoka, and have a great deal of respect for the surge of water that can come so quickly, as to trap residents with its silent encroachment, leaving occupants in potentially life threatening situations. The emergency preparedness program seems to be working well, and we heard at least twenty radio warnings today, while we were in transit. Our prayers go out to all the citizens, in Bracebridge and Huntsville, and all other areas affected by flooding, and hope levels will reduce early in the week. Please be safe out there, and don't take chances with this incredibly powerful river…..known as such, back in the 1860's. This may become one of the biggest natural events in Muskoka history; but if you were to read "Gary Long's" wonderful book, "This River, The Muskoka," you'd realize, the really big flood occurred thousands of years ago……when the river was more of a lake, as the physical gouging on the landscape shows today, in aerial overviews.

     Take care out there. Don't take unnecessary chances. It's one thing to have a flood. Another thing to have a flood without any casualties…..which is the one we all prefer, if we have to endure one of two options.

     Thanks for joining in today. I have once again included a number of Fred Schulz photographs of the flooding situation.