Blind River 100 Years of History and More - Part 1 - The Standard, 2006

Wednesday, January 4, 2006 Blind River The Standard • Page 1 Blind River—100 years of history and more By ROSALIND RABY of Osprey Media Network

Back in time, a long, long time ago, there, was a natural gathering place for First Nations people. Situated along two busy waterways, this gathering place provided fish, fowl and plenty of four-footed prey for sustenance.

This natural gathering place was rich in tall white pines, clear blue water and big sky. It would one day become home for thousands of people. It would become Blind River.

Blind River is located on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 17), about 15 kilometres east of the community of Iron Bridge. The population is estimated around 3,300.

Around 1853, the first sawmill was built in the location, which is now Blind River. At that time it was called Le Petit Moulin, which translated into English as The Little Mill. It was an inauspicious beginning with just Joseph Salvail's mill and some buildings for the workers.

It was established as Blind River in the late 1800s, and the streets began to be named at around the same time.

Blind River was the base of the McFadden Lumber Company, as well as many other lumber companies.

Many men from the Mississagi Site Valley area worked for the mills and companies located in Blind River. The economy of Blind River depended solely on the logging industry for a long time, then with the discovery of uranium on the North Shore and at Elliot Lake.

Now one of its largest employers is Cameco, which has a uranium refinery which helps produce fuel for nuclear power stations around the world. But, to get a real feel for Blind River and its history, we must go back much further in time, back to the First Nations.

It is easy to forget that the nomadic Ojibwa ever wandered the Mississagi Valley. Their lifestyle was so unobtrusive there is little archeological evidence that remains of their presence.

However, it is known that the Ojibwa spent their winters in the forests north of Lake Huron. In the summer, they would travel down down the Mississagi River, the Blind River and others to reach Lake Huron and the gathering ground where they would spend the season.

The Ojibway, the Odawa (Ottawa) and Potawatomi were the three main First Nations people who lived around the North Shore. They were all part of the Algonquin linguistic family, and called themselves Anishinabe, meaning the 'original men.'

There is some evidence this group of first Nations people moved from along the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes around 10,000 years ago.

The Potawatomi moved to Lake Michigan, the Ojibwa settled at Bawating at Sault Ste. Marie and at the mouth of the Mississagi River, and the Odawa lived at Michilimackinac and Manitoulin Island. The Ojibwa were the most powerful nation on the Great Lakes. Excellent hunters and trappers, they were usually a peaceful people, but skilled in battle.

The Mississaugies, who were a part of the Ojibwa family, had a population of 50 to 150 people who lived as a large group around the mouth of the Mississagi River during the summer. When fall and winter came. they would move to the inner lakes in small family groups. The Mississagi River was called Mi\wezaging "river of many mouths" by the Ojibway. It was later misspelled by the Europeans and named Mississagi.

The Iroquois, who came from the Lower Lakes, attempted to attack the Ojibway after defeating the Huron. The warring went on for years, but the Iroquois were routed again and again by the Ojibway, until the Iroquois finally admitted defeat. The last battle between the Iroquois and the Ojibwa occurred around 1760, although the Ojibway did win their part in the war, they left the North Channel in Lake Huron because of the, horrible effects of the wars, which included smallpox brought to the area by the Iroquois. After the French had made a peace treaty with the Iroquois, the Ojibway felt it was safe to return to their traditional lands.

The Ojibway were very important in the French fur trade. Around the 1600's, they began to get involved in trading with the French. As the Ojibway became more involved with European trading they became increasingly Europeanized, slowly losing their cultural skills and traditions. However, the present community of Mississauga First Nation, which surrounds Blind River, has returned to their roots and have a strong, friendly relationship with the non-Native community.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of the weekly stories that Vie Standard will run during the year regarding Blind River's history and commemorating the community's centennial. This week's story is the first of a two-part series. Part two will appear next week.

Photo Caption:
Trapper: A local trapper with wolf and beaver pelts. Natives in the Blind River area had their lives profoundly changed with the arrival of Europeans, especially by the French who wanted the fur pelts to send back overseas.
Photo courtesy of Timber Village Museum