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Providence Bay
Providence Bay has long been renowned for its crescent-shaped sand beach.
Early native inhabitants of the region called the bay Bebekodawangog
"where the beach curves around the water".
In the late 1860's Manitoulin Island was ceded and land was put up for sale. Many came to Manitoulin Island primarily to look over the timber. Making their way as far as the Providence Bay area; people were delighted with the abundance of fine stands of pine, oak and maple. It was not until 1871 that Providence Bay grew to be an abundant prosperous town for many men and their families to start a new life. A small community started to grow up around the mills. During the 1880's Providence Bay mills, stores and harbour did a fine brisk trade in fish, farming and timber.
Originally a Native settlement, the town of Providence Bay was across on the other side of the Mindemoya River. Today the town is located on the opposite side. At the old town site evidence still remains of an early settlement. One can find old nails, shards of glass, pottery and metal. During that time period the Mindemoya River flowed through the village at the far end of Lake Mindemoya, or on the east side instead of the south west side as it is now.
It is noted that one of the first buildings to be constructed at the old town site was a boarding house. The boarding house was inhabited and ran by Chief Horn. Chief Horn's Boarding House was the only place at that time white settlers looking for jobs at the mill could stay until sleep camps were erected and eventually homes. The first few years were filled with extreme hardships for the settlers, especially in the spring when supplies were short after a long cold winter. The first boat of the season was looked forward to with great anticipation. Many housewives in those days knew what it was like to have nothing on hand to eat but potatoes. What is now not even given a second thought as necessities were luxuries in those days. Houses were paper thin and not as insulated and warmly built which greatly added to the discomfort of the settlers.
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One Legend states that Providence Bay's name origin started when a sailing vessel was wrecked just off the beach area. Some of the survivors came ashore and the others washing up to shore. In a spirit of thankfulness the survivors called out Providence Bay. Stating that Providence had brought them safely to shore. It must be kept in mind when talking about the Providence Bay beach that at the time of the sailors meeting their demise the beach was almost a mile from where it is today towards the Providence Bay Park. Lending credence to this legend is that early settlers found portions of these skeletons covered up with an old sail, under an out-cropping ledge of rock. This out-cropping ledge of rock as shown in the photograph below is known as Sailors Grave.
The fastest way lumber could be timbered was to put settlers on farmland and then reserve the rights to take the timber. Two enterprising men in 1871 formed a company known as Garland and Johnson to mill the lumber. Mr. Ball was brought in to build this first mill located in Providence Bay on the Mindemoya River. The first miller was a man by the name of Johnston. It was within no time that Garland and Johnson company had two mills in operation - a saw mill and grist mill (also known as a flour mill).
The Garland and Johnson mill was later taken over by two men known as Mutchmor and McNevin. They enticed and brought quite a few settlers from Caledonia and surrounding districts. The names of some of these settlers are: Alexander, Burch, Caddel, Campbell, Love, Latham, McAllister, McKendrick, McIntyre, McNicol, McQueen, Pattison, Sinclair and Turley.
Please click on the Mills link below to view photographs of the grist mill and saw mill.
A dock was built at the mouth of the Mindemoya River so that a tramway and track of rails could be installed and utilized to run the small flat cars. The rail cars were operated by man power to carry lumber to the larger boats awaiting in Lake Huron. This was Providence Bay's only railway!
As the Mutchmor and McNevin Company expanded many sleep camps and a cookery were constructed.
Chief Horn's Boarding House became too small to accommodate all of the men. Soon larger buildings were seen around the town of Providence Bay - homes took in boarders and eventually hotels were erected.
The first cook in the camp cookery was Mrs. Joseph Turley. Her husband drowned on the "Seahorse", a freighting vessel from Michaels Bay, which went down in 1870 with all hands.
However, a discrepancy still exists on the official #6 plan. This plan indicates that up until October 22, 1888 no proof has been provided to indicate there were houses built within the town plot.
Anyone having proof before 1888 of a home being within the town plot is asked to bring forth the documentation to the Providence Bay & Spring Bay History Preservation Project so that we may establish a birth date for the town.
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