Keewaydin Photo Archive

[beaver]

Since 1893 Keewaydin has been a leader in youth summer camping in North America. The Keewaydin Foundation's summer camps and programs provide adventure, challenges and fun that help children develop self confidence, character, and leadership.

This is a wonderful photo archive that dates back to 1903....it includes a variety of birch bark and wooden canoe images.

http://photos.keewaydin.org/gallery/index.php

 

[Dylan Schoelzel]

It is a great set of photos. A lot more photos exist than what is on the web archives.

Photo #1 is guessed to be on the Montreal River that flows into Timiskaming. Some of the longer portages in this area had hired help on them.

Photo #3 is taken from the shore of Devil’s Island where Keewaydin is located.

The canoe in photo #4 was purchased at Moose Factory in 1911. That trip lost a canoe while getting to Moose factory. They needed a replacement so they could paddle back to camp.

Back in those days the Bay trip paddled from base camp on Lake Temagami to Hudson Bay and then paddled back to base camp.

The far right picture shows the fleet in 1903.

Here is a picture (wish I had a better one) of one of two birchbark canoes that remain on the island. This canoe was built sometime between 1915 and 1925. It was probably built on either Lake Temagami or in the town of Mattawa, Ontario.

I don’t have a picture of the other canoe, but it was built on Lake Temagami in the 30’s – not too many survive that were built on the lake.