Although it hasn’t felt like it lately, spring is on the way…we hope. This week we're looking at spring flooding 100 years ago.
The Mattagami River is our main waterway through the city. It has a history and many tales to tell including dangerous spring water levels. In spring 1922 the Mattagami River reached record-high water levels. At the boat launch that year, water levels on the river reached seven feet higher than its normal flow. Flooding reached damaging levels causing destruction and collapse to bridges, timber and logs, homes, and barns. It not only affected power but also caused reductions in service at the mines — several hundred men were laid off work until the flood eased.
Many homes up the river were badly damaged. Colonel Worthington’s house was located upriver and during the highest water levels of the flood, only the roof was showing above water. To save lumber at his mill, he ran 100,000 feet of lumber downriver. He explained how it was a fast yet memorable ride down the river. Other mills like McChesney, Fesserton, and the Ontario Tie Timber and Construction were all flooded as well. The most serious sufferers in this flood were those who were located on the low-lying land down the river
Each week, the Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre provides TimminsToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Timmins museum has to offer here and read more Remember This columns here.
