Blind River:

A Walk Through History

The Fountain Circle Tour (30 minutes)

Blind River is a bustling town of 3,600 that became a major economic and social

center during the 19th century lumber boom. It is now a year-round destination

admired by local, regional, and international guests. The town is treasured for its

art, history, culture, and recreational activities.

Incorporated in 1906, Blind River has over 100 years of history that has drastically

changed its cozy downtown core. This brochure is designed to guide you on a

walking tour through this historic downtown.

Blind River Main Street facing North c.1956

1. Site of early

settlement

2. Grandview Hotel

3. Huronia Hotel

4. Library

5. Exit Reality

6. Christilaw Block

7. Hagger’s Clothing

8. The Empire

9. Mitchell’s Rexall IDA

10.Harmonic Hotel

11.Dr. Pigeon home

12.Town Hall

13.Berthelot Park

To find out more about the history of Blind River, stop by Timber Village Museum at:

1 Hagger Road, Blind River, ON

(705) 849—3006 or email us at museum@blindriver.com

Tour Map

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START: Park on the small street parallel to Woodward Avenue beside the river.

Your starting point is the Historic Site sign located adjacent to the covered picnic

area (see map). Gaze east to view “Log Burlers” a painted mural, by Suzanne

Kearns. Walk south towards the highway; then east at the sidewalk towards the

historic downtown.

On the side of the first building on your left, is a large mural titled Summer’s

Children. The artist is Liz Van Atter of Blue Fox Studios who, in 2006, along with

several other artists portrayed scenes to commemorate the centennial celebration

of Blind River.

Stop #1: Gazing across the highway, note The Old Mill Motel, situated on the

east branch of the Blind River which empties into the North Channel of Lake Huron.

This was the site of

Blind River’s first

sawmill and early

settlement known as

“Le Petit Moulin”.

Built in 1853 to supply

timber for the new

copper mines at

Bruce Mines, the mill

operated by a water

wheel. Product was

shipped on flat

bottomed scows to its

market 72 km west.

Turn LEFT onto Woodward Avenue.

Salvail Mill, Blind River (1853-1911).

Stop #2: Prominent at the corner, Woodward & Hwy 17, on the west side of the

street was The Huronia Hotel. William Scott opened this elegant hotel in 1904 as

it served many travelers of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The proprietor boasted

that he had 2,000 lumberjacks working for him, implying that the labor force of the

day would spend their wages at one of his hotels.

Stop #3: Blind River’s longest running

restaurant, The 17 Restaurant, is

located on the east side of Woodward

Avenue. Built on this site in 1895, the

first hotel was The Grandview Hotel ,

which was owned and operated by

Joseph Scott (brother of William).

Destroyed by fire in 1916, the hotel

advertised a restaurant, pool room,

bowling alley and barbershop. A porter

would also meet travelers at the

adjacent CPR station.

Stop #4: On the east side of the street

stands The Blind River Public

Library. The current building, built in

1939, has served as the Blind River

Post Office, the courthouse, jail and

police headquarters and the separate

school board office, until 2000 when the

library relocated here.

On the side of the building housing The Birch Tree, previously Simplicitié

Woodward Fashions, facing the library is a mural of historic photos. For more

information on these photos, visit Timber Village Museum.

The Grand View Hotel.

Blind River Post Office

Stop #5: Continue down the

west side of the street to

today’s Exit Reality. This

building was built in 1920 and

was occupied by the Royal

Bank until 1975. In 1957, the

Montgomery’s, a father and

son team, attempted to rob the

bank. The two men shot and

murdered the bank manager

stealing a parked car outside

the bank as a getaway vehicle.

Later that year, the two

suspects were brought back to Ontario for a court hearing. The father was

sentenced to hanging which occurrence is believed to have been the last hanging

at the Sault Ste. Marie jail. The son served a term in prison.

Stop #7: On the opposite side

of the street is the retail store,

Hagger’s Clothing and

Footwear. Prior to 1959, the

building was occupied by P.J.

Kenny’s general store, and

several restaurants, such as

Charlie Wing’s Star Café and

Needs Restaurant.

Stop #6: Midway down Woodward on the west side is The Christilaw Block. It

suffered many fires and renovations since the early 1900’s when it housed a

millinery store, Christilaw Groceries, Timmerman’s Barbershop, Brathwaite’s

Sport Shop and an office for the first doctor in town Dr. W. Burd. Current

businesses are Blind River Laundromat, Roland H. Aube, Barrister &

Solicitor; Sentia’s Hair Creations and Mad Mat’s Rockin’ Road Food .

Old Royal Bank of Canada on Main Street (left store front)

Hagger’s Mens Wear ca. 1970

Stop #8: Continuing down the west side of the street stands The Empire, formerly

The Source/Unicorn Stationary . This building operated as a training college for

young Jesuit priests in the late 1800’s. Several butcher shops, including Gagnon’s

Groceries operated for awhile. It is the oldest building on this side of the street.

Stop #9: Next to this stands Mitchell’s

Rexall IDA. This long time family-run

business, since opening in 1958,

experienced an attempted robbery when

an eccentric crook entered the store and

announced:

“This is a robbie. I want some

money or no one will be hurt.”

The robber handed the clerk a note,

which he assumed would be persuasive.

Otherwise, the man had no weapon and

was promptly arrested by police.

Stop #10: While a 1955 edition of Life magazine captioned “Canada’s Blind River

is (the) throbbing capital of world’s richest uranium field”, Blind River’s main

street hummed with new life. Rooms were added and a restaurant renovated in the

Harmonic Hotel now known as

the Mustangs. The Harmonic

became synonymous with

entertainment bringing in

fabulous bands and performers.

The Mustang’s Bar , the Iron

Horse was touted as having one

of the best karaoke bars in

Northern Ontario.

Mitchell’s Pharmacy IDA

Harmonic Hotel ca. 1970. Photo by Wolf Kirchmeir

Stop #11: At the end of the street is a large

white house fronting on the river and bordered

by a stone fence. This was the residence

and offices of Dr. Jean Pigeon from 1940

until his death in 1971. Admired and

respected in his community for both his

professional and charity work, he achieved

recognition from his peers for treatment of

second degree burns using amniotic

membranes. It has been said that he

conducted experiments of this sort in the

basement of his home.

Turn LEFT and cross over the Hudson Street Bridge. Follow the footpath and

walk along the boardwalk bordering the Blind River.

The house was built in the early

1900’s and was bought by the J.J.

McFadden Lumber Company in

1927 to be used as their office.

There was warehouses at the end

of the street on the river bank

where the Dr. Pigeon home is to-

day. There were also docks for

tugs that towed logs and took men

and supplies to the lumber camps

north of Blind River.

Dr. Jean Pigeon

Lumber in the Blind River behind the Pigeon House.

Stop #12: On your right is the Town Hall and Court House. Now a symbol of

security and progress to its residents, it was once the home of the Department

of Highways, including a paint shop, sand sheds and provincial offices. The

Fire Hall was across the street where today stands the seniors’ complex.

On your left is our town’s name sake, the

Blind River. From the waters of the Blind River

emerges a cascade of water from fountain in

the center of the river. Completed in October

of 1995, the fountain now stands as a

celebratory symbol of the importance of

bodies of water in Blind River’s history. The

original fountain was replaced with a new one

during the summer of 2020.

Stop #13: Continue down the board

walk to a large grassy area known as

Berthelot Park. Within the park is a

stone cenotaph. This memorial,

maintained by Branch 189, of The

Royal Canadian Legion, was

erected by the citizens of Blind River

to honour the local men and women

who fought in World War I, World War

II and the Korean War.

END: Continue south on Hawkins Street to the highway; then east. Once over

the bridge, turn north and return to your parking space.

Water Fountain in the Blind River.

Blind River Cenotaph.