Magnetawan Lock

Photo by Alan L Brown - May 9, 2005

Plaque Location

The District of Parry Sound
The Municipality of Magnetawan
Near the lock on the south side of Highway 520 on the east side of town

Plaque Text

The lock at Magnetawan, built by the Ontario Government, 1883-6, was replaced in 1911 by the present concrete structure. The original stone-filled timber cribwork measured 34 by 8.5 metres. The lock raised or lowered steamers about 3 metres, enabling them to run between Ahmic Harbour, 16 km below Magnetawan, and Burk's Falls, 32 km above it. In the quarter-century following its completion, an average of 704 passages were made through the locks by steamships each season. Notable among these ships were the "Wenonah" (1886), "Glenrosa" (1891), "Wanita" (1896), "Glenada" (1904) and "Armour" (1906). The "Mike", the last steamship to ply these waters, was removed from the river about 1934.